University of South Dakota Athletics

Laverne G. "Blondie" Saunders was a war hero and stand out athlete at the University of South Dakota. Saunders was one of the great offensive linemen in the early history of South Dakota football history along with fellow USD Hall of Famer Henry Kersten (inducted in 1973), the duo formed a powerful one-two punch on the line.

Named All-North Central Conference in 1922, Saunders was then named captain of the 1923 squad. From USD, he went to West Point, where he played four more years and earned All-Eastern honors before his graduation in 1928.

Originally of Stratford, South Dakota, he graduated from the Air Corps Flying School in 1929. Saunders served in World War II and was named to command heavy bombardment operations in the South Pacific (1942-43). Promoted to wartime rank of Brigadier General in 1942, Saunders also served as (U.S. Army) Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C., and later trained and developed the first B-29 wing. He led the first hand-based raid on Japan in June 1944, but was seriously injured in a crash months later, ending his Air Force career. His military career also included years as an assistant football coach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from 1931-1939.

Photo is from the USD Athletics Archives.