Oscar Schmidt, Jr. – Mate, United States Navy

Born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 25, 1896, he earned the Medal of Honor while serving aboard the USS Chestnut Hill on October 9, 1918, during World War I.

He died on March 24, 1974 and was buried in Section 11 of Arlington National Cemetery.


SCHMIDT, OSCAR, JR.

Rank and organization: Chief Gunner's Mate, U.S. Navy. Place and date: At sea, 9 October 1918. Entered service at: Pennsylvania. Born: 25 March 1896, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 450, 1919.

Citation:

For gallant conduct and extraordinary heroism while attached to the U.S.S. Chestnut Hill, on the occasion of the explosion and subsequent fire on board the U.S submarine chaser 219. Schmidt, seeing a man, whose legs were partly blown off, hanging on a line from the bow of the 219, jumped overboard, swam to the sub chaser and carried him from the bow to the stern where a member of the 219's crew helped him land the man on the afterdeck of the submarine. Schmidt then endeavored to pass through the flames amidships to get another man who was seriously burned. This he was unable to do, but when the injured man fell overboard and drifted to the stern of the chaser Schmidt helped him aboard.

oschmidt

oscar-schmidtjr-gravesite-photo

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment

error: