| Rank | Cpl. |
| Service # | 36520023 |
| Unit # | U.S.A.A.F. 9th American Air Force – Thunderbolt Air Service Group. |
Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Schneider of 24 Elizabeth St., Chatham, ON. Alvin spent practically all his early years in Chatham, attending McKeough School and later Chatham Vocational School. Alvin was married and his wife resided in Detroit, Michigan. He left Chatham in 1939 and enlisted in the USAAF while in Kentucky. Cpl. Schneider serving with the Thunderbolt Air Service Group of the 9th American Air Force which had the highest maintenance record servicing P-47 fighter/bombers.
Alvin went overseas in 1943 and participated in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. In a letter home reported in the CDN 21/08/45 had been ordered to the Pacific theatre without any intervening leave. It was unclear then, with the Japanese surrender if he would be deployed to the Pacific. The Thunderbolt Air Service group in the Assembly Area Command in France has lately been processed at ‘Camp Detroit’, near Laon, France were being redeployed directly to the Pacific fighting areas.
Alvin’s air service group held the highest maintenance record in the Ninth American Air Force since landing in Normandy on 20 June, 1944. Cpl. Schneider was an aircraft woodworker with the group. This fighter group saw action on D-Day and St. Lo, France supporting Gen. George S. Paton’s 3rd Army Loire river flank. He also saw action Northern France, the Rhineland and central Europe. He had been decorated with the Bronze Star, and the E.T.O. (European Theatre of Operations and Good Conduct Ribbon.
It was unclear then, with the Japanese surrender if he would be deployed to the Pacific. In the CDN 21/08/45 article, his family were unsure if, with the surrender of the Japanese whether he would be deployed to the Pacific or not.
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