Harold G. Schrier
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Harold George Schrier (October 17, 1916 – June 3, 1971) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps
, recipient of the Navy Cross
, the nation's second highest award for valor, and a combat veteran of World War II
and the Korean War
. He is most noted for being one of the six Marines who raised the first American flag on Mount Suribachi, during the Battle of Iwo Jima
on February 23, 1945.
. He attended high school
in Lexington, Missouri
. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on November 12, 1936. After training in San Diego, California
, he was sent to China to guard the US embassy in Beijing
. He also served in Tientsin and Shanghai
. He became a Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
in August 1940.
During World War II, Schrier fought at the Guadalcanal as a rifle company platoon sergeant and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the field on February 28, 1943 and became a Marine Raider. Schrier was awarded the Legion of Merit
during the New Georgia Campaign, for a reconnaissance patrol on Vangunu
, and he later fought in Bougainville.
Schrier returned to the U.S. to become an infantry
instructor at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
in February 1944, but returned to the Pacific with Company "E" (Easy Company), 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines in September 1944. A First Lieutenant, he was Executive Officer
of Easy Company. On February 23, 1945, Captain Dave E. Severance, the commander of Easy Company, ordered Schrier to take a patrol to raise an American flag at the summit of Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima
, to signal to others that it had fallen. He led a 40-man combat patrol up the mountain. After a fire-fight, a 54-by-28 inch (137-by-71 cm) flag was raised, and photographed by Staff Sergeant Louis R. Lowery
, a photographer with Leatherneck magazine
. Others present at this first flag raising included Corporal Charles W. Lindberg
, Platoon Sergeant Ernest I. Thomas, Jr., Sergeant Henry O. "Hank" Hansen, Private First Class Louis C. Charlo, and Private First Class James Michels
. However, this flag was too small to be seen easily from the nearby landing beaches. This first flag was later replaced by a larger flag, the raising of which became famous due to a photograph taken by Associated Press
photographer Joe Rosenthal
.
Schrier (Navy Cross) commanded Company D, 5th Marines after the U.S. Flag raisings on Mt. Suribachi and was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action on March 24, 1945 leading a counterattack against a fanatical Japanese attack upon his lightly manned command post.
, Samar
, Philippines
, and in Yokosuka
, Japan
. He returned to the US in 1949, and appeared as himself in the 1949 film Sands of Iwo Jima
.
Schrier was sent to fight in the Korean War
with the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
in July 1950. He was awarded the Bronze Star
for his actions in August and September 1950, as Adjutant during the Battle of Pusan Perimeter
. Commanding Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, he was wounded December 1, 1950 during a hill fight (Hill 1520) with Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) during the breakout from the Chosin Reservoir.
Schrier was promoted to Major in May 1951. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel
. He died at Bradenton, Florida
. He is buried in Mansion Memorial Park, Ellerton, Florida.
Harold G. Schrier ... Himself (as Capt. Harold G. Schrier, U.S.M.C.)
In the 2006 film Flags of Our Fathers
, Schrier was played by actor Jason Gray-Stanford.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Harold George Schrier (October 17, 1916 – June 3, 1971) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, recipient of the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
, the nation's second highest award for valor, and a combat veteran of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He is most noted for being one of the six Marines who raised the first American flag on Mount Suribachi, during the Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
on February 23, 1945.
Early life
Harold Schrier was born in Corder, MissouriCorder, Missouri
Corder is a city in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States. The population was 427 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Corder is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. He attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Lexington, Missouri
Lexington, Missouri
Lexington is a city in Lafayette County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,453 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lafayette County. Located in western Missouri, Lexington lies about 40 miles east of Kansas City and is part of the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on November 12, 1936. After training in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, he was sent to China to guard the US embassy in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. He also served in Tientsin and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. He became a Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego is a United States Marine Corps military installation in San Diego, California. It lies between San Diego Bay and Interstate 5, adjacent to San Diego International Airport and the former Naval Training Center San Diego...
in August 1940.
During World War II, Schrier fought at the Guadalcanal as a rifle company platoon sergeant and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the field on February 28, 1943 and became a Marine Raider. Schrier was awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
during the New Georgia Campaign, for a reconnaissance patrol on Vangunu
Vangunu
Vangunu Island is an island, part of the New Georgia Islands in the Solomon Islands. It is located between New Georgia and Nggatokae Island, at , between the islands of New Georgia and Nggatokae. In the north of the island is Lake Marovo, the largest salt water in the world....
, and he later fought in Bougainville.
Pacific campaign
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
instructor at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
in February 1944, but returned to the Pacific with Company "E" (Easy Company), 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines in September 1944. A First Lieutenant, he was Executive Officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of Easy Company. On February 23, 1945, Captain Dave E. Severance, the commander of Easy Company, ordered Schrier to take a patrol to raise an American flag at the summit of Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, to signal to others that it had fallen. He led a 40-man combat patrol up the mountain. After a fire-fight, a 54-by-28 inch (137-by-71 cm) flag was raised, and photographed by Staff Sergeant Louis R. Lowery
Louis R. Lowery
Louis R. "Lou" Lowery was a United States Marine Corps photographer best known for taking the first flag-raising photograph on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945...
, a photographer with Leatherneck magazine
Leatherneck Magazine
Leatherneck Magazine of the Marines is a magazine for United States Marines. It was first published as a newspaper by off-duty Marines at Marine Corps Base Quantico in 1917, and was originally named The Quantico Leatherneck...
. Others present at this first flag raising included Corporal Charles W. Lindberg
Charles W. Lindberg
Charles W. "Chuck" Lindberg was a United States Marine who was part of the first raising of the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II...
, Platoon Sergeant Ernest I. Thomas, Jr., Sergeant Henry O. "Hank" Hansen, Private First Class Louis C. Charlo, and Private First Class James Michels
James Michels
Private First Class James R. Michels was one of the six United States Marines who raised the first American flag on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945.-Biography:...
. However, this flag was too small to be seen easily from the nearby landing beaches. This first flag was later replaced by a larger flag, the raising of which became famous due to a photograph taken by Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
photographer Joe Rosenthal
Joe Rosenthal
Joseph John Rosenthal was an American photographer who received the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic World War II photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, taken during the Battle of Iwo Jima. His picture became one of the best-known photographs of the war.-Early life:Joseph Rosenthal was born on...
.
Schrier (Navy Cross) commanded Company D, 5th Marines after the U.S. Flag raisings on Mt. Suribachi and was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action on March 24, 1945 leading a counterattack against a fanatical Japanese attack upon his lightly manned command post.
After the Second World War
He served in San Diego from July to October, 1945, then in Seal Beach, CaliforniaSeal Beach, California
-Neighborhoods:Seal Beach encompasses the Leisure World retirement gated community with roughly 9,000 residents. This was the first major planned retirement community of its type in the U.S...
, Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and in Yokosuka
United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, or Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka is a United States Navy base, in Yokosuka, Japan. Its mission is to maintain and operate base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support and service of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan, U.S. 7th Fleet and...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He returned to the US in 1949, and appeared as himself in the 1949 film Sands of Iwo Jima
Sands of Iwo Jima
Sands of Iwo Jima is a 1949 war film that follows a group of United States Marines from training to the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. It stars John Wayne, John Agar, Adele Mara and Forrest Tucker. The movie was written by Harry Brown and James Edward Grant and directed by Allan Dwan...
.
Schrier was sent to fight in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
with the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade
1st Provisional Marine Brigade
The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade was a Marine infantry brigade of the United States Marine Corps that existed periodically from 1912 to 1950. It was an ad hoc unit formed for specific operations and therefore not considered a "permanent" USMC unit....
in July 1950. He was awarded the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for his actions in August and September 1950, as Adjutant during the Battle of Pusan Perimeter
Battle of Pusan Perimeter
The Battle of Pusan Perimeter was a large-scale battle between United Nations and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 – September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the Korean War...
. Commanding Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, he was wounded December 1, 1950 during a hill fight (Hill 1520) with Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) during the breakout from the Chosin Reservoir.
Schrier was promoted to Major in May 1951. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
. He died at Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
. He is buried in Mansion Memorial Park, Ellerton, Florida.
Navy Cross citation
His citation reads:Portrayal in film
Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)Harold G. Schrier ... Himself (as Capt. Harold G. Schrier, U.S.M.C.)
In the 2006 film Flags of Our Fathers
Flags of Our Fathers (film)
is a 2006 American war film directed, co-produced and scored by Clint Eastwood and written by William Broyles, Jr. and Paul Haggis. It is based on the book of the same name written by James Bradley and Ron Powers about the Battle of Iwo Jima, the five Marines and one Navy Corpsman who were involved...
, Schrier was played by actor Jason Gray-Stanford.
See also
- Raising the Flag on Iwo JimaRaising the Flag on Iwo JimaRaising the Flag on Iwo Jima is a historic photograph taken on February 23, 1945, by Joe Rosenthal. It depicts five United States Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the flag of the United States atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.The photograph was extremely...
- Battle of Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo JimaThe Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...