August 20, 2008

World War II veteran Mark Schaitel receives Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs Veterans Lifetime Achievement Award

(MADISON) – In a ceremony during the August 15 meeting of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs at Barkers Island in Superior, World War II and Korean War veteran Mark A. Schaitel of Sparta was presented the Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award.

“The Board presents its Veterans Lifetime Achievement Award to Mark A. Schaitel in recognition of his exemplary achievement as a member of the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War, a veteran and a citizen in service to his community, the State of Wisconsin and the United States of America,” said Board Chair Marv Freedman.

Schaitel served in the U.S. Navy, assigned to the USS Boggs, a Destroyer Minesweeper, from 1940-44, attaining the rank of First Class Signalman. As a member of the ship’s company on the morning of December 7, 1941 he was an eyewitness to history when the Boggs, returning from sea maneuvers and just entering Pearl Harbor’s waters was flown over by the first wave of Japanese attack aircraft. He later served on the USS Collingsworth participating in the invasion of Okinawa in 1945. During the Korean War he was assigned to the USS Hanna, a Destroyer Escort which while operating in the waters off of Wonson, North Korea was severely damaged by a hostile battery attack in November 1952. He completed his military career as a Navy Recruiter in Milwaukee. As a Chief Quartermaster receiving numerous awards, decorations and medals for his military service. Since his retirement he has remained active in the American Legion in the communities he lived in and at the state and national level.

The Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes living veterans who have compiled a record of exemplary service as a military service member, a veteran, and a citizen during the veteran’s lifetime.

Schaitel is the fourth recipient of the Veterans Lifetime Achievements Award. The first was presented to Eugene Moran, of Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, a World War II veteran and former Prisoner of War who overcame severe conditions and came back to live an exemplary life of public service to Wisconsin veterans. The second award was presented to Dr. James C. Allen of Madison, a Korean War veteran and retired VA ophthalmologist instrumental in the enactment of U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin’s (D-WI) Dr. James C. Allen Veterans Vision Equity Act, which enables veterans who have a service-connected complete loss of sight in one eye to receive increased disability compensation if they later lose sight in the other eye. The third award was presented to John Maurer, who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942-45, and was a pilot with United Airlines, a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and a former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs from 1985 to 1992.

The Board, through a subcommittee consisting of three board members, appointed by the Board Chair, selects the recipients. Nominations are accepted from any Wisconsin resident and the Board especially encourages submissions from Wisconsin veterans, veteran’s service organizations, county veteran’s service officer and other veterans groups.

There are up to six annual awards. Nominations may be submitted at any time during the year, but no later than the 15th of the month preceding the month of a Board meeting at which the presentation is to be made. For more information about the award, go to www.wisvets.com/boardaward or call WDVA toll-free 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387).