O.C. Ship Victim: ‘Not a Waste; He Did Us Proud’

Geoffrey Scott Schelin was a young man without a purpose when he graduated from Estancia High School in Costa Mesa in 1986, someone who spent too many hours at the beach because he had few ideas of what to do with his life, according to his family.

In January, 1987, he joined the Navy, and it was a decision that transformed him, according to his parents, Dale and Darleen Schelin.

“He grew light years as far as maturity,” said his mother from the couple’s apartment in El Toro. “It just seemed that as he learned discipline from the Navy, and became stronger in the things that he was determined to do, our friendship really developed.”

Darleen Schelin talked to her son on the telephone a week ago Thursday, as they tried to work out plans for his visit home in 2 weeks. But instead of driving home from Norfolk, where he was stationed, as he had planned, Geoffrey Schelin will be coming home in a flag-draped coffin.

Schelin, a petty officer 3rd class on the battleship Iowa, was one of 47 sailors killed Wednesday when an explosion tore through a gun turret aboard the vessel during exercises in the Atlantic Ocean off Puerto Rico. His family said his job was to supervise the loading of gunpowder on the gun deck.

Geoffrey Schelin’s parents, seven of his brothers and sisters, their spouses and many of his 21 nieces and nephews gathered at the parents’ apartment Thursday to share the grief. Only a sister in Utah who is about to give birth could not be with them, they said.

“We’ve been very supportive of each other,” Darleen Schelin said. “When one of us was really down today, we’ve had a lot of giving and thoughts of love and support, stories about Jeff, and ‘remember when. . . . ‘ “

But there was no anger about the disaster that took their youngest son.

“Jeff chose to be in the Navy; he chose his assignment,” said David Schelin, 37, the oldest of the siblings.

“He was given a choice of assignments, and he chose to be on the Iowa,” he said. “He wanted to be on a battleship and he wanted to be in a turret. He wanted to be where the best were.”

Schelin’s family, who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, say they were thrilled at the way the youngest child seemed to be flourishing in the military.

In January, he was promoted to petty officer 3rd class. A few weeks ago, he sent his parents a copy of a letter of commendation he had received from his superiors saying that his work on the aircraft carrier Coral Sea during its Mediterranean deployment ending March, 1988, “established a standard of excellence.”

Schelin’s parents heard about the explosion Wednesday morning from a friend who had heard a news report. Hours of anguish were to follow. About 5 a.m. Thursday, they said, four naval officers knocked on their door and said their son “was missing and presumed dead.”

A few hours later, they returned to say that their son was definitely among the dead. Pieces of Geoffrey’s clothing and a badge with his name were found in the aftermath of the explosion.

“It’s just all such a waste,” his mother said, bursting into tears Thursday evening.

“It’s not a waste,” another son, Daryl, 36, said, consoling her. “He did us proud. He did you proud.”

Geoffrey Schelin joined the crew of the battleship Iowa in January, just after his promotion, David Schelin said. He told his family that his superiors told the crew that there were too many petty officers on the Coral Sea and asked for volunteers to transfer.

“He was offered the option of 3 or 4 assignments, including the Iowa, and he took that immediately.”

Geoffrey had many friends in high school, David Schelin said. He also had a girlfriend in Pennsylvania, whom the family has never met.

“Her father called when he heard to confirm with us that Jeff was among the dead, and then he drove to her school to tell her, because he didn’t want her to learn from the media,” David Schelin said. “Then she called us. Obviously, she was very consoling but distraught.”

The television set has been on almost continually at the Schelin home since the family heard of the tragedy.

“When they show the caskets . . . it makes it more difficult,” David Schelin said. “But we know he was doing a service for himself and for his country and for us.”

The Navy has offered to fly the parents to Norfolk, Va., for Monday afternoon memorial services.

“When they return, we’re planning a service here,” David Schelin said. “We had the option of having him buried at one of the national cemeteries. But we think he would want to be buried here at home.

“My brother spent a lot of his young life on the beach, but he played football and baseball too,” he continued. “He had a lot of friends in high school, was very active with friends. He did a lot of beach things that young men do around here.”

David said his brother probably will be interred at Pacific View Memorial Park in Newport Beach. But the family does not know when they can bring Geoffrey Schelin home.