
Lawrence F. Snoddy, Jr., later known as Lawrence F. Snowden, Jr. (April 14, 1921 – February 18, 2017)[1] was a member of the Virginia Glee Club during the 1939–40, 1940–41, and 1941–42 seasons. He performed in the Tin Can Quartet in the latter two seasons. At the University of Virginia, he managed the basketball team and was a member of Sigma Nu.[2]
After 1942 Snoddy joined the United States Marine Corps. After training at Quantico and time in Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, by 1944 he was in the Second Battalion, Twenty-Third Marines, Fourth Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, where he was a company commander on Iwo Jima and spent time in Guam. Returning to Virginia, he spent the next few years in command posts there before heading to Korea in early 1953 with the 7th Marines. During his year in Korea he received the Legion of Merit.[3] Rising to the rank of Colonel, Snoddy saw further action in Vietnam as the commander of the 7th Marines.[4]
After the Vietnam War, Snoddy legally changed his last name to Snowden in 1972.[4] He served as Chief of Staff in Japan from 1972 to 1975 and as Chief of Staff in USMC Headquarters from 1977 to 1979, receiving the Navy Distinguished Service Medal in both positions.[5] He retired from the Marines in 1979 as a lieutenant general, and has remained active, serving on the commission to investigate the Lebanon Marines barracks bombings in the early 1980s and leading reconciliation trips that reunited American and Japanese survivors of the battle of Iwo Jima. He was named "Person of the Year" by the Tallahassee Democrat in 2016.[6]
References[]
- ↑ Cotterell, Bill (2017-02-18). "Lt. Gen. Lawrence Snowden, Battle of Iwo Jima survivor, dies". Tallahassee Democrat. http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/02/18/lt-gen-lawrence-snowden-battle-iwo-jima-survivor-dies/98098072/. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
- ↑ Corks and Curls. 1942. p. 40. http://interactive.ancestry.com/1265/40392_B065525-00041/243146540?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults.
- ↑ "Valor awards for Lawrence F. Snoddy, Jr.". http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=44720. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 US Marines in Vietnam: An Expanding War, 1966. pp. 236ff. http://community.marines.mil/news/publications/Documents/US%20Marines%20in%20Vietnam%20An%20Expanding%20War%201966%20%20PCN%2019000308600_5.pdf.
- ↑ "Valor awards for Lawrence F. Snowden". http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=200016. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
- ↑ "2016 Person of the Year: Gen. Lawrence Snowden". Tallahassee Democrat. 2017-01-21. http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/01/21/tallahassee-democrat-person-year-general-lawrence-snowden/96782002/. Retrieved 2017-10-24.