WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL - PFC William D. Smith

 

Private First Class

William Donald Smith

William D. Smith was the youngest of the seven children of Charles and Martha (Groll) Smith. Born on October 21, 1923, in Holgate, Henry County, Ohio, the family suffered a tragedy when the mother, Martha, died at about age 36 in 1925.

William attended two years of high school at Defiance High School and then went to live in Findlay while he worked at the A & P Tea Company.

Draft card

On his draft card, he gave both a Defiance address, Latty Street, and a Findlay address. Mrs. Edna Benien, an aunt who raised him, lived on Latty Street and always knew where he would be. His sister, Imogene Smith, signed the draft card on the other side. At the time, William was 5'8" and 145 pounds.

In January 1942, William married Audrey J. McDonald and they had one daughter, LaDonna. On February 2, 1943, William enlisted in the Army, 101st Infantry, 26th Division.

After training at Camp Campbell in Kentucky and Camp Gordon in Georgia, he left for overseas on August 21, 1944.  He was part of the Ranger unit attached to the 101st Infantry - an elite group known for their intelligence, physical fitness and stamina, and their strong discipline. Often, they were sent ahead to begin offensive operations.

The group arrived in Cherboug, France, on September 7, 1944, and their offensive against a strong German Army began on November 8. It was heavy fighting against the Germans as the 101st pushed through France. On November 12, 1944, the day before PFC William Smith's death, they were up against a very tough German counterattack.

On November 13, 1944, PFC Smith met his death in the Lorraine campaign. The irony was that that same day, the Army was to get almost 800 replacement soldiers for his unit.  

His obituary appeared in the Crescent-News on November 28, 1944:

"William Smith Killed In Action

Former A & P Store Worker Gives Life in France Nov. 13

Pfc William D. Smith, 21, son of Charles Smith, route 3, Defiance, was killed in action somewhere in France on Nov. 13, according to a telegram from the War Department received Monday by his wife, Audrey in Tiffin.

He is the 46th Defiance county man to lose his life in this way.

Pfc Smith was a member of the Rangers attached to an infantry unit.

He was inducted though the Defiance county selective service board Feb. 9, 1943; was trained at camps in Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina, and was sent overseas on Aug. 21, 1944, going directly to France.

He was born in Holgate, Oct. 21, 1923, but had spent the majority of his life in Defiance. He attended St. John's Lutheran grade school and Defiance High School. He was produce clerk at the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co.'s supermarket before entering the service.

He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and memorial services will be conducted from the church at a later date.

Pfc Smith was married to Miss Audrey McDonald in January 1943, and has an infant daughter, LaDonna. Both make their home with Mrs. Smith's parents in Tiffin.

In addition to his wife, daughter and father, survivors are two brothers, Clifford Smith, Toledo, and Lavon Smith, Defiance; four sisters, Mrs. Margaret Wagner, Jewell, Mrs. Imogene Smith, Defiance, and Mrs. Martha VanAuker and Mrs. Gladys Green, Adrian, Mich. and an aunt, Mrs. Edna Benien of Defiance with whom he made his home after the death of his mother in 1925."

PFC Smith was buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint Avoid, Departement de-la Moselle, Lorraine, France.

Robert Carpenter, Researcher

World War I Series - Hollie J. Smith, KIA

 

Hollie J. Smith

Paulding, Ohio was the birthplace of Hollie J. Smith. He was enumerated on the censuses there with his parents, Charles Isaac Smith and Eva Estella Bable Smith, in 1900 and 1910. On October 9,1895, John Hollie Smith was born in Blue Creek, Paulding, Ohio, the second child and son of his parents.  Most of the time, he was referred to as Hollie, a name that distinguished him from every other John.

At 14, Hollie was not only at school, but working on an outside farm for wages.  He was joined by his older brother, James, who was 16.

Hollie joined the Ohio National Guard on July 21, 1917, when he was 21 years old. 

It wasn't long before he found himself in Newport News, Virginia, boarding the transport ship, "Pocahontas." Hollie was a member of the United States National Guard, Company G, 147th Infantry, 37th Division and he was headed to France.

Transport ship, the Pocahontas

A telegram to General Headquarters' on March 12, 1919, reported that Private First Class Hollie J. Smith was missing in action.  A comrade later reported that he was killed in action on the Verdun front in September 1918.  As in many cases, Hollie was buried on the battlefield near Cierges, Meuse, France,  He was disinterred and reburied on June 7, 1919, in the Argonne American Cemetery, and his father was notified in May of that year.

But, the family wanted Hollie home. So, he was disinterred once again and taken to Antwerp, Belgium, where he set sail for the U.S. On July 21, 1921, the body of Pvt. Hollie J. Smith arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey on the U.S.A. transport, Catigny. He was buried in the Soldiers' Circle at Riverside Cemetery in Defiance, Lot 185, Block 26, Grave 1.

"Hollie J. Smith

Hollie J. Smith was born October 9, 1895 at Paulding County, Ohio.  He died in France October 12, 1918, aged 23 years and 3 days.  He enlisted in the army in Co. G., 147th Infantry, 37th Division, July 31, 1917.  He trained at Camp Sheridan with the Defiance boys and went overseas with them.

He leaves to mourn his father, mother, six brothers, one in France and one recently discharged and four sisters and an aged grandfather, James Bable, of this city, and a host of relatives and friends to mourn his loss as he was one of the Defiance boys to give up his life.

He was the first of a family of 11 children to break the circle and a place is vacant in that sad home for him.  No flowers deck his lonely grave.  For him who nobly fell, fighting for the U.S.A., for the home he loved so well.  We know he is safe up there, where flowers always bloom, where the birds sing in the morning over the soldiers' lonely tombs."

In Memoriam

Hollie John Smith