page_title: Blas de Lezo
section_title: Legacy
hierarchical_section_title: Blas de Lezo / Legacy
caption_attribution_description: Blas de Lezo (F-103) on it's visit to Tallinn between 27.-31. March 2008.
context_page_description: Admiral Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta was a Spanish navy officer best remembered for the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in modern-day Colombia, where Spanish imperial forces under his command decisively defeated a large British invasion fleet under Admiral Edward Vernon.
  Throughout his naval career, Lezo sustained many severe wounds; he lost his left eye, left hand, hearing in his right ear, most of his teeth, both testicles, complete functionality of his digestive and reproductive systems, three of the toes on his right foot, complete mobility of the right arm, and had his left leg amputated in situ after being hit by the projectile of a cannon. There is ample documented evidence in medical records of the wounds he sustained, and he was known as Captain Pegleg and Half-man. Lezo perceived his wounds and physical limitations as medals and refused to wear an eye patch to hide his blind eye. Displaying his past battles' history on his flesh won the respect of his peers and soldiers.
  Lezo's defense of Cartagena de Indias against a vastly larger British fleet consolidated his legacy as one of the most heroic figures in the history of Spain.
context_section_description: Several Spanish warships have been named Blas de Lezo in his honour, including:
  An Elcano-class cruiser, named General Lezo, built in 1884.
  A Blas de Lezo-class cruiser built in 1924, sunk in a shipwreck in 1932.
  The former USS Noa (DD-841) a Gearing-class destroyer – 1978 to 1991.
  An Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate, F103 was built at the Spanish Izar shipyard and launched in May 2003. She was commissioned in December 2004 and has a displacement of 5,800 tonnes.
  The Colombian Navy also had a ship named after Blas de Lezo:
  ARC Blas de Lezo (BT-62), acquired: 26 November 1947, Struck: January 1965. This ship was the former USS Kalamazoo (AOG-30), a Mettawee-class gasoline tanker.
  In 2013 the Naval Museum of Madrid organised an exhibition on Blas de Lezo, including portraits, uniforms and layouts of battle plans.
caption: Blas de Lezo (F-103) in Tallinn, Estonia
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