Al Schmid
Al Schmid, the Pride of the Marines has a connection to Horsham in that he worked for several years prior to WWII at Walters Farm on Lower State.Rd. He also became part of the Halata family who lived on Melody Lane further down Lower State. He is shown above at a Halata family gathering at Oak Terrace in 1943. Shown in the photo: Sophie Halata (Sue Bibus) holding Edwin Gilbert, Al Schmid "Pride of the Marines", Edwin Gilbert, Sr., Catherine Halata Grosch, Charles Grosch holding son Bud Grosch, and Jean Halata.
He worked down Lower State Road on the Walters Farm in Summers. Mom use to go Roller Skating with him ...She met him through one of her brothers with whom he was a close friend....He became like one of the family..and..continued to visit after his War time injury, which caused his blindness...Sue Gilbert
Al Schmid was a United States Marine awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism at the Battle of the Tenaru (Ilu River) during the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II. Credited with killing over 200 Japanese attackers during a night-long assault, he was blinded in action by a grenade blast and endured multiple surgeries and extended rehabilitation upon his return to the U.S.. His life story appeared in the American news magazines of the time, the book Al Schmid, Marine by Roger Butterfield, and the 1945 film Pride of the Marines, in which he was played by American actor John Garfield.