Advertisement

Charles Decker Reidpath

Advertisement

Charles Decker Reidpath Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Buffalo, Erie County, New York, USA
Death
21 Oct 1975 (aged 86)
Kenmore, Erie County, New York, USA
Burial
Buffalo, Erie County, New York, USA GPS-Latitude: 42.9254747, Longitude: -78.864592
Plot
Section 1, Lot 21
Memorial ID
View Source
Olympic Gold Medalist. Reidpath graduated from Lafayette high school in Buffalo, New York. While in high school he excelled in track in spite of an unorthodox "flat footed' running style, winning the 220 and 440 yard dashes in the 1912 intercollegiate games. In 1912 Reidpath graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation his family urged him to take a position with the family business in Buffalo, New York. Instead, he made the U.S. Olympic track team, and headed to Stockholm Sweden. Reidpath won the gold medal in the 400 meters in an Olympic record shattering time of 48.2 seconds. His record stood until the Olympics of 1924, when it was broken by Eric Liddle, whose story was made famous by the movie "Chariots of Fire". He followed that victory by running the anchor leg of the 4x400 meter relay, helping the U.S. team set a world record of 3:16.6, and winning a second gold medal. During World War II Reidpath was a Lieutenant Colonel serving in England, France and Belgium in the Transportation corps winning battle stars for the Northern France and Rheinland campaigns. He continued service in the New York National guard attaining the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in 1948.
Olympic Gold Medalist. Reidpath graduated from Lafayette high school in Buffalo, New York. While in high school he excelled in track in spite of an unorthodox "flat footed' running style, winning the 220 and 440 yard dashes in the 1912 intercollegiate games. In 1912 Reidpath graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation his family urged him to take a position with the family business in Buffalo, New York. Instead, he made the U.S. Olympic track team, and headed to Stockholm Sweden. Reidpath won the gold medal in the 400 meters in an Olympic record shattering time of 48.2 seconds. His record stood until the Olympics of 1924, when it was broken by Eric Liddle, whose story was made famous by the movie "Chariots of Fire". He followed that victory by running the anchor leg of the 4x400 meter relay, helping the U.S. team set a world record of 3:16.6, and winning a second gold medal. During World War II Reidpath was a Lieutenant Colonel serving in England, France and Belgium in the Transportation corps winning battle stars for the Northern France and Rheinland campaigns. He continued service in the New York National guard attaining the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in 1948.

Bio by: Saratoga


Advertisement

Advertisement

How famous was Charles Decker Reidpath ?

Current rating: 3.52 out of 5 stars

25 votes

Sign-in to cast your vote.

  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Saratoga
  • Added: Sep 9, 2011
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76252223/charles_decker-reidpath: accessed ), memorial page for Charles Decker Reidpath (20 Sep 1889–21 Oct 1975), Find a Grave Memorial ID 76252223, citing Forest Lawn, Buffalo, Erie County, New York, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.