Milton Edward Schneider

First Lieutenant Milton E. “Milt” Schneider was a Marine Corps fighter pilot who flew with VMF-221.
He was shot down during a fighter sweep over Kahili airfield, Bougainville on 18 October 1943.

Branch

Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-16483

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered

Pursuit Category

The DPAA has not publicized this information.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

May 4, 1921
at Spring Lake, NJ

Parents

Milton Hesche Schneider
Minnie (Dodge) Schneider

Education

Manasquan High School (1939)
Monmouth Junior College (1942)

Occupation & Employer

College student

Service Life

Entered Service

February 1942 (enlisted)
December 24, 1942 (officer)

Home Of Record

208 16th Avenue
Belmar, NJ

Next Of Kin

Mother, Mrs. Minnie Schneider

Military Specialty

Pilot

Primary Unit

VMF-221

Campaigns Served

Solomon Islands (two tours)

Individual Decorations

Air Medal
Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

—

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

After completing his pilot training and several months of stateside duty, Lieutenant Milton “Milt” Schneider was assigned to VMF-221 for deployment to the Pacific. He began flying combat missions in June, 1943, and completed his first full tour with the squadron.

On 18 October 1943, VMF-221 was scheduled to perform a fighter sweep over Kahili airfield on the island of Bougainville, in company with the “Black Sheep” of VMF-214. For this mission, Lieutenant Schneider flew as wingman for the squadron’s leading ace, Captain James E. Swett.

Over Kahili, the Marine fighters encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire and an estimated force of fifty “Zekes.” The ensuing dogfight “helped our box score but lowered our morale,” in the words of the squadron’s war diary. “We got six Zeroes and four probable, but Lieutenant Schneider did not return. All planes except Milt landed by 1730.”

Milton Schneider and his Corsair (F4U-1 17557) were never seen again. The pilot was declared dead on the day of the mission.