Congressional Gold Medal Honors WWII Navy Veteran

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (April 30th, 2022) - The Highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal was awarded posthumously to Viola Marie Schauf (nee Violette) for her WWII service in the U.S. Navy and Civil Air Patrol during a ceremony held in Ft. Worth on April 30th, 2022.

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) members who served during wartime are eligible to receive the award after Congress recognized CAP's contributions and volunteer service during WWII in 2014.

Mr. David F. Schauf, Viola's son, will be accepting the award on her behalf. Viola passed away in 2001, just shy of her 90th birthday.

Viola joined the CAP in 1942, only three months after the United States declared war on Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She became a Mission Observer -- a key member of an air crew who is responsible for planning and navigating air sorties with the pilot and operating radio communications during a flight.

"My Mother was always extremely patriotic", said David Schauf. "I don't know the exact trigger that made her join the CAP, but she was always willing to help a friend and try something new."

In 1944, Viola enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a WAVE. From her home in Yakima, Washington she traveled to the Bronx, NY and Midgeville , Georgia for basic training and education. She was stationed at the U.S. Naval Base in Alameda, CA as a storekeeper (SK3) managing the inventory of shipment of replacement parts needed by the Pacific Fleet. She especially remembered suppling parts for the Grumann F6F "Hellcat" fighter plane.