In 1911, Schlossbach entered the
United States Naval Academy in
Annapolis, Maryland. As a midshipman he won letters in
football and
wrestling. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1915 and volunteered to go to the first
submarine school. During
World War I, he commanded submarines in the
Mediterranean. In 1921, after the end of the war, Schlossbach joined the aviation branch of the
United States Navy. He was first to be sent to lighter-than-air flying school (
dirigibles). In 1922, he learned to fly fixed-wing aircraft. By 1925, then
Lieutenant Commander Schlossbach was leading an aero squadron. He first commanded the squadron that flew the record South American flight, and then the first squadron to serve on the first
aircraft carrier, . Schlossbach had trouble with his left eye, and the Navy assigned him to the Naval Academy, teaching engineering and aviation and coaching the football team. In 1930 at the age of 38, Lieutenant Commander Schlossbach was forced to retire from the Navy on a medical discharge when he lost his eye. Just before U.S. entry into
World War II, Schlossbach headed a small radio/meteorological team that founded the airport at
Fort Chimo (Crystal I) in Labrador on 10 October 1941. Out of retirement, he further distinguished himself while assigned to
Guadalcanal. ==Arctic and Antarctic exploration==