Smitty: Everett A. Smith

Smitty in school & his mother, Anna Smith, Broad Channel, NY

The next posts will be a re-play of Smitty’s bio and letters home to his mother on Broad Channel, NY.  We have quite a number of new readers who are unfamiliar with Smitty.  I hope none of my long-time readers become bored.

Everett Smith was born Dec. 12, 1914 and grew up across from the gentle waves of Jamaica Bay on an island one mile long and barely four blocks wide.  This was the tight-knit community of Broad Channel, New York.  He resided with his mother, Anna, on peaceful East 9th Road and spent his days between school, working and helping to care for his grandmother.  Everett’s nickname had always been “Smitty” and so, the name of his fishing station came to be.  In 1939, at 24 years of age, he married a woman named Catherine and she joined the Smith household.

Smitty’s boat rental

News of Hitler and his rise to power filtered into the newspapers and radio, but the Smith’s still had the memories of WWI and their financial struggles in what would be become known as the Great Depression.  The majority of the U.S. population held the ideal of isolationism in high regard and the Smith household agreed wholeheartedly.  Everett was baffled by FDR’s election as his past political and personal records indicated both amoral and often criminal behavior.  The president began to stretch his powers to the limit to assist his friend, Winston Churchill, but U.S. citizens were straining to survive.

Grassy Point, Broad Channel, NY

On Oct. 30, 1940, Roosevelt spouted in Boston, “I give you one more assurance.  I have said it before, but I shall say it again and again and again: Your boys are not going to be sent to any foreign wars.”  My father did not believe FDR then and as we look back — he was right.

Fort Dix, NJ

Everett received his draft notice in Sept. 1942.  He would be sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey where he volunteered for the paratroopers.  He would immediately then be sent to Camp MacKall, North Carolina for the start of his vigorous training.  Smitty became part of one of the most unique army units of its day, the 11th Airborne Division, Headquarters Company, 187th regiment.

Draft card
You’re in the Army now!

##############################################################################

Military Humor – 

“I’VE BEEN TRYING TO GET MY LIFE IN ORDER FOR 15 YEARS. NOW MY DRAFT BOARD EXPECTS ME TO DO IT IN 10DAYS!”

“This one is from the army.”

##############################################################################

Farewell Salutes – 

Bud Anderson (102) – Auburn, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, P-51 Triple Ace pilot, 357th FG  /  test pilot  / Pentagon/ Vietnam, Commander 355th TAC Fighter Wing, Col. (Ret. 28 y.), DFC, Bronze Star

George E. Davies – Portland, OR; US Army Air Corps, WWII, SSgt., B-24 Asst. Engineer, 345BS/98BG/9th Air Force, KIA (Bucharest, ROM)

Respect
Courtesy of Dan Antion

Herbert Elfring (102) – Watertown, SD; US Army, WWII, PTO, Captain, Pearl Harbor survivor

Noah Huff – USA; USMC, Cpl., Marine Fighter Squadron 242, F-35B, DWS (Hiroshima, JAPAN)

Mark Long – Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk, Suffolk County, UK; RAF, Squadron Leader, Typhoon/Spitfire pilot

Bryan Myers Jr. – Cobden, IL; US Army, Korea, Pvt., CoH/2/35/25th Infantry Division, KIA (Mt. Chulmol, SK)

Marvin Price –  Missouri City, TX; US Air Force, Vietnam, Iran, P.I., aircraft maintenance (Ret. 26 y.)

John Robertson – USA; US Air Force, Captain, 80th Operation Support Squadron, pilot/instructor, Air Force Academy (class 2019), DWS (Sheppard AFB, TX)

Cierra Nglias Truce – Koror City, Palau; US Army, Pfc., supply specialist, 1/5/1/11th Airborne Division ‘Artic Angels’, DWS (Alaska)

Mose E. Vance – Bradshaw, WV; US Army, WWII, ETO, Pvt., CoF/2/180/45th Infantry Division KIA (Reipertswiller, FRA)

############################################################################################################################################################