Harold Schultz

Harold Schultz was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Schultz served with the 5th Marine Division and the 26th Marine Regiment during the Pacific War (World War II), where his conduct during a close-quarters engagement earned him recognition. After the war he lived a relatively private life before his decoration was publicly recognized decades later.

Early life and education

Harold Schultz was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 7, 1916, and raised in the Midwestern United States during the interwar period marked by the Great Depression. He attended local schools in Cook County, Illinois and worked in civilian occupations in the Chicago metropolitan area prior to military service. Influenced by contemporaneous events such as the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the broader mobilization for World War II, Schultz enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1941. His prewar experiences in Illinois and exposure to nationwide wartime recruitment shaped his enlistment into the United States armed forces.

Military career

Schultz completed basic training at a Marine Corps Recruit Depot and was assigned to units that would form part of the 5th Marine Division. He served with the 26th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Schultz participated in amphibious training and preparations undertaken by the United States Pacific Fleet and United States Marine Corps units assigned to the Pacific War (World War II). As a noncommissioned officer he led rifle squads and coordinated with company and battalion command elements during operations that culminated in the Battle of Iwo Jima, where the 5th Marine Division and attached units fought to secure airfields and strategic positions on the island. His unit history is intertwined with campaigns overseen by commanders and staff associated with the Pacific Theater of Operations.

Medal of Honor action

During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Staff Sergeant Schultz distinguished himself in close combat against entrenched enemy forces holding fortified positions on the island. In a fierce engagement involving members of the 26th Marine Regiment and elements of adjacent regiments, he exposed himself to heavy fire to assault enemy emplacements and to recover wounded Marines under hostile conditions. His conduct occurred amid the larger context of the Operation Detachment (Iwo Jima), during which the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy coordinated an amphibious assault to capture key airfields from the Imperial Japanese Army. The action for which he was recognized involved direct leadership of small-unit maneuvers, courageous evacuation of casualties, and aggressive neutralization of opposition positions that threatened the advance of his company and neighboring units. For these actions, Schultz was awarded the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration, and received other commendations including the Purple Heart (United States) for wounds sustained in combat.

Later life and legacy

After separation from active duty following the end of World War II and the demobilization of United States military forces, Schultz returned to civilian life and settled in Nevada, eventually residing in Las Vegas, Nevada. He maintained ties with fellow veterans from the 5th Marine Division and participated in commemorations associated with the Battle of Iwo Jima and national observances such as Memorial Day (United States). His story contributed to historical accounts and veteran oral histories documenting small-unit actions during the Pacific War (World War II). Schultz's decoration and wartime service have been cited in regimental histories of the 26th Marine Regiment and compilations of Medal of Honor recipients from World War II. He died on April 5, 1995, and is remembered in veteran circles and memorials that honor those who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II Category:Medal of Honor recipients Category:People from Chicago Category:People from Las Vegas, Nevada