Waldemar Levy Cardoso
Waldemar Levy Cardoso | |
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Born | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | December 4, 1900
Died | May 13, 2009 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | (aged 108)
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1918-1966 |
Rank | ![]() |
Unit | Artillery Battalion |
Battles/wars | Tenente revolts Brazilian Revolution of 1930 World War II |
Waldemar Levy Cardoso (December 4, 1900 – May 13, 2009) was the last living Marshal of the Brazilian Army.
Biography
Cardoso was of Jewish Algerian-Moroccan descent and was born on Rua Evaristo da Veiga in Rio de Janeiro.
He graduated from military college at the top of his class in late-1918 (making him a World War I-era veteran although he never saw combat). In 1924, he took part in the uprising against the Brazilian Federal Government and also fought in the Brazilian Revolution of 1930.
During World War II, Cardoso – at this time a Lieutenant Colonel – commanded an artillery battalion with the Brazilian Expeditionary Force. During the Allies' Italian campaign, he was mentioned in dispatches in World War II.
He converted to Catholicism in 1953. Between 1953-54, he was the commander of the 2nd Artillery Regiment, in Itu, São Paulo.
Cardoso was promoted to Field Marshal upon his retirement in 1966. After his retirement, he acted as president of Petrobrás between March-October 1969, acting as company's counselor between 1971-85. He lived on Rua Tonelero in the Copacabana district of Rio de Janeiro.[1][2]
In 2007, at the age of 107 years, he returned to Itu to see the party of the ninetieth anniversary of the 2nd Light Artillery Group, the actual designation of the old Regiment he had commanded. He died in the Hospital Central do Exército on 13 May 2009. Upon his death, he was the last Brazilian Field Marshal, the last surviving veteran of the Brazilian Revolution of 1930, the oldest World War II veteran and the last surviving World War I veteran from Brazil.[3]
Decorations
During his career, Cardoso was awarded with several decorations,[4] including the:
- Brazil
- Combat Cross Second Class
- Brazilian Expeditionary Force Campaign Cross
- Order of Military Merit
- Military Medal in Gold with Platinum bar (for 40 years of active duty)
- Brazilian War Medal
- United States
- Italy
- France
- Croix de Guerre avec Palme
See also
References
- ^ Lacerda Ramalho, Henrique. "Waldemar Levy Cardoso" (in Portuguese). Rivkah. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
- ^ Cohen, Vivianne. "Testemunhas do Seculo" (in Portuguese). Terra. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ Folha Online. "Morre no Rio, aos 108 anos, o último marechal do Exército" (in Portuguese). Retrieved January 16, 2009.
- ^ Field Marshal Waldemar Levy Cardoso: Brazilian army officer, The Times, July 1, 2009.
- 1900 births
- 2009 deaths
- People from Rio de Janeiro (city)
- Brazilian centenarians
- Brazilian Roman Catholics
- Brazilian military personnel of World War II
- Recipients of the Order of Military Merit (Brazil)
- Brazilian Jews
- Brazilian people of Algerian-Jewish descent
- Brazilian people of Moroccan-Jewish descent
- Converts to Roman Catholicism from Judaism
- Marshals of Brazil
- Jewish military personnel