Amador County – A memorial is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at American Legion Hall in Martell to honor the U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General Harry Liversedge, who was born Sept. 21, 1894 in Volcano, and who died in 1951.

According to biographer Bob Hufford, Liversedge, known as “Harry the Horse,” was a veteran of World War I and World War II, a star athlete at college and Olympic levels, and one of the first commanders of elite Marines special forces units, known as the Raiders.

Liversedge was the 1916 collegiate champion in the shot put, and captured a bronze medal in the shot put at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games. He played on successful Marine Corps football teams, and was a boxing coach.

He was raised in Central California, attended U.C. Berkeley and joined the Marine Corps as a private in 1917.

He remained on active duty until the outbreak of World War II, when he was transferred from San Francisco to American Samoa, advanced to colonel, and assigned to the Third Marine Raider Battalion.

Liversedge received his first Navy Cross for the 1943 New Georgia Campaign in the Pacific islands and in 1944 was assigned to the 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Liversedge earned his second Navy Cross for the 1945 invasion of Iwo Jima which led up to the capture of Mount Suribachi, for which he was decorated for bravery.

He was promoted to Brigadier General in May 1948, and was named Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Guam, in May of 1949, and commanded the U.S. Marine Reserves in his last assignment.

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