Schilt, Christian F.
General Christian F. Schilt, USMC, (Retired), (1895-1987)
Christian Frank Schilt was born on 19 March 1895 in Richland County, Illinois. He enlisted in the U.S. Marines from that state in June 1917, a few months after the United States entered World War I, subsequently serving in the Azores as an enlisted man with a Marine aviation unit. Following flight training, in June 1919 Schilt was designated a Naval Aviator and received his commission in the rank of Second Lieutenant. During the next eight years, he had aviation assignments in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the continental U.S. His commission was made permanent following attendance at the Marine Officers' Training School, and in May 1924 he was promoted to First Lieutenant. In the mid-1920s, while stationed at Quantico, Virginia, he was a member of the Navy-Marine Corps air racing team. Schilt served in Nicaragua with Observation Squadron 7-M in 1927-1929. On 6-8 January 1928, his extraordinary flying, in the face of hostile fire, was vital to saving the lives of several wounded men and the resupply of an endangered Marine force. For his actions on these occasions, First Lieutenant Schilt was awarded the Medal of Honor .
Back in the U.S., between 1929 and 1934 Schilt commanded a fighting squadron, served as a test pilot at the Naval Aircraft Factory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and underwent further Marine Corps and aviation training. Promoted to Captain in May 1934, he spent most of the rest of the decade as a staff officer and squadron commander. In 1938-1940 Major Schilt was Executive Officer of the Marine Corps Air Station, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and in 1941 was briefly an Assistant Naval Attache for Air at the American Embassy in London, England. Returning to Quantico in August 1941, he served with First Marine Aircraft Wing. During World War II, he moved up swiftly in rank, becoming a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel in 1942, Brigadier General and Major General in 1944. He commanded Marine air units during the Guadalcanal Campaign and the subsequent assault up the Solomons chain, was Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina in 1943 and 1944 and later led the Ninth Marine Aircraft Wing. Back in the Pacific war zone, in 1945 Major General Schilt was Island Commander on Peleliu and, as the war with Japan ended and occupation operations began, commanded Marine aviation forces on Okinawa.
Following his return to the United States in March 1946, Major General Schilt commanded Marine Air Reserve Training. He became Chief of Staff of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, in 1949. During 1951-1955, commanded the First Marine Aircraft Wing in Korea, was Deputy Commander, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and Commanding General, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Promoted to Lieutenant General in August 1955, he was Director of Aviation at Marine Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., until retiring in April 1957. His distinguished combat record resulted in elevation to the retired rank of General. Christian F. Schilt died on 8 January 1987 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
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