Career
After the war he was an exhibition diver for Billy Rose"s Aquacades. He was the Commander officer of Lockheed P-38 Lightings in World World War II for the 7th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, and in 1945 he aborted his de Haviland Mosquito plane and landed in Italy. After the war he was a pilot, navigator and captain for PanAm Airlines.
He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fall in 1982, in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida. Born of parents in the Vaudeville troupe that toured the east coast of the United States, Marshall began performing at a very young age. Taught by the acrobats of the Vaudeville acts long before he began to dive, Marshall took an interest to tumbling.
When he was a teen at Miami High, he snuck in the Venetian pool in Coral Gables, and his diving career began. By the time he was 18, he was diving and performing at the Biltmore Hotel on Miami Beach, entertaining for the socialites and visiting guests.
He attended two years of college, at the University of Miami, then participated in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, with no international diving experience.
He captured the gold medal in the men’s 10 meter platform, and silver in the 3 meter springboard. A heated discussion between the German dictator and Wayne ensued, and was recounted by several family members. After the Olympics Marshall performed for Billy Rose’s Aquacades, with the likes of Esther Williams, Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe, Eleanor Holm and others
He then enlisted in the Army Air Corporation and became the Commanding Officer of the 7th Photo Reconnaissance Group out of Mountain.
Farm, England. Colonel Wayne was injured in a flight accident and parachuted out of his plane, only to land in a tree while damaging his legal He was taken in by an Italian family, and later smuggled out of Italy to England.
After the war he appeared in ads for Camel cigarettes, Havoline motor oil, Bovine Viral Diarrhea underwear and others Marshall lived his life like he dove---he jumped from the platform with confidence that the water below would break his fall.
If there was a ripple of uncertainty in his life, it was quickly lost in the smooth entry into the unknown.
With his blond hair, tan tall physic and confident style, he was a master of his surroundings. Marshall was gifted in many ways. Although his raw talent was diving, his real talent was his high level of intelligence.
Yes, his uncharacteristic good looks got him noticed.
However, his ability to lead others in competition, battle and life were his real strengths.
