Some People’s Kids….
This one is a little unusual. Well, really, it’s quite unusual, but it’s true.
Our friends at Military Phony checked this story thoroughly, because the late Jonn Lilyea did not believe it was true.
But it is true.
The young man in the photo below was 14 years old when he enlisted in the U.S. Army to go fight in World War II. According to his story, he dropped out of grammar school, and told the recruiters he was 16. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 200 pounds at the time he enlisted, which gave him an appearance older than he really was.
Just looks like an affable soul, doesn’t he?
He enlisted at the age of 14, spent a year in training including going to paratrooper training, and made the jump into Sicily in the dark of night when he was 15. He is now retired from the military.
He did get slightly hurt on landing, but found his cricket clicker, which all the airborne soldiers were given to find each other in the dark, and quickly found his unit. Below, you will see his assignments and his training for WWII.
He was literally following in his father’s footsteps. After the CCC was ended, Ove Schmidt enlisted in the Army ahead of his son, on the eve of World War II.
When the Army discovered through a letter from his mother that Jim Schmidt was ‘just a kid’, he was sent home. They wouldn’t take him back, so he joined the Navy, because the war was still underway and he was assigned to a munitions ship. Then the Navy found out his real age and sent him home (again). When he reached his 18th birthday, he re-upped with the Army and went to Germany, stayed there until 1946, and after that to Japan, to fight in Korea. In 1962, he was sent to Laos as an American advisor. The war in Viet Nam was yet to be an undeclared war.
He was the sergeant major of all 7th Special Forces A Teams in Vietnam until he was reassigned to 5th Special Forces Group in 1964. He retired in 1965.
Among his awards and decorations, Schmidt received the Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, World War II Victory Medal, European-Africa Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and Army of Occupation Medal with Germany and Japan Clasp. – Article.
The peeps at Military Phony sent mostly the WWII stuff, so some things are just not included here. I did not see a full list of his awards in what they sent.
After three wars and 22 years of military service and going into retirement, he decided a desk job was not what he wanted, and he went to work for the CIA’s Air America in Vietnam. In 1969, he left SE Asia for home.
He is now in his 90s. His 14 year old grandson, in awe of his granddad being part of a war at the same age, started a letter writing campaign for his grandpa’s birthday.
If Mr. Schmidt seems to exaggerate something, I’d let it go. He has done more in a single week of his life than most people do in a decade.
The least he deserves is our thanks for stepping up and serving in three different conflicts because he wanted to do it, not because he had to.
Category: Army, Historical, Korea, Real Soldiers, War Stories
I suspect there was a lot of lying about one’s age back then, but this story is exceptional.
Probably hard to get away with that today.
Kudos to him.
Why Daisy….? Lying seems to be the national past time…look at the dumocraps!
My Uncle Robert tried to enlist in the Navy at the age of 15. They told him he was too young and he waited a year before (lying again) joining the Merchant Marine. There were no soy boys back then.
Jack Lucas enlisted in the USMC at 14 and received the Medal of Honor at the ripe age of 17 for actions on Iwo Jima.
Thanks, RB. I’ll look him up with the idea of adding him to the Valor Friday list.
I think his size (6ft/200 lbs) persuaded the recruiters that he was old enough to enlist.
Great story, Ex. I can see how Jonn was a bit leery about the claim, but the documents don’t lie. Bravo Zulu, Mr. Schmidt, for a lifetime of service to our country. And the early start in doing so.
Excellent post Mi’Lady, seems like I recall some of the fellows talking about him when I was at Bragg in ’74. BZ Ret. SGM Schmidt, we thank and applaud you for your service to our Country. Most 14 yo boys wouldn’t even think of this today, much less be able to do it, even if they did pass the look like 18 test.
Is the letter writing campaign still on going, and if so, is there an address? If it was in either article, I flat missed it. Thanks again, Ex-PH2. Hope y’all are warming up somewhat.
The moms of today won’t let them do it. That is the number one excuse why I here people don’t join the military.
My parents had to sign paperwork allowing me to join at the ripe age of 17. My Father was upset that he didn’t join and that he was too young for Korea and too old for Viet Nam. He was so proud of me joining that I don’t think the recruiter even finished talking before he signed his permission.
Ex-PH2:
What a great story…thank you for sharing!
I remembered reading this article about him that was published this past March in the Fayetteville Observer:
https://www.fayobserver.com/news/20180307/it-just-makes-me-so-proud-of-what-hes-done-for-our-country
The only part in the Fayetteville Observer that I think was incorrect was when they said he used the Cricket Clicker. He jumped into Sicily in 1943 with the 82nd…and the Clicker was not first used until 1944 by the 101st:
https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/material/equipment/cricket
A Salute to SGM (Ret) James O. Schmidt.
I remain dubious. There’s nothing on Military Phony about this man that I could find. And then there’s this:
http://www.airborneinnormandy.com/508_great_coinc.htm
Jonn presented it to a researcher at MP to look into it before he died. It was his case and he didn’t say anything about publishing when the results came back. MP sat on it, then offered it back to TAH due to it being interesting in a positive way. You are correct, MP never published it but not because it wasn’t interesting, just thought it would be more appropriate on TAH.
Thanks for the add’al info.
I’ll second PTBH. In my recent email exchanges with MP, the Mod said he had forwarded the 14 y/o story to Ex, and was wondering when she would post it.
And here’s his answer.
Should I notify Dave Hardin that it’s up now? He may not have come out of his coma from stuffing himself with turkey.
Much respect to Mr. Schmidt. Enjoy your golden years, i’m sure you’ve earned it.
Speechless.
People like this motivate me to be a better Soldier.
Sometimes people lie about themselves for the right reasons. Clearly this is one of those times!
Great article. Must have had one hell of a parachute to be able to slow down 200lbs AND a set of big, brass balls without leaving a giant crater in the ground! Btw, could you please upload the full-sized pictures? My eyes aren’t what they used to be. Thanks!
Our military parachutes will easily carry a 250 lb man with no problem. The old T-10 type chute of the WWII era would likely do the same.
Strong legs a good body position are important.
Parachute
Landing
Fall =tuck and roll if possable.
Some Guy, I’d like to be able to enlarge the images, but they won’t accomodate me when I try. Sorry about that,
First Sergeant James Schmidt was on the 14 FEB 1952 episode of “You Bet Your Life” with Groucho Marx. He talked about the time when he was a corporal and his CO found out that was only 14. His mother wrote to the CO and requested that he be sent home. Apparently his CO was not too happy.
I LOVE articles like this. It makes such a good change from the drudgery of fakers and shitbags.
Also goes a fair way to restoring faith in the human race.
Thanks Mr. Schmidt.
I heard stories about this guy when I was at Bragg. Good to know that most of them are true. Amazing service record, am not worthy.
I’d like to know where they found uniforms big enough to fit him.
HOLY CRAP! I can’t get the docs to open. Anybody know which Regiment he dropped with in Sicily?
Got it. 504th.
What was the final status of his WWII awards? I remember hearing about a few servicemembers who served under age in WWII and were kicked out. They had issues years later with veterans benefits and authorization for their awards.
Is he one of the few two star (three awards) CIB holders?
James O. Schmidt is No. 245 on the list of third award CIB recipients.
Back then you could enlist at 16 and go to fight. That’s what global war will do for ya. Today’s “kids” can’t even own a weapon until 21 in some states. Sad.
Then there are ‘kids’ today that still refuse to sign up for the Selective Service, let alone lying to sign up underage while a war is on.