GEORGE E. SCHMITT, LTJG, USN

George Schmitt '53

Date of birth: May 11, 1930

Date of death: September 14, 1955

Age: 25

Lucky Bag

From the 1953 Lucky Bag:

GEORGE EARL SCHMITT

Dayton, Kentucky

Upon graduating from high school, George journeyed to Great Lakes for boot training, then to Bainbridge to prep for the Naval Academy. Gifted with art ability, it was not uncommon to see him scratching away at some work in that field (if he wasn't out on the field tossing passes for the Fifth Batt football team.) Meticulous in his personal appearance, mirrors were a thing of the past when "Borg" has on his grease shoes. Being pretty savvy, George was often found tutoring some poor bucket. The only thing that worried his buddies was whether or not 'Smitty' would ever find the right girl, since he always had so many from which to choose.

GEORGE EARL SCHMITT

Dayton, Kentucky

Upon graduating from high school, George journeyed to Great Lakes for boot training, then to Bainbridge to prep for the Naval Academy. Gifted with art ability, it was not uncommon to see him scratching away at some work in that field (if he wasn't out on the field tossing passes for the Fifth Batt football team.) Meticulous in his personal appearance, mirrors were a thing of the past when "Borg" has on his grease shoes. Being pretty savvy, George was often found tutoring some poor bucket. The only thing that worried his buddies was whether or not 'Smitty' would ever find the right girl, since he always had so many from which to choose.

Loss

George was lost on September 14, 1955 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed in Bellville, Texas.

Other Information

From The Cincinnati Enquirer on September 15, 1955:

Navy Lt. (j. g.) George Earl Schmitt, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Schmitt, 422 Third Ave., Dayton, Ky., was killed yesterday at Bellville, Tex., when his jet Panther plane crashed. He was a student pilot at the naval training station there, the Associated Press reported. Lieutenant Schmitt enlisted in the Navy in 1948 following graduation from Dayton High School, where he was a football star. His family was notified of his death yesterday in an official telegram from Capt. H. M. Avery, commander, Chase Field, Belleville, which said the youthful flier was killed Wednesday in an airplane accident. During his senior year at the Naval Academy he attained the rank of midshipman, serving as a platoon commander. In the Navy he received his class letter on the brigade football championship team. He made his first solo flight in a jet aircraft in October, 1954. No details of the crash were given in the message to his parents. His father is an employee of a Cincinnati baking company. His mother, Mrs. Vera Schmitt, is a widely known singer in Northern Kentucky. Services will be in charge of the Vonderhaar & Stetter funeral home, Newport, Ky., after arrival of the body from the Texas Air Force Base. He is survived also by a brother, Roger Schmitt, who is a student at Dayton High School.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

George graduated from Dayton High School in 1948. “Smitty” played football and basketball and was on the track team. Weakness: Wine, women and song. Pastime: Sports. Ambition: Make good. Likes: Girls. Class Prophecy: George, the baseball expert, now has his own radio program over station B-U-L-L at 3:00 P.M. for all the little kiddies.
After high school, he joined the Navy and was appointed to the Naval Academy by Rep. Brent Spence of Ft. Thomas in May 1949. He then attended Bainbridge, Maryland, Prep School before entering the Academy.
His father was employed by the Sunshine Biscuit company; his mother was a widely known singer. In the same newspaper announcing George's death, an article ran on another page that his parents were to have renewed their vows and hold an open house on Sunday to celebrate 25 years of marriage.

He is buried in Kentucky.