Technical Sergeant Frederick Schlote
Frederick Leroy Schlote was born in West Point, Nebraska on July 8th, 1907 to Henry Schlote and Jemima Thuenen, and was the youngest of eleven siblings. Sadly, his father died just two years later, forcing the family to move to Dodge, Nebraska to work on a farm owned by the Krause family. Frederick attended local schools and begin working there as soon as he was strong enough to. On January 24th, 1929, Frederick saw his chance to get away from such an unfortunate situation and enlisted in the US Marine Corps. He was quickly transported to Parris Island, South Carolina and joined Company A, Recruit Battalion to begin boot camp. Years of hard labor as a farm worker had made Private Schlote a capable and strong young man, and he easily passed basic training without much trouble.
Nicaragua Just three months after entering the service, Private Schlote was reassigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade in Nicaragua. Marines had been sent to Nicaragua to protect American citizens when a civil war broke out in early 1926, but had remained there at the request of the Nicaraguan Government to help deal with rebels, the main one being Augusto Sandino. He had been severely limited in his exploits due to Marine patrols by the year 1928 but was still at large, which prompted replacements such as Private Schlote to be sent there to bolster American strength in the country. |
So, on April 18th, he boarded the USS Chateau Thierry in New York and left the same day for South America. After weeks at sea, he finally arrived at Corinth, Nicaragua on May 1st and was transported to Service Company, 11th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Brigade which was stationed at Ocotal, the scene of the last massed attack by Sandino’s rebels a few years prior. Private Schlote would not experience much excitement here and instead was placed in his unit’s transport section, and then the 2nd Company on April 1st.
In August of 1929, the 11th Marines began preparing for their disbandment, and many of their members were sent to bolster the 5th Marines, including Private Schlote who joined the 51st Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 2nd Marine Brigade at Ocotal on the 10th. The same day, he and others from his company left for San Albino where they guarded the US owned gold mine located there until November 20th, when they rejoined their regiment at Apali. After another brief stint at San Albino in December, Private Schlote was detached to San Juan de Telpaneca from January 25th, 1930 to February 14th. After a few more months at Apali, he was transferred to the 23rd Company of the same regiment on May 12th stationed at Managua and took on the duties of a messman, and became a cook 4th class.
As it grew closer to the end of 1930, political unrest began to increase, especially with the return of Sandino from Mexico in the middle of the year. The marines were given the task to assist the Nicaraguan Military with protecting voters and election security. On September 10th, Private Schlote was placed in Detachment D, Matagalpa Area as one of the guards for the Electoral Mission in Nicaragua until November of 1930 without any incidents. On the 15th of the month, he boarded the USS Philip and left Nicaragua, arriving at Portsmouth, Virginia on the 26th to join the Marine Barracks Detachment at Norfolk Navy Yard for a few months. On January 2nd, 1931, he was once again reassigned to the Marine Detachment, Naval Prison, Navy Yard located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and would remain here for the next two years with occasional assignments with Section D at RR Wakefield, Massachusetts until being honorably discharged on January 23rd, 1933 and awarded a Good Conduct Medal for excellent service with the Marine Corps.
World War Two
Instead of returning to Nebraska, Frederick settled down in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, married Emily Hutchinson in 1933, and got a job working for the Main Street Chevrolet Company in Wakefield as a mechanic. However, the Marine Corps would need him one last time. On December 7th, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and at American troops stationed in the Pacific, plunging the US into World War Two. With his country needing experienced men in the military, Frederick joined the marines once again on September 1st, 1942 and was sent to Parris Island’s 10th Recruit Battalion to complete basic training for the second time. Due to Private Schlote’s experience with automobiles, he was quickly placed in the Motor Transport Company, Post Troops on October 27th as a mechanic, and then promoted to Staff Sergeant on November 9th when they realized his prior service in the Marine Corps. SSgt Schlote remained with this unit at Parris Island until April of 1944 when he briefly joined Engineer Company, 29th Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune, and then was promoted to Technical Sergeant in June. The 1st Battalion, 29th Marines were chosen to accompany the 2nd Marine Division for the invasion of Saipan and left the same month, while the rest of the regiment were preparing to mobilize overseas for the invasion of Okinawa in April, but TSgt Schlote’s experience was needed on the home front, not the battlefield. On June 29th, he was reassigned to Motor Transport Company, Headquarters Battalion, Training Command, Camp Pendleton, California to train new recruits heading to the Pacific for five months, until being sent to the Range Company of the same unit on January 8th, 1945 as an NCO in the machine section. He remained in this position until August 24th, when he began the process of leaving the marine corps which was finalized with his honorable discharge on the 29th. Just a few days later, Japan surrendered to the allies, ending the war for good. Returning home for the second time, Frederick regained his job at the Chevrolet company and passed away in Sarasota, Florida on June 6th, 1987.
In August of 1929, the 11th Marines began preparing for their disbandment, and many of their members were sent to bolster the 5th Marines, including Private Schlote who joined the 51st Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 2nd Marine Brigade at Ocotal on the 10th. The same day, he and others from his company left for San Albino where they guarded the US owned gold mine located there until November 20th, when they rejoined their regiment at Apali. After another brief stint at San Albino in December, Private Schlote was detached to San Juan de Telpaneca from January 25th, 1930 to February 14th. After a few more months at Apali, he was transferred to the 23rd Company of the same regiment on May 12th stationed at Managua and took on the duties of a messman, and became a cook 4th class.
As it grew closer to the end of 1930, political unrest began to increase, especially with the return of Sandino from Mexico in the middle of the year. The marines were given the task to assist the Nicaraguan Military with protecting voters and election security. On September 10th, Private Schlote was placed in Detachment D, Matagalpa Area as one of the guards for the Electoral Mission in Nicaragua until November of 1930 without any incidents. On the 15th of the month, he boarded the USS Philip and left Nicaragua, arriving at Portsmouth, Virginia on the 26th to join the Marine Barracks Detachment at Norfolk Navy Yard for a few months. On January 2nd, 1931, he was once again reassigned to the Marine Detachment, Naval Prison, Navy Yard located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and would remain here for the next two years with occasional assignments with Section D at RR Wakefield, Massachusetts until being honorably discharged on January 23rd, 1933 and awarded a Good Conduct Medal for excellent service with the Marine Corps.
World War Two
Instead of returning to Nebraska, Frederick settled down in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, married Emily Hutchinson in 1933, and got a job working for the Main Street Chevrolet Company in Wakefield as a mechanic. However, the Marine Corps would need him one last time. On December 7th, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and at American troops stationed in the Pacific, plunging the US into World War Two. With his country needing experienced men in the military, Frederick joined the marines once again on September 1st, 1942 and was sent to Parris Island’s 10th Recruit Battalion to complete basic training for the second time. Due to Private Schlote’s experience with automobiles, he was quickly placed in the Motor Transport Company, Post Troops on October 27th as a mechanic, and then promoted to Staff Sergeant on November 9th when they realized his prior service in the Marine Corps. SSgt Schlote remained with this unit at Parris Island until April of 1944 when he briefly joined Engineer Company, 29th Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune, and then was promoted to Technical Sergeant in June. The 1st Battalion, 29th Marines were chosen to accompany the 2nd Marine Division for the invasion of Saipan and left the same month, while the rest of the regiment were preparing to mobilize overseas for the invasion of Okinawa in April, but TSgt Schlote’s experience was needed on the home front, not the battlefield. On June 29th, he was reassigned to Motor Transport Company, Headquarters Battalion, Training Command, Camp Pendleton, California to train new recruits heading to the Pacific for five months, until being sent to the Range Company of the same unit on January 8th, 1945 as an NCO in the machine section. He remained in this position until August 24th, when he began the process of leaving the marine corps which was finalized with his honorable discharge on the 29th. Just a few days later, Japan surrendered to the allies, ending the war for good. Returning home for the second time, Frederick regained his job at the Chevrolet company and passed away in Sarasota, Florida on June 6th, 1987.