Name/Title
Discharge CertificateScope and Content
A very early copy of Ed Schwartz's discharge certificate from the US Navy, worn and taped along fold lines.Context
"During a battle ventilation and air supply to the ship would be turned off. So it gets pretty damn hot down there. So the coolest place I could find to cool off and get a little rest was the ships service compartment. A bomb went through the compartment we were in and exploded on the armor deck below...I was knocked out before I heard the concussion of the bomb."
--Edward Schwartz recounting the Battle of the Coral Sea
Edward "Ed" Schwartz was a Machinist Mate aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-5) who enlisted just months before the start of World War II. Injured at the Battle of the Coral Sea by a bomb passing through the decks, Schwartz was evacuated from the Yorktown and transferred off the ship for medical care. Schwartz received the Purple Heart for his injuries.Collection
Ed Schwartz CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2025.29Source or Donor
Chet SchwartzAcquisition Method
DonationUpdate Date
May 27, 2025