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.
_______________________

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.
_______________________

The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
March 21, 1945
Page 1

Three More Madison Boys Die in Battles. Two in Europe. One in Pacific.

Harold Smith Listed

Technician fifth grade Harold L. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith of this city, died February 12 in Luxembourg from wounds received in action. He had been overseas since last October and was with the Headquarters and Service company of the 1255th Engineers Combat Battalion.

Harold Smith was born in Winterset September 21, 1925. He united with the Methodist church as a child.

He was a popular student at school and had an outstanding record. He was never tardy and did not miss a day of school during the last nine years of his school life. Several honors were given him during his six years with the high school band and he also was a member of the high school glee club. He played basketball all four years in high school and graduated as valedictorian of his class in 1943.

He was an expert swimmer and had won many medals in that sport and had served at the American Legion pool here a a lifeguard. He had completed his first year at Iowa State College of Engineering on March 18, 1944 and entered the service on March 25, 1944.

His training was received at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. He later spent three months in the New York Electrical Trade School in New York City. He was electrician and alternate chemist of his battalion.
_______________________

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
March 1, 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.
_______________________

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
March 28, 1945
Page 10

Card of Thanks
We wish to express our sincere appreciation to all our friends and neighbors for their expressions of sympathy and the many acts of kindness at the death of our beloved son, T/5 Harold L. Smith.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Smith
His Grandmother, Mrs. Louise Gray and Family
Ryman Smith and Family
Miss Nellie Smith

_______________________

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
March 29, 1945
Page 1

Memorial Services

Memorial services for T/5 Harold L. Smith of the U.S. Third Army, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Smith of Winterset were held in the Methodist church Sunday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. S.A. Samp in charge. Others who had part in the services were the American Legion, Howard Faust of the U.S. Army and Phil Newton of the Navy.

Mrs. Pearl Newerf at the organ, played several selections and a double quartette from the high school composed of Hubert Burford, Bill Mills, Donald Howell, Done Lane, Betty Johnson, June Miner, Beverly Lehman and Marjory Wight, accompanied by Lucien Stark and directed by Mrs. Rateliff, sang "Some Time We will Understand."

Those from a distance who attended the services were: Mrs. Ryman Smith and daughter Frances of Ames; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Herzog of Melbourne; Mr. and Mrs. Ernest R. Gray, Miss Nellie Smith, Mrs. L.E. Hoffman and Mrs. M.M. Moore of Des Moines, Virgil Smith of Van Meter an Mis Ruth Gray of Marshalltown.
_______________________

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.
_______________________

Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, January 25, 1945

Smith in France

T/5 Harold Smith is now in France, according to a letter received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith. He is doing construction work there. He also stated in his letter that he had been in Cherbough but is now living in what was formerly a French hospital.
_______________________

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, February 14, 1945
Page 7

Army-Navy News

T/5 Harold Smith who is now with an army engineer battalion in France, stayed at the American Red Cross Interstate club when he paid a visit to London, before Leaving England, according to a Red Cross release received her last week. While in London he took a taxi tour of the city. the sone of Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Smith of Winterset, he now serves a battalion electrician.

________________________

Coordinator's note: Middle name taken from his gravestone.

Gravesite
 

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen