Florence resident and World War II veteran honored – Canon City Daily Record

World War II veteran Evan Royal Schmidt is pictured here during his visit to the World War II Memorial in Washington DC in May. (Photo courtesy of Marty Peek/Special to The Daily Record)

There’s a reason the men and women of the 1940s are considered “the greatest generation.” Drive, patriotism, and altruism are attributes associated with their generation—and Evan Schmidt, or “Royal,” embodies them all perfectly.

Schmidt, a 100-year-old Florence resident and World War II veteran, has not let the passage of time get him down, and although he takes his time sitting down and standing up, his competitive spirit recently enabled him to participate in an Honor Flight sponsored by Rocky Mountain Honor Flight in May.

Organized and led by Fremont County Service Officer Marty Peek, the Honor Flight included an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, where several monuments and landmarks awaited Schmidt.

However, it was not his first all-expenses-paid trip that did not go to Florence.

Like most able-bodied men in the early 1940s, Schmidt was drafted by the United States and joined the Army as part of its combat infantry in early 1943. He was separated from his parents, siblings and everything he knew when he was thrown into armed conflict and served in the South Pacific.

For three and a half years he served in a variety of capacities, including as a machine gunner on a Higgins assault boat and in the combat infantry, traveling from Guadalcanal to Papua New Guinea and various other locations before landing in Korea after the war.

Despite being thousands of miles away from his beloved family, he created countless memories with tenacious and patriotic men like himself. He vividly remembers scouting missions with his close friend Bobby Sanchez and how he befriended an orphaned Korean child at the end of the war. It was a tumultuous time full of humane incidents for Schmidt, something that would stay with him for decades to come.

Although his experiences during the war could fill a thick book, one of his fondest memories is seeing American soil for the first time in almost four years.

“(On the way home) the captain said, ‘Anyone who wants to see the United States should come to the bow of the ship,’ and we walked out and saw the lights of Portland, Oregon,” Schmidt said. “And, boy, everyone jumped up and we all hugged each other.”

Because they were at home.

Schmidt was only 24 years old when he returned from the war to a county and country trying to put the pieces of its collective heart back together. Florence and Eastern Fremont County had sent a significant number of men to the conflict, something Schmidt learned more and more the longer he was home.

“I asked how so-and-so was doing, and someone said, ‘Oh, he died in the war,'” Schmidt said.

Shortly after his return from the South Pacific, Schmidt met his future wife BJ at a flea market in Cañon City. Fate seems to have been a curse for the couple, as they have been married for 75 years, have four children together and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

But Schmidt never felt the need to honor those who never returned home. Not after spending nearly 20 years in the Florence School District. Not after successfully raising and nurturing new generations of Americans.

However, this opportunity ultimately came in two different forms.

During the May Honor Flight, Schmidt was one of only two World War II veterans to participate in the celebration, and his status as a member of the “Greatest Generation” immediately earned him the adoration of the masses.

A crier announced each veteran as they disembarked from the plane after landing in Baltimore, Maryland, and Schmidt held a seat of honor throughout the trip.

Accompanied by police escorts and a cheering crowd, Schmidt visited many memorials in Washington DC, including the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and Wall, and Arlington National Cemetery. But what moved Schmidt most was the World War II memorial.

“It brought back a lot of memories … of the good men I served with,” he said. “It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

After 100 years, that’s pretty significant.

During his visit, Schmidt was surrounded by crowds, bought round after round of beer by admiring restaurant patrons (although he admits he drank very little), and reveled in his celebrity status.

However, it was the attention of a four-year-old girl that really caught his attention.

“(Her father) thanked me for my service … and asked if his little daughter could take a picture with me,” Schmidt said with a wink. “She came up to me and I kissed the back of her little hand.”

The family left the place full of enthusiasm about this unique souvenir.

After returning from the Honor Flight, Schmidt was honored by the Fremont County Commissioners for his service to his country during the June 11 meeting.

“Royal, thank you so much… we appreciate you and have a special love and admiration for our World War II veterans – my grandfather also served in the Pacific War, so we really appreciate everything you did,” said Commissioner Kevin Grantham.

“We’ve all been to the banquets that raise money to be able to send veterans on these flights. It’s just great to be a part of that as well. I’m glad I played a little part in getting you there and I’m so glad you enjoyed it and I’m glad you’re here with us today,” added Commissioner Dwayne McFall.

Schmidt’s efforts to honor his fallen brothers didn’t end there, however, as he also made a special donation to the Florence City Council during its meeting on Monday.

In the summer of 2021, Schmidt, along with fellow war veteran Jack Sasser, approached the Florence Pioneer Museum to put together a memorial plaque for all the men from eastern Fremont County who had died in the war. Years and countless hours of work later, they had a completed plaque with 37 names, units and places of death for those who had fallen in Fremont County.

Schmidt gave the council a photo of the memorial plaque, expressly in memory of her sacrifice.

“It’s priceless (to have this plaque) and to have Royal as a personal friend,” said Councillor Gayle MacKinnon.

Schmidt’s efforts are far from over, as he plans to attend the June 29 military funeral of Army Air Forces Technician Fifth Grade Clifford Harley Strickland, who died in the Philippines on July 29, 1942, after being forced to participate in the Batan Death March. Although he did not know Strickland personally, he knew members of his family and also served in the Philippines – bonding them as brothers who never met in this life.

“It’s about honoring this flag,” he said Wednesday as he sat in his Florence home, pointing to the stars and stripes waving in his front yard.

The “Greatest Generation” has undoubtedly earned its name and will be remembered for personalities like Schmidt.