The United States competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. 297 competitors, 251 men and 46 women, took part in 139 events in 18 sports.
Bobby Morrow — Athletics, Men's 100 metresBobby Morrow — Athletics, Men's 200 metresCharles Jenkins — Athletics, Men's 400 metresTom Courtney — Athletics, Men's 800 metresLee Calhoun — Athletics, Men's 110m HurdlesGlenn Davis — Athletics, Men's 400m HurdlesThane Baker, Leamon King, Bobby Morrow, and Ira Murchison — Athletics, Men's 4 × 100 m RelayTom Courtney, Charles Jenkins, Lou Jones, and Jesse Mashburn — Athletics, Men's 4 × 400 m RelayCharles Dumas — Athletics, Men's High JumpBob Richards — Athletics, Men's Pole VaultGreg Bell — Athletics, Men's Long JumpParry O'Brien — Athletics, Men's Shot PutHarold Connolly — Athletics, Men's Hammer ThrowMilt Campbell — Athletics, Men's DecathlonMillie McDaniel — Athletics, Women's High JumpAl Oerter — Athletics, Men's Discus ThrowDick Boushka, Carl Cain, Chuck Darling, William Evans, Gib Ford, Burdette Haldorson, Bill Hougland, Bob Jeangerard, K C Jones, Bill Russell, Ron Tomsic, and Jim Walsh — Basketball, Men's Team CompetitionJim Boyd — Boxing, Men's Light HeavyweightPete Rademacher — Boxing, Men's HeavyweightBob Clotworthy — Diving, Men's SpringboardPatricia McCormick — Diving, Women's SpringboardPatricia McCormick — Diving, Women's PlatformJim Fifer and Duvall Hecht — Rowing, Men's Coxless PairsArthur Ayrault, Conn Findlay, and Kurt Seiffert — Rowing, Men's Coxed PairsWilliam Becklean, Donald Beer, Thomas Charlton, John Cooke, Caldwell Esselstyn, Charles Grimes, Robert Morey, Rusty Wailes, and David Wight — Rowing, Men's EightsWilliam Yorzyk — Swimming, Men's 200m ButterflyShelley Mann — Swimming, Women's 100m ButterflyCharles Vinci — Weightlifting, Men's BantamweightIsaac Berger — Weightlifting, Men's FeatherweightTommy Kono — Weightlifting, Men's Light HeavyweightPaul Edward Anderson — Weightlifting, Men's HeavyweightLawrence Low and Bert Williams — Sailing, Men's StarThane Baker — Athletics, Men's 100 metresAndy Stanfield — Athletics, Men's 200 metresJack Davis — Athletics, Men's 110m HurdlesEddie Southern — Athletics, Men's 400m HurdlesBob Gutowski — Athletics, Men's Pole VaultJohn Bennett — Athletics, Men's Long JumpBill Nieder — Athletics, Men's Shot PutFortune Gordien — Athletics, Men's Discus ThrowRafer Johnson — Athletics, Men's DecathlonWillye White — Athletics, Women's Long JumpJosé Torres — Boxing, Men's Light MiddleweightDon Harper — Diving, Men's SpringboardGary Tobian — Diving, Men's PlatformJeanne Stunyo — Diving, Women's SpringboardJuno Irwin — Diving, Women's PlatformBill André, Jack Daniels, and George Lambert — Modern Pentathlon, Men's Team CompetitionPat Costello and Jim Gardiner — Rowing, Men's Double ScullsJames McIntosh, Art McKinlay, John McKinlay, and John Welchli — Rowing, Men's Coxless FoursGeorge Breen, Richard Hanley, Ford Konno, and Bill Woolsey — Swimming, Men's 4 × 200 m Freestyle RelayCarin Cone — Swimming, Women's 100m BackstrokeNancy Ramey — Swimming, Women's 100m ButterflyShelley Mann, Joan Rosazza, Sylvia Ruuska, and Nancy Simons — Swimming, Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle RelayPeter George — Weightlifting, Men's MiddleweightDavid Sheppard — Weightlifting, Men's Middle HeavyweightDaniel Hodge — Wrestling, Men's Freestyle MiddleweightThane Baker — Athletics, Men's 200 metresJoel Shankle — Athletics, Men's 110m HurdlesJosh Culbreath — Athletics, Men's 400m HurdlesDes Koch — Athletics, Men's Discus ThrowIsabelle Daniels, Mae Faggs, Margaret Matthews, and Wilma Rudolph — Athletics, Men's 4 × 100 m RelayDick Connor — Diving, Men's PlatformPaula Jean Myers-Pope — Diving, Women's PlatformJohn Kelly — Rowing, Men's Single ScullsOffutt Pinion — Shooting, Men's Free PistolGeorge Breen — Swimming, Men's 400m FreestyleGeorge Breen — Swimming, Men's 1500m FreestyleFrank McKinney — Swimming, Men's 100m BackstrokeSylvia Ruuska — Swimming, Women's 400m FreestyleMary Sears — Swimming, Women's 100m ButterflyJames George — Weightlifting, Men's Light HeavyweightPeter Blair — Wrestling, Men's Freestyle Light HeavyweightJohn Marvin — Sailing, Men's FinnMen's Marathon
Nick Costes — 2:42:20 (→ 20th place)John J. Kelley — 2:43:40 (→ 21st place)Dean Thackwray — did not finish (→ no ranking)SprintJack Disney — 5th placeTime trialAllen Bell — 1:12.8 (→ 10th place)TandemDonald Ferguson
James Rossi — 8th placeTeam pursuitAllen Bell
Art Longsjo
David Rhoads
Richard Cortright — 15th placeIndividual road raceJoseph Becker — 5:38:16 (→ 43rd place)David Rhoads — did not finish (→ no ranking)Erhard Neumann — did not finish (→ no ranking)George Van Meter — did not finish (→ no ranking)Men's 10m Platform
Gary TobianPreliminary Round — 76.77Final — 152.41 (→ Silver Medal)Richard ConnorPreliminary Round — 80.24Final — 149.79 (→ Bronze Medal)William FarrellPreliminary Round — 75.07Final — 139.12 (→ 6th place)Women's 10m Platform
Pat McCormickPreliminary Round — 51.28Final — 84.85 (→ Gold Medal)Juno Stover-IrwinPreliminary Round — 50.81Final — 81.64 (→ Silver Medal)Paula Jean Myers-PopePreliminary Round — 52.96Final — 81.58 (→ Bronze Medal)18 fencers, 15 men and 3 women, represented the United States in 1956.
Men's foilAlbie AxelrodHal GoldsmithByron KriegerMen's team foilAlbie Axelrod, Daniel Bukantz, Hal Goldsmith, Byron Krieger, Nate Lubell, Sewall ShurtzMen's épéeRichard PewSewall ShurtzKinmont HoitsmaMen's team épéeSewall Shurtz, Richard Pew, Ralph Goldstein, Abram Cohen, Kinmont HoitsmaMen's sabreAllan KwartlerGeorge WorthTibor NyilasMen's team sabreTibor Nyilas, George Worth, Abram Cohen, Rex Dyer, Allan Kwartler, Norman Cohn-ArmitageWomen's foilJan York-RomaryMaxine MitchellJudy GoodrichPreliminary RoundLost to Yugoslavia (1-9) → did not advanceTeam RosterJohn CardenRonald CoderBill Conterio Rolf DeckerJim Dorrian Svend Engedal Harry Keough Bill Looby Alfonso MarinaRuben Mendoza Lloyd Monsen Ed Murphy Dick PackerZenon Snylyk Herman Wecke Siegbert WirthAl Zerhusen Head Coach: Jimmy Mills
Three male pentathletes represented the United States in 1956, winning silver in the team event.
IndividualGeorge LambertBill AndreJack DanielsTeamGeorge LambertBill AndreJack DanielsEight shooters represented the United States in 1956. Offutt Pinion won the bronze medal in the 50 m pistol event.
25 m pistolJohn BeaumontJohn Forman50 m pistolOffutt PinionJoe Benner300 m rifle, three positionsJames SmithHerbert Voelcker50 m rifle, three positionsArt JacksonVerle Wright, Jr.50 m rifle, proneArt JacksonVerle Wright, Jr. 