Edward Donald Scheiderer was born on June 25, 1917, at Detroit, Mich., where he was graduated from Cooley High School in 1934. After farming in Marysville, Ohio, for several years, he served an enlistment in the Navy from April 1937 to November 1938. While attending Naval Academy Prep School at Norfolk, Va., during the following eight months, he won an appointment as Cadet to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn., in July 1939.
He was graduated from the Academy with a B.S. Degree and with a commission of Ensign in the U.S. Coast Guard on June 19, 1942, a few months ahead of the usual completion of four years owing to the World War II emergency.
While first stationed at Boston, Mass., he served as Duty Officer on Harbor and Shore Patrol under the Captain-of-the-Port, and then served in the Reserve Procurement Section in the First District office. From December 1942 to February 1943, he served as Watch Officer on board the Cutter Storis on the war-time Greenland Patrol. During the following few months, he was Liaison Officer and student in the LST program at Curtis Bay, Md., and at the Navy Torpedo School, Newport, R.I. From August 1943 to June 1945, he served as Executive Officer of the destroyer escort USS Hurst (DE-250) on North Atlantic convoy duty.
During the next four years he served as Instructor at the Coast Guard Academy. In July 1949, he returned to sea duty as Executive Officer in the Cutter Yocona which operated then out of Eureka, Calif. In December 1950, he was stationed at Detroit, Mich., as Group Commander, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Base, and as Captain-of-the-Port.
Assigned as a student from September 1951 to June 1953, he received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. Subsequently, he served for six years as Chief, Budget Division at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C. In April 1959, he assumed command of the Cutter Minnetonka, based at Long Beach, Cal., and serving on ocean station patrol, search and rescue, and other missions in the Pacific. In March 1961, he became Comptroller of the 12th Coast Guard District, San Francisco.
Returning to Headquarters for a second tour of duty, he served as Chief, Program Analysis Division from June 1964 to July 1968. For outstanding achievement and superior performance of duties in that post, he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal. He was cited for providing effective leadership in developing new procedures to attain the goals of the new system when the Coast Guard was going through a period of transition.
In August 1969, he was stationed in Cleveland, Ohio, as Chief, Operations Division, 9th Coast Guard District which covers Coast Guard activities in the Great Lakes region.
By nomination of the President on January 25, 1970, and approval of the Senate the then CAPT Scheiderer was appointed two-star flag officer to rank as permanent Rear Admiral from July 1, 1970. With that appointment he returned to Headquarters for a third time, but now as the Comptroller of the U.S. Coast Guard effective in late July 1970. For that duty he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (in July 1973).
In June 1973, Rear Admiral Scheiderer was designated Chief of Staff of the U.S. Coast Guard.
In addition to the Legion of Merit Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal, RADM Scheiderer has the following World War II campaign service medals and ribbons: American Area; American Defense (with sea clasps); European-African-Middle Eastern Area; World War II Victory. He also has the Coast Guard Expert Rifleman’s Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.
Following is a resume of RADM Scheiderer’s promotions through the various officer billets with dates of rank: Ensign, June 19, 1942; Lieutenant (jg), May 25, 1943; Lieutenant, September 27, 1944; Lieut. Commander, August 6, 1951; Commander, July 1, 1957; Captain, July 1, 1964; Rear Admiral, July 1, 1970.
RADM Scheiderer’s wife is the former Jane R. of Revere, Mass. They have one son, Edward L. and one daughter, Donna Jane.