Alfred Schuler
PhM2c Alfred “Fred” Schuler served as a hospital corpsman with the First Battalion, 2nd Marines.
He was killed in action at Guadalcanal on 10 November 1942.
Branch
Navy Reserve
Service Number 664 00 28
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
October 16, 1918
at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Parents
Joseph Schuler
Rosa (Jerger) Schuler (d. 1936)
Education
Lincoln High School (1936)
Occupation & Employer
Hospital attendant
American Lake VA Hospital
Service Life
Entered Service
April 21, 1941
Tacoma, WA
Home Of Record
6040 East Mullen Street
Tacoma, WA
Next Of Kin
Wife, Mrs. Marie Elizabeth (Palmer) Schuler
Military Specialty
Hospital corpsman
Primary Unit
HQ/1/2nd Mairines
Campaigns Served
Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
After spending several days in reserve positions supporting units of the 164th Infantry Regiment, two battalions of the 2nd Marines were ordered to recommence offensive operations against Japanese troops west of Guadalcanal’s Point Cruz. The terrain was rough and hilly – familiar to combat veterans, but physically taxing. “The day was the hottest I can remember on the ‘Canal,” wrote William Rogal of A/1/2.
The First Battalion’s task was to protect the left flank of the advance; to do this, they needed to control the high ground of a hill about 1000 yards inland from the coast. Their attack kicked off at 0630 and proceeded quietly – albeit slowly – until about 1100.
In due time the word came to move out and we advanced into a heavily wooded valley. The descent into the gorge was uneventful, as was most of the climb up the opposite slope. However, when we reached the crest of the hill and started to move into the tall grass, all hell broke loose.... The Japs then went to work with mortars, dropping round after round on us. I don' t think they wasted a single round either long or short....
Meanwhile, A Company was taking a beating. Richard Gill, William Schreiner, James Majercak, and Amos Gray lay dead. At least ten others were wounded, some very badly.... The Battalion Muster Roll reveals two Corpsmen were killed that day, Alfred Schuler and James Gage, but I have no reollection as to which, if either, was with us. My squad was decimated, with three BAR men down.... We had our asses whipped and withdrew back to the line we kicked off from.
“They sure had our number,” admitted Jim Sorensen whose squad was near the ambush point. “We yelled for a corpsman – no corpsman could get up to the ridge to us through that fire, but the men cursed and yelled for a corpsman nevertheless.” It is likely that Pharmacist’s Mates Gage and Schuler were killed attempting to answer similar calls for help.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered. In his memoir, Rogal notes “Even retreating wasn’t easy for we didn’t have enough stretchers for the wounded nor enough able-bodied men to get them and our weapons back to the safety of our lines. There was no help for it – we had to leave our dead.”
Memorials
Next Of Kin Address
Address of wife, Mrs. Marie Schuler. The Schulers’ daughter was born on 15 January 1943, a few days after Fred’s death was reported.
Marie later moved to San Diego, California.
Location Of Loss
Approximate location of the ambush site of 10 November 1942.
