Foy Draper

Foy Draper, born on November twenty-six, nineteen eleven, was a remarkable American track and field athlete who made his mark in the world of athletics by winning a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. As a student at the University of Southern California, he showcased his talent by clinching the IC4A championships in the 200 m in nineteen thirty-five.

Standing at just five feet five inches, Draper was a formidable competitor, reportedly holding the world record for the 100-yard dash with a hand-timed record of nine point four seconds. His performance at the Berlin Olympics was particularly noteworthy, as he ran the third leg of the American relay team, which not only secured the gold medal but also set a world record time of thirty-nine point eight seconds.

Beyond his athletic achievements, Draper served his country during World War II as a pilot on a twin-engine attack bomber, the A-20B 'Havoc', stationed in Thelepte, Tunisia. On January fourth, nineteen forty-three, he took off to participate in the battle of Kassarine Pass, but tragically, Draper and his two crewmen never returned. His death is often recorded as February first, nineteen forty-three, and he is interred at the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial in Carthage, Tunisia, where his gravestone marks January fourth, nineteen forty-three, as his date of death.