Richard Charles Schambach was born in New York City on September 22,1933, the oldest of six children born to Julia and Claude Schambach. The Korean War erupted in 1950, my 17 year old brother asked my father to sign for his enlistment with the U.S. Navy since he was still a minor. Our father enlisted in the Navy in 1921, while growing up in Missouri, he too, seeked adventure at 17, so how could he not sign for his son, but without the permission of our mother.

Prior to being shipped out overseas, my parents asked him if there was anything he wanted before being shipping out. His reply, "Will you sign for me to marry my childhood sweetheart?" Only 18 years of age, he married his childhood sweetheart, Loretta Schroeder, on Dec. 23, 1951.

From pictures that my brother gave me, written on the backs of these pictures were; 18 years old, going to FMSS School, Camp Lejune, 3rd Med BN OR Tech. The other picture he wrote; Camp Gifu, Japan, 19 years old, shipped to Japan, Korea, Formosa, stopped at IwoJima 2 days. Served from 1950 to 1954. During the war he so proudly served side by side with the United States Marines as a Navy Corpsmen.

Even at seven years old I could still remember seeing a military flag with yellow fringe, hanging in our living room window. Mom was so proud to show everyone she had a servicemen fighting in the war. Over the years mother would bake cookies and fill a big box with all kinds of goodies for him. And yes, I remember her crying, and being scared for his safety. Mother joined the Navy Mothers and proudly stood beside her son for picture taking.

Upon Richards' return from the war, he joined the New York Police Department on March 16, 1957. By 1959 he was appointed to Detective, and assigned to the Brooklyn D.A. Racket Squad for 17 years, before retiring a 2nd grade Detective.

Richard will be 81 this September and now showing signs of dementia. His wife Loretta died this past October, just shy of their 62nd wedding anniversary.

My brother was an excellent writer, and gave me three poems about Korea as follows: Corpsmen USN-FMF, "Hill 329…Korea", "Corpsman Up", and "USMC FMF, A Corpsman in Korea." I don't know if he wrote them, or not, but at the bottom of each poem is written:

Dedicated to all the Navy Corpsmen who served with the Fleet Marines during "Korea…The Forgotten War."

SEMPER FI

Dick Schambach

HM3-USN/FMF

Korea 1950-1954

Richard Charles 'Dick' Schambach