Seaman 2-c Leon Alexander Schmid

[Hobza]

Seaman 2-c Leon Alexander Schmid was born 3 Aug 1927 Huntington, Suffolk County, New York.

He died 23 Apr 1946 (aged 18) on board ship LST-172. While LST-172 was in the Yangtze river near Shanghai, China , a teen-aged Seaman 2d Class, William Vincent Smith,of Asheville, North Carolina, described as a silent, introspective individual, went berserk at 0300 hrs. and shot to death nine of the 30 shipmates in the berthing space before stabbing himself. Smith was only two months out of the United States at the time of his attack.

One of his mortally wounded victims / L.A. Schmid / managed to disarm him of the carbine and pistol he used, firing 20 rounds in all, whereupon Smith stabbed himself three times in the abdomen. He, and one of his victims, Seaman 2d Class George E. Simpson, 18, were taken to the hospital ship USS Repose, where Smith was initially given a 50/50 chance of surviving. Simpson, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was struck on the left side of his chest by one of the rounds fired by Smith.

 

Investigation

Rear Admiral Bertram J. Rodgers, commander of the Seventh Fleet amphibious forces, ordered an immediate court of inquiry and made a flying trip to the LST for a personal investigation.

"The Navy said that Smith had stood a two-hour watch just before midnight and sometime in the quiet hours before 3 a.m., obtained a carbine from the cabin of the gunnery officer, who was on watch. Then with the carbine and a 22-caliber pistol which he had concealed among his effects, he went to the compartment, switched on the lights, and opened up. He fired until the magazines of both carbine and pistol were emptied, then leaped among the seaman with a flashing knife."

The names of the victims were withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The dead were buried in the U.S. Military Plot of the Shanghai Cemetery.

 

Suicide ends case

While awaiting court martial for the slayings of his fellow crew members, Seaman 2d Class William V. Smith, 21, was found hanged in his cell at the Anacostia Naval Receiving Station, Washington, D.C., on 1 August 1947. He was being held in solitary confinement pending trial on 19 August, officers said.

 

 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2811420/leon-alexander-schmid

 

 

 

http://amok.wikia.co...m_Vincent_Smith

[Hobza]

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[Hobza]

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[Hobza]

US Naval personnel and the crew of USS LST-172 bury their dead shipmates in the US plot at the Shanghai Cemetery after the tragic murders that took place aboard LST-172 on 23 April 1946

 

[Hobza]

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[tarbridge]

Thanks for posting Lubos...what a tale...safe at no quarter...

[Javelin4life]

Was wondering what happened to this lot on eBay! Thats an intense story..Happy that its found a great home!

[Dave]

Wow - that's pretty amazing!

[Schofield1943]

Unreal. Always nice to see a group to a local fellow - I grew up down the road from Huntington.

[scottplen]

Great group !

[Hobza]

Thanks for the positive reactions. Other news articles about the incident.

 

 

[dskjl]

Amazing group and a troubling story, the description "silent introspective" seems a bit of a theme in cases like these. Very sad, but incredible that a wounded sailor was able to overtake the assailant and survive the ordeal..

[Teamski]

Crazy and people think that something like this happens only in the present...... A very interesting medal to say the least!

 

-Ski

[bobgee]

As stated, "a troubling story". Never heard of this sad incident before. What a terrible way to lose your life, Probably all young men who couldn't wait to get into uniform. May they all Rest In Peace. Thanks for sharing, Hobza! Bobgee

[aerialbridge]

Interesting that the hero sailor had the same surname as the deranged sailor, albeit the hero's was the German language variant.

[ktvdd555]

The hero was my Uncle Leon, Mom's brother. 

Thanks for this post.

[postmedic]

Amazing group and story...thank you for sharing!