30 Facts About Victor Bleasdale

Victor France Bleasdale was a brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps.

Victor Bleasdale was awarded the Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge in World War I Later he received a second Navy Cross for his service at the Battle of San Fernando during the Second Nicaraguan Campaign.

Victor Bleasdale moved with his family to Janesville, Wisconsin, where he attended the local high school.

At the age of 19, Victor Bleasdale enlisted in the Marine Corps at Milwaukee on May 15,1915, and was posted to Norfolk, Virginia.

Victor Bleasdale participated in actions against hostile Cacos bandits at Le Trou and Fort Capois, Haiti.

Victor Bleasdale returned to the United States in December 1916 and served briefly at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and then at the Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida.

When World War I broke out, Victor Bleasdale was sent with the American Expeditionary Force to Europe.

Victor Bleasdale arrived in France in June 1917 and was assigned to several training schools.

Victor Bleasdale subsequently commanded his unit during the Battle of Belleau Wood or Battle of Soissons, where he was awarded the Silver Star Citation for gallantry in action.

Victor Bleasdale was slightly wounded in the left hand during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, but stayed with his unit.

Victor Bleasdale was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant at that time.

Victor Bleasdale formed his machine gun section as regular infantry, and assaulted the machine gun position.

For repeated acts of extraordinary heroism, Victor Bleasdale was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross.

Victor Bleasdale was transferred to the regular Marine Corps and promoted to the rank of captain.

Victor Bleasdale was transferred back to Quantico in March 1922 and few months later ordered for shore duty with the Second Marine Brigade to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

On July 25,1927, Victor Bleasdale was on patrol with a combined unit of Marines and Nicaraguan Guardsmen led by Major Oliver Floyd.

Victor Bleasdale returned fire and was able to hold them back until reinforcements arrived.

Victor Bleasdale remained in Nicaragua until June 1929, when he was ordered to Quantico to attend a one-year company course.

Victor Bleasdale then returned to Nicaragua and after six months of service there was transferred back to Quantico, where he was appointed an instructor in November 1930.

Victor Bleasdale left Quantico again in June 1933 to be assigned to the Marine Detachment aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma.

Victor Bleasdale spent a year on that ship, before he was transferred again to Quantico.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Bleasdale served as chief of staff of the Second Marine Brigade under the command of Major General Clayton B Vogel.

Victor Bleasdale sailed with the division to the American Samoa in the South Pacific and participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign.

Victor Bleasdale oversaw the forming and training of the 29th Marine Regiment, which was formed as a part of the 6th Marine Division, and subsequently assumed command of the regiment.

Victor Bleasdale was relieved of command on April 11,1945, and succeeded by William J Whaling, a decorated World War I veteran, who later was awarded the Navy Cross on Okinawa.

Victor Bleasdale was transferred to the general staff of the III Amphibious Corps, where he Commanded Corps reserve troops on Okinawa.

Victor Bleasdale served in that capacity until June 1946, when he returned to San Diego to retire.

Victor Bleasdale was advanced to the rank of brigadier general on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat on December 1,1946.

Victor Bleasdale was active in the Marine Corps Historical Foundation, where he received a Certificate of Appreciation by then-Commandant Robert H Barrow for his contributions to the Oral History Program.

Victor Bleasdale later settled in England, where he resided in London.