HEROES

Naval service runs in the Schuelke family

Anti-Submarine Warfare Operator, Senior Chief Mark Schuelke retired from the Navy in 2010 after 22 years of service as a United States Naval Aircrewman and Rescue Swimmer.

Schuelke said, "The Navy was in my blood before I was born. My grandfather, dad, and my brother each served in the Navy." His grandfather, Norbert Schuelke, was a SK2, Store Keeper Second Class; his father, Paul Schuelke, was a RM2, Radioman Second Class; and his brother, Keith Schuelke, was a WTSN, Weapons Technician.

Veteran Schuelke grew up in Lafayette, Minnesota. He graduated from New Ulm High School in June 1988 and joined the Navy on July 22, 1988, as an 18-year old. He said, "I went through a lot of training. I went to Aircrewmen training in Pensacola, Florida; technical A-School training in Millington, Tennessee; rescue swimmer training in Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California; and a few other smaller schools."

In 1989 he reported to Helicopter Squadron TEN, (HS-10), Naval Air Station North Island, California, to begin training in the HS-60F helicopter. The HS-60F "Seahawk" had several missions including Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW), Naval Special Warfare (NSW), Search and Rescue (SAR), Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP), and Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC). Schuelke would later train using night vision goggles for most of these missions.

Schuelke reported to his first seagoing command, HS-2 in December of 1990, where he would go on to make his first overseas deployment on board the aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz. "I was a pup back then and spent most of my time dressed out in my rescue swimmer gear in the back of the aircraft waiting to get a rescue that would never come," said Schuelke. This would be the first of four Western-Pacific deployments to the Persian Gulf region, serving on board aircraft carriers Nimitz (CVN-68), Constellation (CV-64), Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), and Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).

"Believe it or not, on my first deployment on board the USS Nimitz, I served with Randall Fischer from Lafayette. The second deployment, I served with my brother Keith Schuelke from Lafayette, and my last deployment on board the USS Roosevelt, I served with my cousin Danny Schmaltz from Hutchinson," he said.

This would not be uncommon for Schuelke. Even though he was all over the world, you could say the world is small as he met several other guys from the local area in various parts of the world as they were serving our country. They were Neil Portner, Scott Nachreiner, Steve Puchner, Bill Block, and Dennis Dahlen.

Schuelke's parents participated in a Tiger Cruise while he was in the Navy. The Tiger Cruise allows friends and family of

deployed Sailors and Marines to spend time aboard a sea-going vessel to experience the ship's day-to-day operations. Schuelke's family flew to Hawaii, got on the ship that Schuelke was on, and sailed with him back to San Diego.

Schuelke would spend 15 years in San Diego before moving to Jacksonville, Florida, in 2004. "It was a big change for me and my family, moving clear across the country to the east coast," he said.

In 2005, Schuelke would complete his fifth and final deployment to the Persian Gulf region with Helicopter Squadron Three (HS-3), on board the Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). He added, "During that deployment, we detached two of our helicopters to southern Iraq to work with the British special forces in support of Iraqi Freedom. We would conduct inserts and extracts of small 6-8 man teams. Sometimes we would land right in the middle of a busy highway, and other times we would land in a soccer field. They were all uncomfortable."

The Navy took Schuelke to many different parts of the world. He said, "I enjoyed the traveling and flying. I have been to places people do not get to go to. I got to shoot machine guns from the back of the helicopter, fly in complete darkness using night vision goggles over the desert and in the mountains. I have landed in places only room enough for a helicopter. I got to fly over Australia and watch kangaroos bounce across the land. It was a great experience and would not trade it for anything."

Here is a list of some of the places that Schuelke went to during his 22 years in the Navy: British Columbia in Canada, Hawaii, Philippines, Thailand, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Persian Gulf, Kuwait, Iraq, Spain, Italy, Greece, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Schuelke has earned the Air Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, four Navy Achievement Medals, and numerous campaign medals and service awards.

After retiring from the Navy, Schuelke worked at Wakefield Port from 2011-2022. In October 2022, Schuelke began working at the Chamber of Commerce in New Ulm and serves as their Business Services Manager.

Schuelke lives in Lafayette with his wife Bobbie. Together they have four adult children and four grandchildren. Schuelke is active in the American Legion at Lafayette and recently helped with the Lafayette Memorial Park dedication. And, when time allows, he enjoys hunting and fishing.