Walter Roy Schmidt, Jr

The database page for Walter Roy Schmidt, Jr

25 Dec 2003 This Marine is still in my heart as he will always be. I will always wear his bracelet until he comes home. Please hurry home to us. 31 May 2004 Today another Memorial Day has come and has gone and to us you have not returned. I can only Hope and Pray that soon you will come home to all of us who have Prayed so hard. I know not where you are, but have heard from several who have wrote me about you, Captain Schmidt. Please return home to us soon. I wait with open arms for your return, Millie Kohr From one who wears his MIA bracelet, Millie Kohr CodyFever@aol.com

5 Sep 2004 I've been in possession of your bracelet since 1975, waiting for your return. Sharon L. Pearce E-mail address is not available.

11 Aug 2005 Roy and I were together through flight school from day one. He was a great and funny guy. We have movies of him in his BOQ room taken on his last night in Beaufort before going to Viet Nam. They are still funny. He loved to "tell" of all the fuel savings devices on his MGB. They worked so well that he had to stop every few miles to empty his tank. He was a great pilot and did exceptionally well in flight school. I still dream of the day old 0101595 (his USMC service number) will come home. From a friend, John Souders, 0101596 jsouderssr@aol.com

27 Jan 2007 You were lost on a close air support mission helping the grunts. You did not have to go in for a second run, but you did. You gave your last full measure of your devotion. You are always in our thoughts and prayers. Please join me in a "mission" to bring Capt. Walter R. Schmidt Jr. home. The impossible will not be known, until it is tried. Thank you and God Bless Us All. Paul Maguire returncaptschmidt@msn.com

16 May 2007 I've been wearing his bracelet for the last ten years. I will never forget him. He served his country and his people. God Bless him! From MIA bracelet, Stanley Seegars stinkystan82@yahoo.com

09 Sep 2007 You will never be forgotten. I look at this bracelet I wear every day. I hope for your return, and I now understand more than ever why you made the brave decision to take up arms against those who chose to challenge the will of freedom. You fought along the sides of many great men, my father being one of them. I would not be here today enjoying the freedoms I have if my father did not make it home. And now my son enjoys those same freedoms. There are those today fighting this same fight, and as my father did so I didn't have to. There are good-hearted US Marines protecting this great country so my son may not have to. I will raise him to understand this and to know that freedom is something you have to fight for every day. I haven't taken this bracelet off for years, and I think about you and what you have done for me. You will never be forgotten. Brian Doucette E-mail address is not available.

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 9 June 1968 a section of Marine A-4 Skyhawks were targeted against a NVA base area southwest of Hue. One of the Marines, 1stLt Walter R. Schmidt (A-4E BuNo 151080), was hit while on a delivery run and ejected, landing in the middle of the NVA encampment area. He established contact via emergency radio, advising that he had a broken leg and that NVA troops were approaching. An Air Force HH-3E, Jolly Green 22, made three attempts to pick Schmidt up before being forced from the area due to low fuel. Following suppressive air strikes a second HH-3E (hull number 67-14710, piloted by USCG LT Jack C. Rittichier) made another attempt. As Jolly Green 23 approached Schmidt's position it was hit by enemy fire and burst into flame. Other aircrew watched as the HH-3E crashed and exploded in a small clearing; no-one escaped from the burning wreckage. Two things became apparent during further attempts to pick up 1st Lt Schmidt - the NVA troops were too well dug in to be forced away by air strikes, and they had established a very effective "flak trap" around the downed Marine, effectively using him as bait for the SAR helicopters. Schmidt had gone down at about 1020 local time; voice contact with him was lost at about 1415 local and was not regained. During the final pick-up attempt at about 1700 local, the HH-3's flight engineer spotted 1stLt Schmidt lying prone on the ground, unmoving and partially covered by his parachute. At this point the Danang SAR coordination center, acting on recommendations from the on-scene commander, halted further SAR efforts and directed the SAR forces to return to base. According to one report, ground forces inserted on 10 June failed to locate any sign of 1stLt Schmidt. Five men were lost, four dead and one missing in action: From VMA-121 (A-4E BuNo 151080): 1stLt Walter R. Schmidt, USMC (MIA) From the 37th ARRS (HH-3E 67-14710): LT Jack C. Rittichier, USCG, pilot; Captain Richard C. Yeend, Jr, USAF, co-pilot; SSGT Elmer L. Holden, USAF, flight engineer; and SGT James D. Locker, USAF, pararescueman. The crewmen of Jolly Green 23 were immediately listed Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered. 1stLt Schmidt was never reported as being in enemy hands, and it was concluded that he probably had been killed while resisting capture. The Secretary of the Navy approved a Presumptive Finding of Death for Schmidt on 24 Oct 1973, who meanwhile had been promoted to Captain. The remains of the Jolly Green crew were repatriated on 14 Feb 2003 and identification announced on 11 and 12 Sep 2003. Captain Walter Schmidt still is missing. The DoD casualty data base gives Captain Schmidt's Home of Record as Nassau, Rensselaer County, New York, a town located some 15 miles southeast of Albany. We have received the following information: "Roy's home town was Carle Place, NY. Nassau is the county in which this small Long Island town is located, it is not the name of a town. I was a friend of his sister, Helen." Carle Place, Nassau County, New York, is on Long Island about 15 miles northeast of New York City. The Virtual Wall cannot vouch for the accuracy of either the DoD database or the statement made above.

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 25 Dec 2003
Last updated 08/10/2009