Major Frederick Henry Schneider Jr.

Major Frederick H. Schneider, Jr, USMC Retired, 73, died peacefully surrounded by his family on December 3, 2023. His long and successful career in the Marine Corps and in commercial aviation took him around the world both in peace and in war.

Major Frederick Schneider, Jr, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii at Tripler Army Hospital to Admiral Frederick H. Schneider, USN and Marion S.D. Schneider. He graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in 1968 and then attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York and graduated on June 7, 1972.

Major Schneider’s dream was to fly in a military setting. He entered the United Staes Marine Corps and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and sent to Pensacola, Florida where he graduated as a Naval Aviator. As a Lieutenant, he served with distinction during the “Fall of Saigon” by flying a Marine helicopter into Saigon to bring Vietnamese civilians out of Vietnam and on to US Naval ships to save their lives. Major Schneider transitioned into KC-130’s mid-way in his career and spent his next eleven years moving Marines, and valuable cargo needed for Marine Corps units world-wide.

Upon his retirement from the Marine Corps in 1992, his second career was in commercial aviation, flying CR-J’s, for both Independence Air and Air Wisconsin. Upon retirement, Captain Schneider, continued his aviation career as an instructor for Air Wisconsin.

In February, 1982, Major Schneider married Major Merle Quigley, USMC in Northern Virginia. They spent the majority of the second half of their Marine Corps careers serving in Okinawa, Japan. Upon retirement, they remained in the Northern Virgina area working in their second careers.

Upon both their second retirements, the Schneider’s spent their time between Northern Michigan and Arlington, Virginia.

A memorial service at the Old Post Chapel on Ft. Myer will take place at a later date, immediately followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery. Please check back for more information.