Daniel Bukantz

Who was Daniel Bukantz?

Daniel B. Bukantz was an American Olympic fencing competitor and referee and also a dentist.

He won the national singles championship in the foil in 1949, 1952, 1953 and 1957. He competed in the foil in Olympic games four consecutive times beginning in 1948, and was part of nine national championship teams for the Fencers Club of New York. He won the gold medal in the foil at the 1950 Maccabiah Games in Israel. He also competed in epee at times. He was a head referee at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. He is a member of the United States Fencing Hall of Fame in Shreveport.

He operated a dental practice in Manhattan for about 40 years.

He attended City College of New York and then entered dental school at New York University. He was commissioned a captain in the Army Dental Corps during World War II. He served in the 87th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge.

He was married to Alice Ellenbogen Bukantz. His son Jeff Bukantz was captain of the 2004 and 2008 United States Olympic fencing teams.