Elgin veteran who fought at Iwo Jima dies

Gordon Schnulle, an Elgin resident who fought in the famous battle of Iwo Jima in World War II, was as much a hero as he was an entertainer, those who knew him said.

Schnulle, 88, died Monday after battling pancreatic cancer, said his daughter-in-law, Vicki Lang of Algonquin.

Schnulle and his wife, Dorothy, grew up in Elgin and would have celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary May 8, Lang said.

The couple had four children: Jerry Lang, Keith Schnulle, Kevin Schnulle and the late Ronald Lang.

A fun and outgoing man, Gordon Schnulle worked for 30 years as an engineer at Elgin Corrugated Box Co., a job he really liked, she said.

He was passionate about woodworking and had a knack for recording social events.

"If they had a celebration at the American Legion or the VFW, he would take pictures and print them out," Lang said. "He kept some, and he gave some to different individuals."

At home, Gordon Schnulle never talked about the war, Lang said.

He did, however, when he participated in the national oral history project StoryCorps in 2010.

In the recording, Gordon Schnulle recalled persuading his parents to lie and say he was 17, and not 16, so he could enlist after Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan in 1941.

The service "taught me to be truthful and honest, and to respect other people and what they're saying," he said.

Iwo Jima - where the battle lasted 36 days instead of the expected five - was a place he'd never forget, he said.

He recalled the loose black lava sand, the smell of sulfur, the constant shelling and bombing.

"People just can't imagine what it was really like," he said.

A few years ago, Gordon Schnulle was honored by the Kane County sheriff's office during a Veterans Day ceremony, said Cherie Aschenbrenner, community outreach specialist and elderly services officer for the Elgin Police Department.

As respected as he was for his service, he was also extremely well-liked, she said.

"He was always in a good mood. He was a jokester, always telling jokes," Aschenbrenner said.

"He was just a great guy and a hero. We all just respected him. We're going to miss him because he was a lot of fun."

Minnie Vasquez, activity director at Senior Services Associates in Elgin, said Schnulle never failed to dress up for special occasions like Mardi Gras, Halloween and Christmas.

"We have Wacky Wednesday, and his pants would be half long, half short. He would wear curly wigs. It was so cute," she said.

Schnulle was always a lot of fun to be around, Elgin Councilwoman Tish Powell said.

"It will be a loss to the community," she said. "He was actively involved in Elgin and well-respected for his military service as well as his contribution to the Elgin community."

Funeral arrangements are pending, the family said.