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James "Jim" Andrew Schedin
Lilah Crowe2023-02-14T12:13:39-06:00
- Name: James "Jim" Andrew Schedin
- Location of Birth: Taconite, Minnesota
- Date of Birth: May 21, 1918
- Date of Death: March 10, 2009 (90 years old)
- Parents: Alf Schedin and Edith (Shulene) Schedin
- High School and Class: 1936 Greenway High School, Coleraine, Minnesota
- College: Itasca Junior College, Coleraine, Minnesota
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Highest Rank: CAPT (Captain)
- Branch: Army
- Other Branch:
- Date Sworn In: September 25, 1943
- Place Sworn In:
- Date of Discharge: February 10, 1946
- Place of Discharge:
-
- Military Awards:
Bronze Star
- Military Highlights:
WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
State: Minnesota
Name: James Andrew Schedin
Race: White
Age: 22
Birth Date: May 21, 1918
Birth Place: Taconite, Minnesota, USA
Residence Place: Marble, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
Registration Date: October 16, 1940
Employer: Oliver Iron Mining Co., Marble, Itasca, Minnesota
Height: 5-9
Weight: 155
Complexion: Light
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Gray
Other characteristic: End of left thumb missing
Next of Kin: Alf Harold Schedin, father, Marble, Itasca, Minnesota
Newspaper article: 1944 – "1st Lt. Jimmy Schedin writes that he has arrived safely in England. He was formerly stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was an instructor."
Jim participated in the North Pacific and European theaters during World War II. He was Captain of the 82nd Airborne Division. He received the Army Bronze Star Medal for action in the Battle of the Bulge, and fought in the Battle of Normandy as well.
Information from The "All American" Paraglide souvenir brochure, dated Tuesday, October 17, 1944:
This information is on Jim's outfit.
508 Finishes 3 Weeks of Intensive Fighting
508 Bearing Brunt on Wide Defense Sector. 1st to Enter Germany
The air over the DZ was filled with flak but no other gunfire was heard as our 1st and 2nd Battalions reached the ground and began to assemble. The 3rd Battalion, jumping near the edge of the DZ came down squarely upon a 20 mm anti-aircraft position. The crew fled in panic and joined a small party of die-hard enemy firing from the edge of the area. These were driven off and the assembly completed. The battalions moved out to their objectives.
Companies A and B immediately moved into the town of Nijmegen to secure the bridge spanning the Waal River. Fighting their way through strange city streets on a dark night, both companies reached the center of the city where German resistance stiffened and mounting counter-attacks made the night an ogre's ordeal. One platoon of Company A pushed ahead and reached the southern approach to the Nijmegen bridge. Here this patrol managed to knock out a building which was believed to house the controls for the destruction of the bridge by enemy demolitions. Forced by heavy shellfire to withdraw, the patrol was unable to make contact with the company and so for three nights remained in the city. A British tank column moving in was stopped by enemy obstacles. Elements of Company A joined the British and spearheaded them through the streets toward the bridge which was later gained intact. On the 18th, Company B had been forced to fall back when enemy artillery registered on their position and the buildings surrounding were set afire. Later, Company B moved to Wyler where, all day, the men fought off a battalion of German SS troops. Before nightfall they pulled back to another position and set up an iron-clad "keep out" "verboten to S. S. defense".
Company C meanwhile did their job to perfection fighting a spectacular battle for Hill 97.5 after three previous attempts by other units had failed to wrest it from the Germans. This Company launched an attack which carried the hill and then withstood six successive counter-assaults by heavy artillery, mortars and twice their number of infantry. When ammunition was down to five rounds per man, the defenders defiantly rejected a German proposal of surrender and, though cut off from the main body, held out until relieved five days later.
During this action, the 508 2nd Battalion had skirted the city and moved toward the Maas-Waal Canal Bridge, encountering machine guns and 20 mm cannon en route. Lt. Lloyd G. Polette, leading the point, personally destroyed one 20 mm gun and a machine gun position. Next day his platoon of 20 men stormed the bridge after a bloody fight and secured that crossing.
This same day, German troops overran the DZ and portions of the 1st and 2nd Battalion, returned to clear that area, just a few minutes before scheduled glider landings. The 2nd Battalion remained to secure the zone from further attacks.
First to Cross German Border
The 3rd Battalion, moving out after assembly on the 17th, fought a bitter action for Berg-en-Dal and its important road junction. On the 18th, Company H pushed down to Beek and struck three times in one night before tearing the enemy hold from that point. Company H was the first airborne unit to push the German frontier and hold. Company G, battled through the eastern section of Nijmegen and fought tenaciously for the Waal (Rhine) River bridge until heavy artillery and mortar bombardment which they could not combat caused their withdrawal. Company I swung out into the flats east of Beek and destroyed enemy strong points. The battalion then attacked with British tanks and pushed its lines east to include the open ground before Beek.
All battalions were relieved and pulled back to reorganize and gain a short breather. The regiment moved up again held a sector of the Division MLR which the enemy blasted with heavy guns and continually attacked but could never penetrate.
- Wars Involved:
World War II
- MIA / POW:
- Civilian Life:
Jim was born and raised on the Iron Range.
He was employed at 3M for 32 years as Marketing Manager in the Tape Division. Jim was an ardent supporter of Golden Gopher athletics and was a longtime member of Indian Hills Golf Club. He was an active member of First Lutheran Church in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Audrey (Johnson) Schedin; his children, Diane (Jim) Schimelpfenig, Bob (Sue), and Nancy (Kevin) Hogan; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alf and Edith Schedin and a brother Gerald Schedin.
James passed away peacefully following a courageous battle with heart and Alzheimer's diseases in Stillwater, Minnesota. He is buried in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in North Branch, Minnesota (Section 3, Lot 488, Grave 11)
- Tribal Affiliation(s):
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