(Submitted by Marie Riha, Fort Atkinson correspondent)

On Dec. 7, 1941, Father Aloysius Schmitt sacrificed his life to help other sailors to safety is the USS Oklahoma capsized and sank in the waters of Pearl Harbor. He was the first Catholic Chaplain to lose his life in World War II.

Father Schmitt was a native of St. Lucas. This Friday, Dec. 7, 2001, on the 60th anniversary of his death, St. Luke's Parish in St. Lucas will remember Father Schmitt and Pearl Harbor.

Archbishop Jerome Hanus, D.S.B. will offer Mass at St. Luke's at 7:30 p.m., with Father Richard Kuhn as homilist. The public is invited to attend a reception and view the display of Father Schmitt's life history in the church parlors following the Mass.

This is Father Schmitt's story:

Father Aloysius Schmitt was born Dec. 4, 1909 on the family farm southeast of St. Lucas, the tenth child of Henry and Mary (Kuennen) Schmitt. He attended St. Luke's Parochial School in St. Lucas. At a very young age, Al enjoyed playing "Mass" with his sisters. His intent for his future was established with this as well as his love for adventure. In the Fall of 1924, Al enrolled in Campion High School, Prairie du Chien, WI. He received his B.A. degree from Columbia College. His plan to continue theological studies was delayed by the death of his father and illness of his mother. He returned home for a short period of time.

In September 1932, Al left for North American College in Rome to study for the priesthood. He was ordained on Dec. 8,1935. Returning to the United States, he said his first Mass at St. Lucas on May 10, 1936. He served at St. Boniface Church in New Vienna, where he officiated at his first baptism, marriage and funeral. He transferred to Cheyenne, WY in 1936, serving there until August 1937.

Father Schmitt returned to Dubuque to become assistant to Monsignor Zeyen at St. Mary's Parish. At this time, he requested to become a Navy Chaplain. A1 was accepted and on July 1, 1939 he was commissioned a Lieutenant and Chaplain. He was sent to Washington DC for two months, then to Virginia for five months.

On Jan. 25, 1940, Al was assigned to the aircraft carrier Yorktown. On March 16, he transferred to the USS Oklahoma. While the Oklahoma was in dry-dock for repairs and a new paint job, Father Schmitt came to Iowa for a family visit.

On Oct. 15, 1940, the USS Oklahoma set sail for Hawaii, where the crew members conducted "problems and exercise drills" until Nov. 29. On Dec. 6, 1940, the exercises concluded and the ship moved to Pearl Harbor.

That fateful Sunday morning one year later, Dec. 7, 1941, there were 90 ships docked at Pearl Harbor. As military personnel went about their usual routines, the speakers of the USS Phoenix suddenly sounded the alarm bell of attack. The sound of bombs whistling through the air was first thought to be practice drills. Then the sights of mustard colored planes with a round red patch on the fuselage, gave note that it was a real attack.

Five aerial torpedoes and one bomb hit the USS Oklahoma, on which Father Schmitt was aboard. Within 15 minutes, the ship capsized. As water gushed in, Father Schmitt led crew members up ladders in an effort to escape. He also [End of newspaper clipping]

Within 15 minutes of the attack, the battleship USS Oklahoma had completely capsized, submerging guns and masts in the mud of Pearl Harbor. There were 32 men trapped inside the ship for approximately three days. The Oklahoma lost 395 enlisted men and 20 officers. The ship was eventually righted and decommissioned in 1944. In 1946 it was made seaworthy, sold for scrap and later sank in heavy seas while being returned to the United States. The anchor from the ship was salvaged and is on display in Oklahoma City.

Source: New Hampton Tribune; Dec. 7, 2001 Page 1
from Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee
Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the Web by Bill Waters