John F. Schmelzer Papers

Collection

Identifier: M2186

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Collection contains biographical information (1945), citation (1947), correspondence and commendation (1945, 1943), military reports and correspondence (1943-1945, 1999), photographs of Camp Hale, Colo. and Kiska Island (1943), portraits (1947, 2002).

Dates

1943-2002
Majority of material found within 1943-1947

Creator

Schmelzer, John F.(John Frederick),1908-2002. (Person)
Schmelzer, John F. (John Frederick), 1908-2002 (Person)
Shuster, Pay, (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Copyright

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.

Biographical / Historical

John Frederick Schmelzer was born on September 23, 1908 in Denver, Colo. Appointed to West Point Military Academy, he graduated in 1933. Schmelzer was stationed in Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor (1941). He joined the 10th Mountain Division as Regimental Executive Officer and later, Commanding Officer of the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment during the invasion of Kiska Island. During combat operations in Italy Schmelzer was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his actions during the Appenine and Po River Campaigns (1945). He eventually attained the rank of Colonel. Schmelzer died in Falls Church, Md. on September 29, 2006.