A soldier\u2019s remains will be interred with full military honors during July. They will be interred long after his demise.<\/p>\n
That, unfortunately, is not terribly uncommon. But this case is, for two reasons.<\/p>\n
First: the individual – SGT Charles Schroeter, US Army \u2013 was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. It\u2019s relatively rare to see a MoH recipient interred long after his demise.<\/p>\n
Second: the man received his MoH in 1870<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 for gallantry in action the previous year. His heroism occurred during an engagement with the Apaches in Arizona during the Indian Wars. <\/p>\n That engagement occurred during SGT Schroeter\u2019s second enlistment. He had previously served in the Union Army during the Civil War, which began shortly after he immigrated to this nation from Germany.<\/p>\n SGT Schroeter\u2019s remains were unclaimed after his death. His remains were cremated; the ashes were stored for a long period in a basement at Greenwood Cemetery in San Diego. Some years ago, they were interred in a communal crypt in that cemetery\u2019s mausoleum.<\/p>\n Enter CAPT Bill Heard, USN (Ret). <\/p>\n CAPT Heard learned of SGT Schroeter\u2019s remains being buried in that communal crypt. He researched the man\u2019s history.<\/p>\n With substantial assistance from both the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and the San Diego History Center, CAPT Heard was able to determine that this was the same SGT Charles Schroeter who had been awarded the MoH. After additional effort, CAPT Heard was able to convince the National Cemetery Administration of that fact. <\/p>\n SGT Schroeter\u2019s remains were removed from the communal crypt containing them. They will be properly re-interred will full military honors at Mirimar National Cemetery on 9 July 2015<\/i><\/a>. (The article gives more of his history, and is IMO well worth the time to read.) He will be the first MoH recipient interred at that cemetery.<\/p>\n Rest now in peace, my elder brother-in-arms. <\/p>\n And thank you, CAPT Heard. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"