George Charles Calnan (January 18, 1900 – April 4, 1933) was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

officer who also competed for the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

as a fencer. Competing in four

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

, he earned three bronze medals (Individual épée:

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...

, Team foil:

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

, Team épée: 1932) A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Calnan did not start fencing until he was a student at the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

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. By the time he was a senior, he was captain of the Navy's fencing team. Two years later, Calnan competed for the US at the

1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIIe olympiade) and also known as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The op ...

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where he finished tied for fifth in the team épée competition. Calnan took the Olympic Oath at the

1932 Summer Olympics The 1932 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the X Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1932) were an international multi-sport event held from July 30 to August 14, 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. The Games were held duri ...

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. Calnan was among the 73 fatalities of the USS ''Akron'' crash in 1933. He had a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

's rank at the time of the crash. He was posthumously inducted in the US Fencing Hall of Fame in 1963, among the first inductees.

References

External links

*
IOC 1932 Summer Olympics
* *Wallechinsky, David (1984). "Fencing". In ''The Complete Book of the Olympics: 1896-1980''. New York: Penguin Books. pp. 248, 252, 256. {{DEFAULTSORT:Calnan, George 1900 births 1933 deaths American male épée fencers Navy Midshipmen fencers Fencers at the 1920 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1924 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1928 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 1932 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in fencing Sportspeople from Boston United States Navy officers Accidental deaths in New Jersey Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1932 Summer Olympics Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1933 Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Oath takers at the Olympic Games American male foil fencers