Harold Sturtevant
Encyclopedia
Harold Sturtevant was a sailor
in the United States Navy
. In January 1941, he and fellow sailor E.C. Lackey climbed up the fire escape
of the building which housed the German
consulate in San Francisco, California
and slashed and tore down the flag of Nazi Germany which was flying there in honor of the 7th anniversary of the founding of the Third Reich. The two men were arrested, tried, court martialed for malicious mischief
and received a dishonorable discharge from the Navy. The German Foreign Ministry protested the incident and the United States Department of State
expressed their regrets. Later that year, after Germany declared war on the United States, Sturtevant received a pardon and reenlisted in the Navy.
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. In January 1941, he and fellow sailor E.C. Lackey climbed up the fire escape
Fire escape
A fire escape is a special kind of emergency exit, usually mounted to the outside of a building or occasionally inside but separate from the main areas of the building. It provides a method of escape in the event of a fire or other emergency that makes the stairwells inside a building inaccessible...
of the building which housed the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
consulate in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and slashed and tore down the flag of Nazi Germany which was flying there in honor of the 7th anniversary of the founding of the Third Reich. The two men were arrested, tried, court martialed for malicious mischief
Malicious mischief
Malicious Mischief is the specific name for different criminal offences in a number of different criminal jurisdictions. While the wrongful acts will often involve what is popularly described as vandalism there can be a legal differentiation between the two....
and received a dishonorable discharge from the Navy. The German Foreign Ministry protested the incident and the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
expressed their regrets. Later that year, after Germany declared war on the United States, Sturtevant received a pardon and reenlisted in the Navy.