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Marine Sergeant Al Schmid - September '96 World War II FeatureWorld War II | Single Page | 10 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post At 3 a.m., August 21, 1942, Ichiki, confident of victory, attacked by the sickly green light of flares. The Japanese yelled, jabbered and fired machine guns, trying to force the Marines to reveal their positions. The Marines held their fire. Subscribe Today
Across the river from their nest, Schmid saw a dark, bobbing mass at the edge of the water. "It looked like a herd of cattle coming down to drink," he remembered. Fifty Japanese crossed the river yelling, "Marine, tonight you die," and "Banzai," firing their rifles as they came. Johnny Rivers opened up on them, and the mass broke up. Screams of rage and pain came from the other side as the Japanese concentrated everything they had on Schmid's position and on another machine-gun position 150 yards downstream. Bullets whined past the Marines' heads, throwing mud and wood chips around them. Schmid's heart pounded rapidly. The machine gun on their right stopped firing, put out of action. Then a dozen bullets tore into Rivers' face, killing him. His finger froze on the trigger, sending 200 rounds into the darkness. Cold rage rising in him, Schmid shoved Rivers' body out of the way and took over the gun. Corporal Diamond got in position to load it for him. Every time Schmid raked the attacking Japanese he heard them yelling as bullets ripped into them. He heard one particular Japanese officer "screeching and barking commands at the others; he had a nasty shrill voice that stood out over the others." Schmid fired a burst at the voice, but failed to silence it. It would haunt him for years. Diamond then was hit in the arm, the bullet knocking him partially across Schmid's feet. He could not load anymore, but while Schmid fired the gun, Diamond stood beside him, spotting targets. Schmid would fire across the river to the left, feel Diamond hitting him hard on the arm and pointing to the right, swing the gun and hear Japanese yelling as his bullets hit them. Schmid now was both loading and firing the machine gun. When he got close to the end of a 300-round belt of ammunition, Diamond would punch his arm. Schmid would fire a burst, rip open the magazine, insert a new belt and resume firing. At one point a Japanese soldier put a string of bullets through the .30 caliber's water jacket. Water spurted over Schmid's lap and chest; the gun crackled and overheated but did not jam. Schmid continued loading and firing the machine gun for more than four hours, with and without help. Somehow a Japanese soldier got through the body-choked stream and got close enough to throw a hand grenade into Schmid's position. "There was a blinding flash and explosion," Schmid recalled. "My helmet was knocked off. Something struck me in the face." When he put his hand up, all he felt was blood and raw flesh. Then he felt pain in his left shoulder, arm and hand. He could see nothing. He collapsed on his back in the nest. "They got me in the eyes," he muttered to Diamond, who lay beside him. The Japanese were still pouring bullets into the machine-gun position; Schmid reached around to his holster and took out his .45. Diamond heard him fussing with it and yelled, "Don't do it, Smitty, don't shoot yourself." "Hell, don't worry about that," Schmid said. "I'm going to get the first Jap that tries to come in here!" "But you can't see," Diamond reminded him. "Just tell me which way he's coming from and I'll get him," Schmid replied. Both men were helpless in the hole, and it was getting light. A sniper in a tree across the river was firing almost straight down at them. The only thing protecting them was the shelf where the machine gun stood, about 2 feet in diameter. Although his sight had not come back, Schmid took his position between the spread rear tripod legs of the machine gun, squeezed the trigger and, with Diamond yelling directions in his ear, resumed firing at the Japanese across the river. Private Whitey Jacobs, one of the squad's members, braved the continuous Japanese gunfire, jumped into the nest and staunched Schmid's and Diamond's wounds. The next thing Schmid knew, they were taking him out on a blanket. He had the .45 automatic in his hand. Hearing his lieutenant's voice, Schmid held out the gun. "I guess I won't need this anymore, sir," he said. Then Schmid passed out. Pages: 1 2 3Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
           
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10 Comments to “Marine Sergeant Al Schmid - September '96 World War II Feature”
I just watch Pride of the Marines on Turner Classic Movies and became curious to acquire more information about Al Schmid.
Thank you for having such an indepth article about him. I really enjoyed reading it.
By Adrienne Shearer on May 23, 2009 at 5:36 pm
The movie was great Pride of the Marines. I am a formal Marine I severed Jan. 1970 Jan.1972. I sure would like to have met Al.
By Welton Mc/callister on May 23, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Why did Schmid get most of the credit for stopping the Japanese attack? There were two other Marines in the position. The gun commander, Corporal Leroy Diamond and gunner P.F.C. John Rivers suffered/contributed as much or more than Schmid. Also no mention is given to the other two machine gun and 37mm anti-tank gun emplacements and their crews. It was though those crews weren't in the Battle of the Ilu. Could it have been the Washington spin doctors, needing a real live AMERICAN HERO after the crushing defeats of Pearl Harbor, the Philippines and elsewhere in the Pacific couldn't use Diamond(too Jewish) or Rivers(Native American and dead). Schmid was perfect. White Anglo-Saxon, Protestant, alive and blind, perfect. They promoted him to Sargent, gave him the Navy Cross and carted him off to sell War Bonds. I wonder what Lee Diamond did for the rest of the War?
By William Rivers Freedman on Jul 1, 2009 at 8:07 pm
To Mr. William R. Freedman:
I'm Jewish; Philadelphian – born and bred (not far from where Al Schmid grew up); my late Father was a WWII veteran; and I think your remarks are out of line – in other words, unkind to say the least! I believe Sgt. Schmid was a real hero – I believe ALL Americans who have done active duty are heroes! To quibble about ethnic group or race is PC nonsense – Al Schmid's life wasn't exactly "easy street" despite his deserved honors.
I was born in '55 and though I knew several Vietnam veterans (in my age cohort), most young men I knew wouldn't have dreamed of sacrificing a fingernail for this nation! My Father and my uncles all faced the music as infantrymen in Europe and The Philippines; fortunately they didn't suffer the devastating wounds that Al Schmid did.
There are many reasons to be discouraged today – the decline of American (and western civ) culture and values are among them. Let's not rip into a decent man who truly made sacrifices – a real Defender of Freedom. Your surname may not be "Freedman" for nothing, ya know!
By Lisa M. Hawkins on Jul 9, 2009 at 11:41 am
I am a cousin of Coporal Leroy Diamond. He was born in 1917 and will be 92 this month. He lives in Rosedale, Queens in NYC. Hed worked many years as a plumber and was present at the opening of the Marine Museum in Virginia. I have video taped he talking about his war experiences and wish someone making a documentary about WWII would interview him as well as he is not getting any younger.
By Andrew N. Bader on Jul 10, 2009 at 3:01 pm
God bless Sgt Schnid and Cpl
By George Monaghan on Jul 20, 2009 at 9:50 pm
SemperFi ! Cpl Diamond…
By George Monaghan on Jul 20, 2009 at 9:51 pm
To Lisa M. Hawkins
I never besmirched Al Schmid's courage or the sacrifice of his sight. My frustration was and still is with the Washington Bureaucrats( I called them spin doctors) who didn't think Americans were ready for their heroes to be anything other than Wasps. Remember, at the time , Japanese Americans were being held in concentration camps, the Armed Forces were still segregated, most Americans thought stories of the Holocaust were propaganda and Native Americans didn't have full citizenship! My remarks are far from P.C. bullshit they are the facts. All of the men who fought and died that night, in America's first World War Two victory, should have been given credit for a job well and gallantly done.
I simply wrote the truth of the matter. If one does a cursory study of the Battle of the Ilu/Tenaru River very little mention(if any)can be found of the other participants of the Battle. It will appear as if only one gun emplacement was guarding the tidal lagoon known variously as Alligator Creek(a misnomer, no alligators in the Solomon Islands) the Tenaru River(mismarked on Marine Corp maps) or properly the Ilu River. Finally, after some additional research, I learned Corporal Lee Diamond, after recovering from his wounds, was sent back to his outfit and survived the War. For some futher reading about how Schmid's Hero status affected his relationship with others; especially Lee Diamond; read "The body and physical differences:discourses of disability" Mitchell&Snyder, 1997.
P.S. P.F.C. John Rivers is my Uncle, my Mother's Brother. Before the war, He fought as a welterweight under the name Indian Johnny Rivers. Born across the River in New Jersey he grew up in Quakertown, Pa. and made his home in Philly for several years prior to the war.
By William Rivers Freedman on Aug 13, 2009 at 6:31 am
There is a documentary on just about every battle, insurgence, or mission in any war. Declared or not. We see the same information about said battle over and over again. Maybe it is time to examine the Battle of Ilu River. Clp. Diamond's own cousin states that no one has ever tried to interview him. People have gone to Japan and Germany to interview the other side to get their side of the war.Don't you think it's about time to have a conversation with Clp Diamond. Time is running out, he's 92. He's on our side. I want to hear what he has to say.
By William Rivers Freedman on Aug 13, 2009 at 6:41 pm
To: Andrew Bader cousin of Leroy Diamond,
Noted historical writer William Bartsch is presently writing a book about the Battle of the Ilu River. He is striving to make the record straight and give credit where credit is due. He and I have been in contact. I have given him copies of letters my Uncle(PFC Rivers) wrote home to his Sister, my Mmom. I would love to talk to you and see the videos you have made. If you are agreeable let me know through this medium.
By William Rivers Freedman on Sep 30, 2009 at 2:15 pm