Gustave Marinius Heiss (4 November 1904-7 June 1982) was a United States fencing

Fencing

Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...

 champion and winner of a bronze medal in team épée fencing at the 1932 Summer Olympics

1932 Summer Olympics

The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...

 in Los Angeles. He also competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics

1936 Summer Olympics

The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...

 in Berlin, where the American team placed fifth. He was a four-time U.S. National Épée Champion (1933, 1934, 1936, and 1941).

Fencing career

Heiss was born in Meridian, Mississippi

Meridian, Mississippi

Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...

. After briefly attending Tulane University

Tulane University

Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...

, he entered the United States Military Academy

United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...

 at West Point.

Heiss competed in épée, individually and on a team, and won the following titles:

1931 IFA Individual Épée Champion (USMA)

1932 Outdoor U.S. National Épée Champion

1932 U.S. National Épée Team Champion (NYFC)

1933 U.S. National Épée Team Champion (NYFC)

1933 U.S. National Épée Champion

1934 U.S. National Épée Team Champion (NYFC)

1934 U.S. National Épée Champion

1935 U.S. National Épée Team Champion (NYFC)

1936 U.S. National Épée Team Champion (NYFC)

1936 U.S. National Épée Champion

1939 U.S. National Épée Team Champion (NYFC)

1940 Outdoor U.S. National Épée Champion

1941 U.S. National Épée Team Champion (NYFC)

1941 U.S. National Épée Champion


1932 U.S. Olympic Team, Men's Épée - Bronze medal

1936 U.S. Olympic Team, Men's Épée - 5th place

Army career

During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Heiss was severely wounded while commanding a battalion in the 87th Infantry Division at the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944). He received the Bronze Star, the Silver Star

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....

, and the Purple Heart

Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...

.

Post World War II career

After World War II, Heiss lived in Arlington, Virginia. From 1947 to 1955 he worked as chief of vocational rehabilitation and education at the Veterans Administration

United States Department of Veterans Affairs

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...

. He then worked at the National Security Agency

National Security Agency

The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...

from 1955 to 1958. Marriages to Virginia Jones Heiss and Hertha Waggoner Heiss ended in divorce. He had one son from his first marriage and two daughters from his second.

Heiss was elected to the U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame.

He was buried at West Point.

External links

• Biography at U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame