The following Biography is reprinted from the internet:
Thomas Reed Smith was born on March 6, 1922, to Thomas and Mabelle Smith, at Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated form Eastern High School, Class of 1940, in Madison, South Dakota. After finishing high school, Mr. Smith enrolled at South Dakota State University in the fall of 1940. Thomas married Erma Ethel Kirstein, November 25, 1942, at Brookings. He was in his third year of R.O.T.C. when his class was called for duty in March 1943. His son, Thomas R. Smith, III, was born August 15, 1944, at Tacoma, Washington.
As an advanced R.O.T.C student, Thomas was known as one of the Forty-Four Kings on the Brookings college campus and was sent to Camp Walters, Texas, for basic training. He returned to South Dakota State University for one month after basic training. He was then sent to Officer Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia. While at Fort Benning, Smith did not earn a commission and was sent overseas to France as a Corporal on June 16, 1944.
Army Corporal Thomas Reed Smith was reported missing on July 19, 1944, and his death was confirmed on July 29, 1944. Smith was killed in action in Brittany. He is buried at Plot H, Row 3, Grave 29, Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He never had a chance to see his son, Thomas.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Anne Langdell, 8th Grade West, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish South Dakota, February 29, 2000. Information was provided by Thomas R. Lyons and Grace Linn, both of Brookings, South Dakota.
Thomas Reed Smith was born on March 6, 1922, to Thomas and Mabelle Smith, at Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated form Eastern High School, Class of 1940, in Madison, South Dakota. After finishing high school, Mr. Smith enrolled at South Dakota State University in the fall of 1940. Thomas married Erma Ethel Kirstein, November 25, 1942, at Brookings. He was in his third year of R.O.T.C. when his class was called for duty in March 1943. His son, Thomas R. Smith, III, was born August 15, 1944, at Tacoma, Washington.
As an advanced R.O.T.C student, Thomas was known as one of the Forty-Four Kings on the Brookings college campus and was sent to Camp Walters, Texas, for basic training. He returned to South Dakota State University for one month after basic training. He was then sent to Officer Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia. While at Fort Benning, Smith did not earn a commission and was sent overseas to France as a Corporal on June 16, 1944.
Army Corporal Thomas Reed Smith was reported missing on July 19, 1944, and his death was confirmed on July 29, 1944. Smith was killed in action in Brittany. He is buried at Plot H, Row 3, Grave 29, Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He never had a chance to see his son, Thomas.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Anne Langdell, 8th Grade West, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish South Dakota, February 29, 2000. Information was provided by Thomas R. Lyons and Grace Linn, both of Brookings, South Dakota.
The following Biography is reprinted from the internet:
Thomas Reed Smith was born on March 6, 1922, to Thomas and Mabelle Smith, at Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated form Eastern High School, Class of 1940, in Madison, South Dakota. After finishing high school, Mr. Smith enrolled at South Dakota State University in the fall of 1940. Thomas married Erma Ethel Kirstein, November 25, 1942, at Brookings. He was in his third year of R.O.T.C. when his class was called for duty in March 1943. His son, Thomas R. Smith, III, was born August 15, 1944, at Tacoma, Washington.
As an advanced R.O.T.C student, Thomas was known as one of the Forty-Four Kings on the Brookings college campus and was sent to Camp Walters, Texas, for basic training. He returned to South Dakota State University for one month after basic training. He was then sent to Officer Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia. While at Fort Benning, Smith did not earn a commission and was sent overseas to France as a Corporal on June 16, 1944.
Army Corporal Thomas Reed Smith was reported missing on July 19, 1944, and his death was confirmed on July 29, 1944. Smith was killed in action in Brittany. He is buried at Plot H, Row 3, Grave 29, Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He never had a chance to see his son, Thomas.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Anne Langdell, 8th Grade West, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish South Dakota, February 29, 2000. Information was provided by Thomas R. Lyons and Grace Linn, both of Brookings, South Dakota.
Thomas Reed Smith was born on March 6, 1922, to Thomas and Mabelle Smith, at Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated form Eastern High School, Class of 1940, in Madison, South Dakota. After finishing high school, Mr. Smith enrolled at South Dakota State University in the fall of 1940. Thomas married Erma Ethel Kirstein, November 25, 1942, at Brookings. He was in his third year of R.O.T.C. when his class was called for duty in March 1943. His son, Thomas R. Smith, III, was born August 15, 1944, at Tacoma, Washington.
As an advanced R.O.T.C student, Thomas was known as one of the Forty-Four Kings on the Brookings college campus and was sent to Camp Walters, Texas, for basic training. He returned to South Dakota State University for one month after basic training. He was then sent to Officer Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia. While at Fort Benning, Smith did not earn a commission and was sent overseas to France as a Corporal on June 16, 1944.
Army Corporal Thomas Reed Smith was reported missing on July 19, 1944, and his death was confirmed on July 29, 1944. Smith was killed in action in Brittany. He is buried at Plot H, Row 3, Grave 29, Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
He never had a chance to see his son, Thomas.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Anne Langdell, 8th Grade West, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish South Dakota, February 29, 2000. Information was provided by Thomas R. Lyons and Grace Linn, both of Brookings, South Dakota.
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Entered the service from South Dakota.
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