Elmer H. Salzman

Elmer H. Salzman was a United States Marine.

Background

From Kiel, Wisconsin, Salzman was a 1926 graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

Marine career

In 1928, Salzman received the Navy Cross for his actions during the Second Nicaraguan Campaign.

His award citation reads:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Second Lieutenant Elmer Henry Salzman (MCSN: 0-4074), United States Marine Corps, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as commander of a patrol of the Second Brigade, U.S. Marine Corps, operating in the vicinity of Zapote, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua on 28 September 1928. Second Lieutenant Salzman's command surprised a greatly superior bandit force under the command of General Salgado by a well planned attack on its rear which resulted in the rout of the bandits. The arrival of the Force of Second Lieutenant Salzman was particularly fortuitous as the bandits had another small patrol of Marines at a great disadvantage and it appeared that they must inevitably suffer a disastrous defeat. Although the bandits outnumbered the combined patrols more than two-to-one, Second Lieutenant Salzman displayed such courage, skill and leadership in conducting the engagement that the bandits were decisively defeated and the beleaguered patrol rescued from its perilous position.

He served in Marine Corps aviation, including the Guadalcanal and Okinawa campaigns of World War II.

Retirement

He retired in 1949 as a Major General to go to work for the Aerospace division of Minneapolis-Honeywell. In 1953 his son Kenneth Salzman graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. Salzman died on September 24, 1958, survived by his wife, the former Helen Maxwell Stevenson (originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).