CORAL V. SCHUFELDT, LCDR, USN
Coral Schufeldt '63
Lucky Bag
From the 1963 Lucky Bag:
CORAL VANCE SCHUFELDT
Omaha, Nebraska
A tall six-foot-two, Vance, or "Moose" as his classmates fondly called him, was always easy to find. His engaging deep voice could be heard from the center of almost any crowd. Sunday mornings would find him lending his rich bass voice to the Antiphonal Choir. Afternoons, when he wasn't looking for a longer mattress on which to study, he could be found at Hubbard Hall, rowing lightweight crew, or at the fencing loft practicing with the epee. Vance's two years in the Navy before the Academy fully imbued him with a sense of thoroughness and order. He will be well remembered for his constant polishing and washing everything in sight. With a ready good nature for all, Vance managed the balance between leadership and comradeship with the ease of one well qualified for command. The Navy is gaining an officer of the highest caliber who will add much to his service and his profession.
CORAL VANCE SCHUFELDT
Omaha, Nebraska
A tall six-foot-two, Vance, or "Moose" as his classmates fondly called him, was always easy to find. His engaging deep voice could be heard from the center of almost any crowd. Sunday mornings would find him lending his rich bass voice to the Antiphonal Choir. Afternoons, when he wasn't looking for a longer mattress on which to study, he could be found at Hubbard Hall, rowing lightweight crew, or at the fencing loft practicing with the epee. Vance's two years in the Navy before the Academy fully imbued him with a sense of thoroughness and order. He will be well remembered for his constant polishing and washing everything in sight. With a ready good nature for all, Vance managed the balance between leadership and comradeship with the ease of one well qualified for command. The Navy is gaining an officer of the highest caliber who will add much to his service and his profession.
Loss
Vance was killed in an A-7 accident on or near USS Nimitz (CVN 68) on January 8, 1977 while operating in the Mediterranean Sea.
Shipmate
From the September 1977 issue of Shipmate:
LCdr. Coral Vance Schufeldt USN died 8 January 1977. He was serving as executive officer of VA-82 at Naval Air Station. Cecil Field, at the time of his death. Memorial services were held at the station chapel on 13 January and on board Nimitz (CVN 68) on 18 January Light Attack Wing ONE gave an honorary fly-by in the ceremonies at the Naval Air Station.
A native of Nebraska, he enlisted in the Navy in 1957 and subsequently was graduated from the Naval Academy in 1963. Orders to flight training followed and he was designated naval aviator in 1965. He was ordered to Attack Squadron 163 flying Skyhawks with deployment to Southeast Asia in Oriskany, his first of two tours in Vietnam, the other on board Hancock with Attack Squadron 212. For this service he was awarded the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, forty-seven Air Medals, five Navy Commendation Medals including one for leadership during the Oriskany fire, the Navy Unit Commendation, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, plus campaign decorations. In addition to his service in Vietnam, he had been a flight instructor with VA-44 in 1968, then reported to the Postgraduate school in August of 1969 and was awarded a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1971. In 1974 he was graduated from the Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, then served at that station until August 1976 when he had a short tour with VA-174 prior to reporting to VA-82.
He is survived by his widow, Nancy, 144 Vanderford Rd., Orange Park FL 32073, and two daughters.
Silver Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Coral Vance Schufeldt (NSN: 0-669508/1310), United States Navy, for gallantry in action as an attack pilot, serving with Attack Squadron ONE HUDNRED SIXTY-THREE, embarked in U.S.S. ORISKANY (CVA-34), on 25 October 1967. Lieutenant Schufeldt was a member of a 23-plane Air Wing strike, the third in a series of coordinated, tri-service strikes on the Phuc Yen Airfield located 11 miles north of Hanoi, North Vietnam. He was a wingman in a three-plane element tasked with delivering air-to-ground missiles against the hanger and control tower of this strategically significant target complex. The strike group approached the target, the element, of which Lieutenant Schufeldt was a member, detached and proceeded ahead of the main strike group. These aircraft were immediately taken under attack by four surface-to-air missiles and were forced to take violent evasive action. Lieutenant Schufeldt detached, as planned, and was immediately hit by an 85-mm. flak burst. He rapidly assessed the damage to his aircraft hen proceeded to his pre-briefed launch position while maneuvering continuously to avoid the increasingly intense anti-aircraft artillery barrage. He circled north of the airfield and delivered his air-to-surface weapon against the control tower, his designated target, scoring a direct hit. Lieutenant Schufeldt then positioned himself over the field a second time and attacked the buildings adjacent to the tower, again inflicting heavy damage and rendering the nerve center of the airfield useless. He then recorded the damage inflicted by making several exposures with a hand-held camera. As he egressed from the target area, Lieutenant Schufeldt's outstanding aggressiveness and determination in the face of multiple surface-to-air missile firings, damage to his aircraft, and heavy, sustained anti-aircraft artillery barrages were extremely exemplary. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: October 25, 1967
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Company: Attack Squadron 163 (VA-163)
Division: U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34)
Distinguished Flying Cross
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Coral Vance Schufeldt (NSN: 0-669508/1310), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a jet aircraft attached to Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE, embarked in U.S.S. ORISKANY (CVA-34), during a strike against the Sac Le Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant Storage Area in North Vietnam on 29 September 1966. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Schufeldt was a wingman in the two aircraft flak suppression element of a 13 aircraft strike group assigned to this target. Because of the extremely poor weather conditions en route to and at the target, the strike group was forced to attack in two waves. He proceeded to the target with the first wave and single-handedly attacked and silenced two separate flak sites. Compelled by the obvious threat to the second wave and without personal regard for his own safety, he remained in the target area to support the second wave. Upon their arrival, he tenaciously brought a threatening flak site under attack and was successful in its destruction. Upon retirement from the target area at low altitude he observed and subsequently attacked an automatic weapons site with his one remaining bomb. Again he succeeded in damaging this new threat. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Schufeldt single-handedly silenced three enemy flak sites and severely damaged an automatic weapons site by his judicious use of six VT fuzed bombs, thereby making a significant contribution to the success of the strike without damage to the strike group. His tenacious and heroic actions, professionalism and extraordinary accuracy in the delivery of his weapons were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: September 29, 1966
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
Company: Attack Squadron 163 (VA-163)
Division: U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34)
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Coral Vance Schufeldt (NSN: 0-669508/1310), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a jet aircraft attached to Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE, embarked in U.S.S. ORISKANY (CVA-34), in Southeast Asia on 21 August 1967. Lieutenant Schufeldt was one of six strike aircraft during a 20 plane attack on the largest thermal power plant in North Vietnam which is located one mile from the center of Hanoi. Because of the target's location and strategic significance, Lieutenant Schufeldt spent many hours assessing the development of a strike plan to ensure success, in spite of the enemy's in depth air defenses. Prior to reaching the target, Lieutenant Schufeldt detached in order to carry out his individual attack. He proceeded 35 miles through a gauntlet of intense anti-aircraft fire of all calibers and repeated attacks by many of the 38 deadly surface-to-air missiles which were launched against the strike force. With utter disregard for his personal safety, he pressed home his final diving attack in the face of a fusillade of barrage and tracking anti-aircraft artillery fire. His bomb impacted precisely at the pre-planned aim point. As Lieutenant Schufeldt pulled off target, he immediately rendezvoused with another strike aircraft which had been hit in order to give assistance. Satisfied that the damaged aircraft would be escorted, he rendezvoused with his wingman whose aircraft had also been damaged. Lieutenant Schufeldt escorted the badly damaged aircraft to the ship and even though he had an extremely low fuel state, would not land until assured that the damaged aircraft would recover safely. Lieutenant Schufeldt's superior airmanship and bravery in the face of massed enemy resistance contributed significantly to the heavy damage inflicted on a critical target and the safe return of all strike aircraft, and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: August 21, 1967
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Company: Attack Squadron 163 (VA-163)
Division: U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34)
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander Coral Vance Schufeldt (NSN: 0-669508/1310), United States Navy, for heroism while participating in aerial flight as a pilot of jet aircraft while attached to Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWELVE (VA-212), embarked in U.S.S. HANCOCK (CVA-19), on 26 May 1972. Lieutenant Commander Schufeldt was a division leader in a major air wing strike against the Vong Bi highway bridges, strategic elements in the enemy's logistic network spanning North Vietnam. On numerous occasions, Lieutenant Commander Schufeldt was forced to maneuver his division to evade volleys of lethal surface-to-air missiles and a relentless hail of anti-aircraft artillery fire. Despite these adversities, he maintained division integrity and placed his division in optimum position to place the ordnance on target. His aerial aggressiveness and leadership proved to be enhancing factors in the outstanding level of success achieved by the main strike force. Lieutenant Commander Schufeldt's superior airmanship and courage in the face of the enemy reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: May 26, 1972
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Attack Squadron 212 (VA-212)
Division: U.S.S. Hancock (CVA-19)
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