Fountain View Village resident Joe Schneider has the distinct honor of having served in two wars, World War II and Korea.

He also shares recognition with other veterans interviewed by members of the high school club, Veterans Heritage Project, for telling their wartime stories.

During the April 22 volunteer recognition luncheon at Fountain View Village, Riley Gant, who interviewed Schneider, presented him a copy of the volume containing his wartime accounts.

The 92-year-old Schneider tried to register to the World War II draft but a spot was found on his lungs. It was believed to be tuberculosis.

Determined to join his friends entering the service, he joined the Merchant Marines in 1944 and became a ship purser. His duties were to care for the crew because no doctors were present.

His ship went to England, France, Germany, Denmark, Belgium and Cuba.

He returned to the U.S. in 1946. He was drafted for the Korean War in 1950. It was determined that the spot on his lung was not TB, but scar tissue from pneumonia

He was sent to Korea in January 1953, serving only until July of that year when the truce was signed. He was discharged in January 1954.

His professional career was in credit finance, eventually becoming the vice president of finance for a finance company. Schneider retired in 1991 and moved to Scottsdale with his wife. She passed away in 2006. He moved to Fountain Hills in 2012.