Paul Ray Smith
Paul Ray Smith | |
---|---|
Sergeant First Class | |
Unit | 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division |
Battles/wars | Gulf War Bosnian War Kosovo War Iraq War |
Awards | Medal of Honor Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart |
Paul Ray Smith (September 24, 1969 – April 4, 2003) was a
Early life and education
Smith was born on September 24, 1969, in
Military career
Smith attended
As part of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he was assigned to B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division.
Medal of Honor action
Smith's company was supporting the 2nd Battalion,
Meanwhile, some Iraqi soldiers had taken position in the tower overlooking the courtyard, just over the west wall. The Iraqis now had the Americans in the courtyard under an intense crossfire. Smith took command of the M113 and ordered a driver to position it so that he could attack both the tower and the trenches. He manned the M113's
Before deploying to Iraq, Smith had written to his parents, saying "There are two ways to come home, stepping off the plane and being carried off the plane. It doesn't matter how I come home, because I am prepared to give all that I am to ensure that all my boys make it home."[5] Smith was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Gulf of Mexico, where he loved to fish.
He has a memorial marker in
At the time of his death Smith had served in the United States Army for thirteen years, and for his actions during the battle, he posthumously received the Medal of Honor. On April 4, 2005, exactly two years after he was killed, his eleven-year-old son David received the Medal of Honor on behalf of his father from President George W. Bush, along with a Medal of Honor flag.
Personal life
Smith was survived by his wife Birgit, son David and stepdaughter Jessica.[7]
Awards and decorations
Right breast | Left breast | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valorous Unit Award | Superior Unit Award | Combat Action Badge | |||||
Medal of Honor | Bronze Star
|
Purple Heart | |||||
Army Commendation Medal (5 awards)
with 4 bronze Oak leaf clusters |
Army Achievement Medal (6 awards)
with 1 silver Oak leaf cluster |
Army Good Conduct Medal (5 awards)
with 4 bronze Good conduct loops | |||||
National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | campaign stars
| |||||
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | |||||
award numeral 2
|
Army Service Ribbon | award numeral 3
| |||||
NATO Medal for ex-Yugoslavia |
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) |
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | |||||
Sapper Tab
|
Marksmanship Badge with rifle component bar |
- SFC Smith also earned the German Marksmanship Badge and French Armed Forces Commando Badge.
Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on April 4, 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60 mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith's extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division 'Rock of the Marne,' and the United States Army.[8]
Other honors
- In 2006, he was posthumously awarded the Chief of Engineers.[9]
- The Counter Explosive Hazards Center school house in Fort Leonard Wood, MO is named in Smith's honor.
- The U.S. Post Office in Holiday, Florida, and the United States Army Simulation and Training Technology Center in Orlando, Florida, have been named in his honor.[10][11]
- New middle schools were named in honor in Holiday, Florida, on August 25, 2006, as well as one in Tampa, Florida Sgt. Paul R. Smith Middle School on August 18, 2008, and in his hometown of Tampa, Florida, on April 27, 2009.[12]
- Smith is also honored in the America's Army Game with information about him and a simulation of his battle.[13]
- Birgit Smith, Smith's widow, sponsored the Freedom class littoral combat ship, and her initials are welded on the ship's keel.[7] The couple's Saint Christopher medal and wedding bands are also embedded in the ship's mast.[14]
- New fitness centers at Fort Benning and Fort Stewart, Georgia, as well as one in Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq are named in his honor.[15]
- The education center at Fort Stewart is named in his honor.
- Smith's last battle is mentioned in the non-fiction book Weapons. Key Weapons & Weapon Systems from 1860 to the Present.[16]
See also
References
- ^ Video: George W Bush 20050404_5_. George W. Bush Presidential Speech Archive. April 4, 2005. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith, Medal of Honor". United States Army. August 25, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-451-22334-0.
- ISBN 978-0-7653-5703-8.
- ^ "No Greater Honor – The Atlantic (June 2, 2008)". The Atlantic. June 2, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
- ^ "Smith, Paul Ray". ANC Explorer. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
- ^ "Medal of Honor – Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith". Retrieved July 18, 2009.
- ^ "The United States Army Engineer Regiment presents the de Fleury Medal" (PDF). Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Public Law 108-292". Retrieved July 18, 2009. – to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4737 Mile Stretch Drive in Holiday, Florida, as the "Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith Post Office Building"
- ^ "SFC Paul Ray Smith Simulation & Technology Training Center". Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
- ^ Spc. Chris Erickson (August 30, 2006). "Florida School Named for OIF Medal of Honor recipient". DefenseLink. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved August 31, 2006.
- ^ "CALL TO DUTY". army.mil. The American Soldier: US Army. Archived from the original on September 12, 2006. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- ^ Jones, Meg (November 5, 2008). "Navy's Vessel of Versatility". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ^ "SFC Paul R. Smith Fitness Center". Fort Benning Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Archived from the original on March 12, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
- ^ "M2 Browning .50-cal (1933)". Chris McNab and Michael Spilling (eds.): Weapons. Key Weapons & Weapon Systems from 1860 to the Present, pg. 424. Amber Books Ltd., London, United Kingdom (2019).
External links
- "Paul Ray Smith". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
- "OpinionJournal Federation - WSJ.com". Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- "Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith, Medal of Honor". United States Army. March 28, 2005. Retrieved April 4, 2005.
- Leary, Alex (January 25, 2004). "The Last Full Measure of Devotion". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved November 10, 2004.
- Leary, Alex Leary (February 2, 2005). "Iraq hero joins hallowed group". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved March 9, 2005.
- Myers, Steven Lee (September 23, 2003). "Medals for His Valor, Ashes for His Wife". The New York Times. Retrieved April 2, 2005. (requires subscription).