Aloysius Schmitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aloysius H. Schmitt
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| Birth name | Aloysius Herman Schmitt |
| Born | 4 December 1909 St. Lucas, Iowa, United States |
| Died | 7 December 1941 (aged 32) Aboard USS Oklahoma, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, United States |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Years of service | 1939–1941 |
| Rank | Lieutenant junior grade |
| Unit | USS Oklahoma |
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Father Aloysius H. Schmitt (born December 4, 1909 – died December 7, 1941) was a Roman Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in the United States Navy. He is remembered as a hero for his bravery during the attack on Pearl Harbor at the start of World War II.
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Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Aloysius Herman Schmitt was born in St. Lucas, Iowa. He went to college at Columbia College (now Loras College) in Dubuque, Iowa, graduating in 1932. After that, he traveled to Rome to study to become a priest. He was ordained, meaning he officially became a priest, on December 8, 1935.
Father Schmitt first worked at Saint Mary's Church in Dubuque. He also served at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne, Wyoming. After four years, he got permission to join the United States Navy as a chaplain. Chaplains are like spiritual guides or ministers for people in the military. He became a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, on June 28, 1939.
A Hero at Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, Father Schmitt was serving on the battleship USS Oklahoma. This was the day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. During the attack, the Oklahoma was hit and began to capsize, meaning it turned over. Many sailors, including Father Schmitt, became trapped inside a part of the ship.
There was only a small porthole (a small window) that they could use to escape. Father Schmitt bravely helped many men get through this porthole to safety. When it was his turn to leave, he chose to stay behind and help even more men escape. In total, he helped 12 sailors get out of the sinking ship.
Father Schmitt died on board the Oklahoma. He was the first chaplain from the USA of any faith to die in World War II. Most of the bodies from the ship were found after it was turned upright in 1943. His remains were first buried in a cemetery in Hawaii as an "Unknown" soldier.
In 2015, the United States Department of Defense began to identify the remains of military personnel from the Oklahoma. Father Schmitt's remains were identified in 2016 using DNA from his skull. His remains were then returned to Iowa. A special Memorial Mass was held in his home parish in St. Lucas on October 5, 2016. His final funeral Mass and burial took place at Christ the King Chapel at Loras College on October 8, 2016.
Honoring a Hero
Father Schmitt was honored for his bravery by the U.S. government. He was given the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart. On December 7, 2017, he was also awarded the Silver Star.
Remembering Father Schmitt
- A chapel at Camp Lejeune called St. Francis Xavier Chapel was named in his memory in 1942.
- A destroyer escort ship, the USS Schmitt, was named in his honor in 1943. This ship served the U.S. Navy until 1967.
- Christ the King Chapel at Loras College was dedicated in his memory in 1947. This chapel holds some of Father Schmitt's personal items found from the Oklahoma, like his chalice (a special cup used in church) and prayer book. Important people like Cardinal Samuel Stritch and Admiral Chester Nimitz attended the dedication.
- City Island, located in the Mississippi River near Dubuque, was renamed Chaplain Schmitt Memorial Island.
See also
- Roman Catholic priests
- Military chaplain
- United States Navy
- USS Oklahoma
- USS Schmitt
