John P. Schuman
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

On 4 June 1942, Second Lieutenant John P. Schuman was serving as Navigator of a B-26 Marauder Bomber of the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, 22nd Bombardment Group (Medium), Far East Air Force (Detached), U.S. Army Air Forces.

On that day, 2LT Schuman’s unit was in aerial action against Japanese Navy forces near Midway Island during a torpedo-bombing mission. The mission's success relied entirely upon the skill, courage and devotion to duty of the crew members of the participating bombers. These crews willingly entered into the attack at great personal risk to their lives in the face of concentrated gunfire from Japanese Naval forces and fighter planes. During this, the first torpedo attack ever carried out by the Army Air Forces, the B-26 Marauder Bomber on which 2LT Schuman was navigator, was lost. 2LT Schuman’s courageous actions and extraordinary heroism that day earned him, at the cost of his life, the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Force Navigator Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) John P. Schuman (ASN: 0-437472), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Navigator of a B-26 Medium Bomber of the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, 22d Bombardment Group (M), FAR EAST Air Force (Detached), in aerial action against enemy surface forces on 4 June 1942, during an engagement near Midway Island. Lieutenant Schuman displayed extraordinary heroism during a torpedo-bombing mission against the Japanese Navy. The success of the mission was dependent entirely upon the skill, courageousness and unfaltering devotion to duty of the crew members of the airplanes participating, who unhesitatingly entered into the attack at great personal risk to their lives in the face of concentrated gunfire of Japanese Naval forces and fighter planes. During this, the first torpedo attack ever carried out by the Army Air Forces, the airplane on which Lieutenant Schuman was navigator, was lost. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Second Lieutenant Schuman on this occasion, at the cost of his life, have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

Headquarters, Hawaiian Department, U.S. Army, General Orders No. 117 (1942)

Memorialization

The remains of Second Lieutenant John P. Schuman have never been recovered. He is memorialized by having his name inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial in Honolulu, Honolulu County, HI.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56121752/john-p-schuman