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Chief Gunner's Mate · U.S. Navy

Oscar Schmidt Jr.

Chief Gunner's Mate Oscar Schmidt Jr., Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 9, 1918 at Sea during World War I.

World War I October 9, 1918

Chief Gunner's Mate Oscar Schmidt Jr., a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on October 9, 1918 at Sea during World War I. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Chestnut Hill. Schmidt was 22 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 15, 1919.

Schmidt was born on March 25, 1896 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pennsylvania. Schmidt died on March 24, 1973 in Somers Point, New Jersey, at the age of 76. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. His medal is held by Founding Forward, Valley Forge, PA.

Schmidt is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

★ Rescue & Lifesaving★ Fire & Explosions at Sea

Official Medal of Honor 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.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War I.

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. March 25, 1896
    Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
  2. October 9, 1918
    Act of valor — at Sea
    Age 22. U.S.S. Chestnut Hill
  3. March 15, 1919
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. March 24, 1973
    Died in Somers Point, New Jersey
    Age 76.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Oscar Schmidt Jr. (March 25, 1896 – March 24, 1973) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War I.

From the Wikipedia article “Oscar Schmidt Jr.”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Also honored for actions on October 9, 1918

Wilbur E. Colyer Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 ✦ BL Berger Holton Loman Private · Army World War I · 1918

More World War I recipients from Pennsylvania

DS Dwite H. Schaffner First Lieutenant · Army World War I · 1918 JM James I. Mestrovitch Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 ✦ Joseph Henry Thompson Major · Army World War I · 1918 Orlando Henderson Petty Lieutenant · Navy World War I · 1918 Joel Thompson Boone Lieutenant Commander · Navy World War I · 1918
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.