Charles Reidpath
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
 Charles Reidpath |
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| Men's athletics | ||
Competitor for the  United States |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1912 Stockholm | 400 metres |
| Gold | 1912 Stockholm | 4x400 m relay |
Charles Decker Reidpath (September 20, 1889 – October 21, 1975) was an American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1912 Summer Olympics, who later went on to have an outstanding military career.
[edit] Biography
Born in Buffalo, New York, and a graduate of that city's Lafayette High School, it was while at Syracuse University 1908 - 1912 that Reidpath became a collegiate track star, winning the 220 yd (201 m) and 440 yd (402 m) dashes in the 1912 intercollegiate games.
On graduating from Syracuse in 1912 with a degree in civil engineering, Reidpath was pressured by relatives to quit sports and take a position with the family business in Buffalo. Instead, he made the U.S. Olympic track team, and headed to Stockholm, Sweden. Reidpath won the 400 m in an Olympic record shattering time of 48.2 seconds. Running the anchor leg of the 4 x 400 m relay, Reidpath helped the U.S. team set a world record of 3:16.6. In the 200 metres competition he finished fifth.
As regards his military career, he was a Lieutenant Colonel who served in England, France and Belgium in the Transportation Corps during World War II, winning battle stars for the Northern France and Rheinland campaigns. In Belgium he was made Officer of the Crown for his services at the vital port of Antwerp in 1944 and 1945. Reidpath was made a Brigadier General when he retired from the New York National Guard in 1948. He is a member of the Lafayette High School Sports Hall of fame.
Away from sports and the military, Reidpath worked for the Berdencer construction company from 1912 through 1937, when he was named director of buildings for Buffalo. For 15 years he worked in the city department of public works, and in 1956 helped build the Federal Reserve Bank as superintendent of construction for architects.
He died in Kenmore, New York, in 1975.
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This biographical article related to World War II United States Army is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1889 births
- 1975 deaths
- American sprinters
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States
- Former world record holders in athletics (track and field)
- People from Buffalo, New York
- American military personnel of World War II
- United States Army generals
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
- World War II United States Army personnel stubs
