Harold Laurence Smith (1945)

SMITH, GRAY

Posted By: Treva Patterson
Date: 3/16/2006 at 18:05:11

Des Moines Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
February 27, 1945

Cpl. Harold Smith Dies in Luxembourg

Cpl. Harold L. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith of Winterset, Ia., and nephew of Ernest R. Gray, 4200 Franklin Ave., was killed in action in Luxembourg, Feb. 12, the war department has informed his parents.

Corporal Smith, 19 years old, was in the army engineer corps. He was a graduate of Winterset High school and attended Iowa State college one semester. He entered the army in March, 1944, and went overseas in October. In 1938, young Smith was Madison county champion speller.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
February 28, 1945
Page 1

THREE MORE WINTERSET BOYS DIE IN BATTLE
HAROLD L. SMITH FATALLY WOUNDED
T/5 Harold L. Smith of the U.S. army engineers

SMITH
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith of Winterset received notice Saturday that their only son, T/5 Harold L. Smith had died in Luxembourg on Feb. 12 of wounds received in action.

Technician Smith, who was 19 years old, had spent all his brief life as a resident of Winterset. He was born here Sept. 21, 1925. He attended the public schools and graduated from the Winterset high school with the class of 1943.

In school he was an outstanding student. He was never tardy, and during his last nine years was never absent. In 1938, when in the seventh grade, he won the Madison county spelling championship. He played with the high school band for six years, winning several honors, and took part in the Glee club. In his senior year he was Valedictorian of his class.

In athletics, he played four years of high school basketball and served as life guard at the Legion pool here, winning numerous medals in swimming.

He attended the engineering school of Iowa State college at Ames for one full year prior to entering the U.S. army last March 25. He was assigned to the combat engineers, and trained in the United States until last October, when he was sent overseas. He landed in England and was there until after Christmas, moving to France about Jan. 1.

He had been promoted to the rank of technician fifth grade after arriving overseas. He was serving as electrician and alternate chemist of his battalion, and was assigned to the headquarters and service company.

He had been in action in Germany for some time, and his parents had received two letters from him, written in Luxembourg the day before he died.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
March 21, 1945
Page 1

Memorial Rites for Harold Smith Sunday

Memorial services for T/5 Harold Smith of the U.S. army, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith of Winterset, will be held in the First Methodist church here this Sunday. Smith was killed in action Feb. 12 while serving with the combat engineers in Luxembourg.

The Rev. W.A. Samp, pastor of the church, will have charge of the memorial service. Also participating will be the American Legion and Phil Newton of the U.S. navy, who has just returned from duty aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific.

The services will start at 2 p.m.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
April 25, 1945
Page 1

Purple Heart Award for Harold Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith of Winterset have received the Purple Heart medal, awarded posthumously to their son, T/5 Harold Smith for the wounds in action which resulted in his death.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith also received a letter from Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, announcing the award and offering his sympathy for their bereavement.
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Coordinator's note: Middle name taken from his gravestone.

Gravesite
 

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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