Page A12
SEPTEMBER 2015
FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS
S ec t i on A
end and remove as much stress from the process as pos-
sible. It’s our goal to exceed expectations, and become
Brooklyn’s most trusted funeral home.”
Some of the services offered by Harmony Funeral
Home include: traditional, memorial and cremation ser-
vices, casket rentals, graveside services, and much more
depending on the customer’s individual needs.
Harmony Funeral Home understands the need for
compassion, empathy and helpfulness at a family’s time
of loss. The funeral directors are available to discuss and
provide guidance on what kind of funeral or memorial
services could be most appropriate to suit a family’s needs
and to help them celebrate the life of the person who
passed away with meaning and sincerity.
Harmony Funeral Home Announces Grand Opening
in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN,NY—
Harmony Funeral Home
recently
announced their grand opening to their new facili-
ty, which offers affordable premium level funeral and
memorial services. The local community has been en-
thusiastic about the news.
“We know selecting a funeral home is difficult and
draining,” commented a spokesperson from Harmony
Funeral Home. “Our staff does everything they can to
professionally to handle all the necessary work on our
Charles Schroeter’s ashes would be interred at Miramar.
The Patriot Guard, the all volunteer organization
whose mission “is to ensure dignity and respect at me-
morial services honoring Fallen Military Heroes, First
Responders and Honorably Discharge Veterans” led
the procession of Sgt. Schroeter’s remain from Green-
wood Park to Miramar. Civil war re-enactors were pres-
ent in appropriate dress of Sgt. Schroeter’s War service.
A horse-drawn hearse carried his remains, an Army band
played.
Army Brigadier General Joseph Martin led with his
remarks. “It’s hard to imagine a more difficult time to
serve our country than when Sgt. Schroeter served. A
world where disease and the environment were just as
deadly, or more so, than the enemy due to the medical
treatment of the day and harsh living conditions.”
“On behalf of a grateful nation, may you find this new
place of rest to be the home of honor you rightly de-
serve.”
The Medal of Honor was created in 1861 and has been
awarded to over 3,400 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Ma-
rines and coast Guardsmen.
The Medal of Honor Historical Society states that 400
Medal of Honor recipients are “lost to history” as their
final resting places are unknown.
“He devoted his life to his adopted country. He suf-
fered bullet wounds and saber cuts and he was a little
guy, about 5’6’ and 135 pounds. He was tough as nails.
He deserves to be buried among his comrades in arms.”
–Bill Heard, spokesman for the Miramar National
Cemetery Support Foundation
Observations
Long Overdue
“[This country] is worth something. It’s worth dying
for, and a lot of people have done it, and these people
need to be honored, and their memory needs to be hon-
ored. And that’s what we do.”
–Bill Schurmann, Civil War re-enactor, whose group
who portrays the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment.
The Patriot Guard Riders had their motorcycles ready
to escort the remains of a Medal of Honor recipient
from
Greenwood Memorial Park
and Mortuary
to
Miramar National Cemetery
, both in San Diego, Cal-
ifornia for burial on July 9, 2015.
This was the first Medal of Honor recipient to be bur-
ied at the five year old national cemetery. The unusual
fact was that the recipient was presented his Medal of
Honor in 1869 and died in 1921.
Army Sergeant Charles Schroeter was born in King-
dom of Hanover, Germany on July 4, 1833 (or in
1837, records are in dispute). He reportedly came to
America in 1860, through New York but stayed on the
ship to New Orleans. He worked for several years as
a merchant. In 1863 the Civil War was ongoing and
Schroeter enlisted into Company A in the 1st Volun-
teer Missouri Cavalry Regiment. He mustered out in
September 1865. In August 1866, he reenlisted in the
Army in St. Louis. He was assigned to the 8th Calvary
Regiment and Company.
Cochise and Chiricahua Apaches had led an attack on
October 5, 1869, on a mailcoach causing the death of
John Finkle Stone, president of Apache Mine pass and his
four soldier escort. Hours later, a group of cowboys were
moving cattle from Texas to California. While passing
through Sulphur Springs Valley, Cochise and his Apaches
attacked, killed one man and stole the cattle.
The Calvary pursued the Apaches into an area above
Rucker’s Canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains in Ar-
izona. The mountain was steep and the weather was
rain and hail. Those conditions and the Apaches hid-
ing in the rocks above made for the battle known as
the “Campaign of the Rocky Mesa.” It was for his ac-
tions in the battle on October 20, 1869 that he was
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
He completed his first tour of duty in August 1871
and reenlisted in October 1871. He completed that
service as Sergeant with C Company in 1877. In No-
vember 1877, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.
Schroeter served with the Marines aboard the USS
Alliance, hosting former President Grant and later the
King and Queen of Greece. In 1881, he was promoted
to Corporal and was discharged in November 1881.
Ten days later he reenlisted in the Army until No-
vember 13, 1886. On November 24, at age 48, he re-
enlisted again. He was discharged as a Corporal in No-
vember 1891. Later that month he reenlisted, at the
age of 53 for the last time, he retired as Sergeant on
November 23, 1894.
His civilian life was as a co-owner of a candy and to-
bacco shop in Buffalo, New York. He sold the business
in 1918 and moved to San Diego, California.
Charles Schroeter died at age 83 on January 27, 1921
without marrying and no known relatives.
His remains were placed in the Mount Hope section
of the Greenwood Memorial Cemetery in San Diego.
He had been placed in a communal crypt along with
other unclaimed remains.
Researchers from the Medal of Honor Historical So-
ciety discovered that the ashes of Charles Schroeter
were unclaimed in an unmarked crypt. The society
sent a Medal of Honor plaque to the cemetery for
placement with his remains.
Cathy Fiorelli,
director of the Greenwood Memorial
Park realized this was not the fitting place for his re-
mains. “We realized that was not really a proper burial
befitting a Civil War soldier who was also a Medal of
Honor recipient.”
Fiorelli contacted Miramar National Cemetery and
began the paperwork. After proper approvals, Sergeant
By Steven Palmer
