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| Sgt. Loyd Earl Smith and his brother Cpl. Garland Smith served in the same Company B in the 142nd Infantry Regiment. Abilene Reporter-News, 19 Jan 1944 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56936694/loyd-earl-smith https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56936596/garland-coleman-smith |
Loyd Earl Smith never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on September 6, 1919 in Texas. His parents Simon and Violet were also both born in Texas. His father worked as a tenant farmer and later as a mail carrier. He died of heart disease in 1939. Earl had one older brother named Garland, five younger sisters, and two younger brothers. By 1940 Earl had completed a grammar school level of education. He was living with his family and worked as a truck driver. Earl and Garland both served in the Texas National Guard before the war.
In November 1940 their unit was called up and the brothers served in Company B, 1st Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. Garland became a corporal and Earl became a sergeant. The 36th Infantry Division arrived in French North Africa in April 1943. It spearheaded the landing at Salerno, Italy on September 9, 1943.
Earl was mortally wounded on September 13, 1943 while the Germans were making a fierce counterattack. His brother Garland was with him when he was wounded. Earl died that day.
Garland was with his unit for three more months until he was killed at the Battle of San Pietro on December 16, 1944. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for saving the life of a fellow soldier. I was not able to find the citation. He left behind a wife and a son and daughter. His widow remarried and died in 2008. His children passed on in 2016 and 2017.
Earl and Garland's graves are side by side at Coleman City Cemetery in Coleman, Texas.
Last year on this date I profiled UC-64 Norseman officer Etienne Labat. You can read about Etienne here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
These two handsome, brave, mischievous, amazing men were my uncles......my Dads brothers. My Dad was devastated by their loss.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother was, by far, the strongest woman I know. She buried two baby boys before their second birthday then she lost her husband at the age of 42. (She took out a loan of $10.00 from the bank to bury my Grandfather and paid it back ten cents .10 at a time. She used their milk cow as collateral. ��) She never remarried.
After those deaths she then lost her two grown sons in the war. I just can’t wrap my head around such loss and tragedy. I understand it was a time in history where almost everyone suffered loss and pain but it seemed somehow at arms length until you image YOUR family going through such horrible situations.
I am so proud to say that I am my father’s mothers namesake. To be named after someone so incredibly strong is an honor. She was Violet Audrey Graham Smith. I am Audrey Dawn Smith Nall.
I am patriotic for a reason. My brave uncles did NOT die in vain. They died for OUR freedom. ������������
Thanks for your added comments. They add a lot to this profile and I agree 100% with what you shared.
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