PVT William V. Schmitz Jr.

courtesy of Des Philippet

PVT William V. Schmitz Jr. was born in New York, New York in 1913 the only child of William V. and Charlotte (Heidelnerg) Schmitz. His father was a native of Germany who had immigrated in 1902 and worked at various jobs primarily as a drayman/carter/moving man. His father had been successful and was able to buy a house at 99-26 213th Street in Queens, New York. The house was valued at $6500 in 1930 but the family apparently sold the house and then rented it from the new owners for $45 a month. Young William eventually went to work with his father and reported 1939 incomes of $1560 for the father and $2000 for the son. Young William had gotten married, probably in 1932, and in 1933 he and his wife Elizabeth had their only child a son, William V. Schmitz III. The couple moved to Newton, New Jersey.

William Schmitz Jr. was drafted in March 1944. In June or July 1944 he was sent to the European theater. PVT Schmitz was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 25 Oct 1944. He was killed in action in the vicinity of Baesweiler, Germany on 17 Nov 1944.

PVT Schmitz rests forever in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

We believe his son, William V. Schmitz III, was a career U.S. Marine who retired as a CPT and had served in F-2-7 1st Force Recon.