Pearl Harbor survivor witnessed the beginning and end of World War II

The Edmonds Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Veteran Ervin Schmidt as the 2013 Grand Marshal of “An Edmonds Kind of Fourth” Parade.

Erv, as his friends call him, is a highly decorated Naval veteran, and has been a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 65 years.

He lives in Edmonds and is a member of VFW Post # 8870 in Edmonds.

Schmidt was a 25-year-old barber from Marshfield, Wisconsin when he enlisted in the United State Navy in August of 1940.

After completing basic training, Schmidt was assigned to the battleship USS California. In December of 1941, the USS California was docked in what has become known as “battleship row” at Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii.

When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor occurred at a few minutes before 8 a.m., on Dec. 7, 1941, Schmidt was asleep in his bunk several levels below the main deck when the first of two torpedoes struck the California.

One of Schmidt’s bunkmates was killed instantly by the blast. Dazed by the attack, Schmidt and several shipmates tried to make their way to their battle stations.

They were overcome by smoke and fumes on the second deck, and survived only because shipmates carried them to the main deck where the fresh air revived them.

After a second torpedo struck, the ship began to list and the Captain issued the order to abandon ship.

Schmidt was on the main deck and chose to remain on the ship with three of his shipmates, who could not swim. They were the only remaining personnel on the ship, and they manned a 50 cal. anti-aircraft gun to fire at the attacking Japanese planes.

Late in the afternoon, Schmidt and his three friends were evacuated and shortly thereafter, the USS California sunk.

Of the 1500 men assigned to the USS California, over 200 of them were killed in the attack.

In the confusion that resulted in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Schmidt was listed as Killed in Action, and his family was so notified. Six weeks after his family held a funeral service for him, they learned that he had, indeed, survived the attack.

Three days after the attack, Schmidt was reassigned to a heavy cruiser, the USS Chicago. On May 7 and 8, 1942, the USS Chicago participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea, which proved to be a turning point in the War in the Pacific.

After several months of patrolling off the Australian coast, the Chicago was assigned to transport portions of the 1st Marine Division to Guadalcanal.

These Marines participated in the landing on the beach on August 7-8, 1942.

During the battle, the Chicago was struck by two enemy torpedoes. Fortunately for Schmidt, the torpedo that struck his ship directly below his bunk, did not explode, but the second torpedo caused significant damage to the ship.

When repairs were completed, the USS Chicago returned to the Coral Sea in late January 1943.

On January 29, 1943, the Chicago sustained severe battle damage and once again, Schmidt heard the command to abandon ship.

This was the second ship on which he served that was sunk. Following his second sinking, Schmidt returned to San Diego where he volunteered for duty on a submarine.

He was assigned to the USS Saury as a radio and sonar operator. During his five patrols on the Saury, a total of 9 Japanese ships were sunk, and Schmidt and his crewmates survived numerous depth charge attacks and a ramming by a Japanese light cruiser.

In a scene right out of a Hollywood movie, the Saury was forced to lie on the bottom of the ocean at a depth of 200 feet.

After the enemy had left the area, the submarine was able to surface the next morning and return to Pearl Harbor for repairs.

He was now assigned to another submarine, the USS Torsk, which conducted patrols against enemy shipping, first in Tokyo Bay and then the Sea of Japan.

On August 11 and then on August 13, 1945, the Torsk sank two Japanese Naval ships, which were the last two ships sunk by the US Navy in World War II. On August 14, 1945, hostilities in the South Pacific ended.

Schmidt’s submarine returned to New London, Connecticut in October 1945 where he was reunited with his wife and members of his family.

He served in the Navy for one more year before he was discharged in December, 1946.

He served three years in combat in the South Pacific and has the distinction of serving in combat at the outset of WW II and during the last naval action of WW II.

He is a highly decorated Naval veteran, and has been a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 65 years.

Schmidt lives in Edmonds and is a member of VFW Post # 8870.

The members of Post # 8870 are proud to honor and recognize Schmidt’s service to our grateful nation.

Erv, 98, is a USSVI Bremerton Base Life member
 

(Posted 5-19-2013)

(Posted 5-19-2013)

Shipmates,

Your new edition (2013-1) electronic American Submariner is posted on line at www.ussvi.org
Press "USSVI Magazine" and read or download after you log in.
 

The delays we have recently suffered would appear to have greatly improved the AS in photo quality.

We should be back on track with future editions. I wish you all a great read.

Best,
Michael

Shipmates,

Thanks to Ric Hedman of Seattle Base, A project to produce a documentary film about the loss and location of the hulk of the USS R-12 recently came to the attention of your USSVI Board of Directors. As you know, it is the primary purpose of USSVI to "Perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gavetheir lives in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country."
This project seems a natural fit for our interests and purposes, so your Board voted to pledge $ 1,000 towards the completion of this mission.

The board endorses and encourages ALL bases and members to join with us in also pledging financial support towards completion of this project. A unique factor in this request is that we are asking you to 'PLEDGE' your support now. They need to raise $ 89,000.00 by June 30, and your pledgewill convert into a donation ONLY if this goal is reached by that time.

Your participation via Kickstarter will enable them to complete thedocumentary "Twice Forgotten". Our collective participation will help empower them to finally tell the story of the USS R-12 Submarine's tragic sinking, the families left without any information and the quest to solve the mysteries that have been unanswered after all this time. The history books are wrong, it is time to do things right!

How does it work:

1. Go to http://tinyurl.com/R-12-Project
2. Click the Green BACK THIS PROJECT button
3. Choose your support level and click the CONTINUE button
4. Complete the Log-in information and enter info for AMAZON Payments

When complete you will get a email notification thanking you for the pledge. At the end of the pledge drive on June 30, the donor list will be reviewed by us so that USSVI gets recognition for all our collective donations.  This project will only be funded and your pledge converted to a donation ONLY if at least $89,000 is pledged by Sunday Jun 30. $20,400 has been
pledged as of the date of this message.

Overview: The WW-II submarine USS R-12 sank off the coast of Key West, Florida at midday on June 12, 1943. She took 40 American sailors and 2 Brazilian officers to their grave at 600 ft on the ocean floor. They have been missing for nearly 70 years until found in 2010 by a team of explorers working with state of the art technology and fascinated by R-12's tragic
story and the mystery.

Since USS R-12 was discovered in late 2010 the team has put forth a herculean effort to locate the family members of the entombed, research government and historical files and launch a major expedition to film and document the sub in its final resting place at 100 fathoms in the Straights of Florida. The documenting of the data and family information amission to resolve the mystery of the sinking while bringing closure to thefamilies, recognition to the entombed men of R-12 and raise awareness of alost and forgotten crew to a young generation of people.

The team continues to work under Navy permits and needs to return to site for filming underwater in the summer of 2013. They have been assembling a documentary of our findings, interviews, underwater robotic technology, exclusive underwater footage of the submarine in her final resting place and have been on a quest to solve the mystery of her sinking. This is an
important and significant discovery and we are dedicated to sharing it withthe public. These entombed servicemen deserve to be acknowledged today (70years later) as any of our lost and missing military would deserve if theirremains were found seventy years from now.

USS R-12 is the sixth WWII US submarine to be found of the fifty-two missingand the only US Sub to sink within the continental United States.

Pride Runs Deep,
T. Michael Bircumshaw
National Commander

Shipmates,

It is my esteemed pleasure to inform you that Al Durkee (CDR USN Ret) and a 20 year member of USSVI and Bremerton Base, has been appointed Western Region 4 District Commander, relieving John Mansfield.

He was given the oath of office today, May 16, 2013 by Western Region Director, John Mansfield, and has agreed to have his name placed on the upcoming District Commander election ballot in June.

Al's brief bio:
He entered the US Navy as a FN in 1951 and retired as a full Commander in 1978.
His ships were
USS Esperance CVE88
USS Neches AO47
Qualified on USS Grenadier SS525 in 1957
USS Seawolf SS575
USS Becuna SS319
USS Hunley AS31
Shore assignments:
Submarine School Staff
SUBDIV 72
Fleet Submarine Training Facility Norfolk
COMSUBLANT
Submarine Repair Officer, Bremerton
Operations/Security Officer Submarine Base Bangor.

Al lives in White Salmon, Washington six months and in Yuma Arizona six months.
His primary Base is Bremerton and is Past Base Commander of Barbel Base (where all the snowbirds migrate)

Al's contact info:
Phone: 360 908 3050
Email: durkeeal@earthlink.net

WRD4 POC's, please distribute to all Base members.
WRDC's, please welcome Al into our region.

Thank you for stepping up, Shipmate.
For all you young whippersnappers out there, Al is 83 years young and looks forward to meeting you along the way and at National Convention.
Fraternally,

John Mansfield
Western Region Director
360 569 0507
johnss377@yahoo.com

The Naval Undersea Museum's annual Tolling the Boats ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23rd at 10:00am. This ceremony is held every yearto honor the submarines and crews lost during World War II. The principal speaker for the event will be CDR Jeffrey S. Smith, Commanding Officer, USS Kentucky (SSBN 737).

The Navy Band Northwest will also perform. The ceremony will take place outside the museum in front of the USS Sturgeon sail. In case of foul weather, the ceremony will be held in
the museum's auditorium.