Medal of Honor Day Ceremony - Albert E Schwab

The public is invited to join the Marine Corps League on National Medal of Honor Day Tuesday 25 March 2025 to celebrate Tulsa's-own Medal of Honor recipient and United States Marine Albert E. Schwab.

The celebration will take place at PFC Albert E. Schwab Hall (airport terminal main entrance upper level). Activities include a reading of Schwab's Medal of Honor Citation signed by President Harry S. Truman, a solemn wreath-laying at the Schwab statute, military Color Guard, rifle salute, and the playing of Taps.

The Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military honor, was posthumously awarded to US Marine Private First Class Albert Earnest Schwab for his heroic actions during the Battle of Okinawa during World War II. On 07 May 1945 PFC Schwab, despite being severely wounded, singlehandedly destroyed two highly strategic Japanese machine gun positions during a critical stage of the Battle of Okinawa allowing his pinned down unit to advance.

Schwab's Medal of Honor was presented to his then 3-year old son at Boulder Park in Tulsa on Memorial Day 1946 and his body was returned to the United States and buried with full military honors at Memorial Park in Tulsa on 27 Feb 1949.

A Marine camp constructed on Okinawa was named Camp Schwab on 03 Oct 1959 in honor of the heroic Marine.

Schwab graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1938. He was inducted into the Marine Corps on 12 May 1944 and then attended Marine boot camp training at Camp Pendleton. After boot camp he joined the 1st Marine Division and was assigned to Headquarters Company 1st Battalion 5th Marines.

The Color Guard and rifle salute will be provided by the Sapulpa High School Marine Corps JROTC.

Ceremony attendees can park in short-term parking on the top level of the airport parking garage. Coupons will be available at the event to allow for parking at no charge.

"The country that forgets its heroes is soon forgotten."

Interested in the Marine Corps League? Visit https://mcl857.org

Host or Publisher Marine Corps League Albert E Schwab Detachment 857