Otto Lessing (general)

Otto Lessing (May 18, 1904 — March 13, 2002) was a major general in the United States Marine Corps.

Biography

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Lessing was born on May 18, 1904, in Munich, Germany[1] to a German-Jewish family. Later, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His home of record was Urbana, Illinois where his father, Otto Eduard Lessing, worked as professor of German literature (at University of Illinois) beginning in 1907.[2]

Career

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Lessing joined the Marine Corps in 1924. During World War II, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Valor device for his actions as a battalion commander during the Battle of Saipan. He retired from the USMC in 1964 and died on March 13, 2002, at the age of 97.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "Otto Lessing". Military Times.com. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  2. ^ McGlathery, James M. German and Scandinavian at Illinois: A History. Urbana, 1990, pp. 45-46.