SSG Claude F. Smith

SSG Claude F. Smith was born as "Claude Bittle Smith" on 31 May 1921 along with his twin-brother, Carol Otho Arthur Smith, in Augusta County, Virginia. They were the 4th and 5th of the 8 children of Dorsey Rudolph and Lucinda Ann (Craun) Smith. He apparently quit using the Bittle middle name sometime after 1930. In 1930 his father was working for the state and the family lived at 39 Bagby Street in the county seat, Staunton, Virginia. By 1935 the family had moved to 1221 Jackson Street and his father was now working for the city of Staunton as was Claude. The father and son earned a 1939 reported income of $580 and $570 respectively.

Claude enlisted in L Company 116th Infantry, the Staunton National Guard unit. He was called to Federal service with his unit in February 1941 and the unit was sent with the rest of the regiment to Fort George Meade, Maryland for inprocessing, reorganization and training. He was with the unit through the training in the Carolina maneuvers and at Camp Blanding, Florida before the regiment was sent to England in September 1942. Once in England he continued the intense training for the regiment in preparation for the amphibious assault on the French beaches of Normandy as a part of the fight to liberate Nazi occupied France. SSG Smith survived that assault and continued to fight with his unit until killed in action near Grand Camp Maisey on 8 Jun 1944. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his actions on that day. Unfortunately we do not have the details at this time.

SSG Smith was repatriated and re-interred in the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery in Mount Sidney, Virginia.

Claude's 1st cousin, Woodrow Wilson Ashby, also served in L Company 116th Infantry and after the war became a full-time technician in the same unit in the National Guard for many years before retiring as a SGM.