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Father Aloysius Schmitt (December 4, 1909 - December 7, 1941) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, who served as a chaplain in the United States Navy during World War II.
Born in Saint Lucas, Iowa, Fr. Schmitt studied at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He then studied in Rome for the priesthood. He was ordained on December 8, 1935. Father Schmitt was assigned to parishes in Dubuque, and one in Cheyenne, Wyoming. After four years, he received permission to become a chaplain, and joined the Navy.
On December 7th, 1941, Fr. Schmitt was on board the USS Oklahoma when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. A Japanese hit caused the boat to capsize. A number of men, including Fr. Schmitt were trapped in a compartment with only a small porthole as the means of escape. Fr. Schmitt helped a number of men through this porthole. When it came his time to leave, he declined and helped more men to escape. In total, he helped 12 men to escape.
Fr. Schmitt died on board the USS Oklahoma. He was the first chaplain of any faith to have died in the Second World War.
He was honored posthumously by the U.S. government when it awarded him the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. A destroyer named USS Schmitt was commissioned in 1943 by the Navy in his honor, and served the US Navy until 1967 when it was transferred to Taiwan. The Christ the King Chapel at Loras College was dedicated in his memory, and contains some of Fr. Schmitt's property that was donated to the school.