U.S. Army Air Force World War II veteran Edwin Smith received his military service medals nearly 78 years after he completed his service to our county.
In a small ceremony at Mr. Smith’s home in Glasgow, Kentucky, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) presented Mr. Smith with the American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the World War II Honorable Discharge “Ruptured Duck” Lapel Pin. These medals were authorized by Congress after the war concluded and had never been issued to Mr. Smith.
He was also given the Army Air Force patches that would have been worn on his uniform. Additionally, his uniform would have included a metal wing pin and rank insignia.
Mr. Smith achieved the rank of second lieutenant and credits the military with teaching him everything he knows about airplanes. “Prior to joining the service in 1941, I had never been on a plane, but I loved it instantly,” he told The Epoch Times. “I learned everything I could about planes and military operations.”
His story, like many others from the Greatest Generation, is one of miraculous intervention, as he was one of two survivors of a fiery crash of two B-29 super fortress bombers in Weatherford, Texas, on Aug. 14, 1945. Eighteen servicemen perished in the crash.
Mr. Smith spent 36 days in a military hospital and eventually returned to his barracks, only to find that his personal belongings, which included his uniforms and rank insignia, were gone. What happened to his personal belongings is unknown. “I guess they thought we had all died and they emptied everything out,” he said.
He was discharged a few days later, and he traveled home in a plain khaki uniform with no rank or insignia as a silent hero, unmarked and undecorated.
Mr. Guthrie’s office submitted a request to the National Personnel Records Center in Washington, D.C., for Mr. Smith’s military service records at the request of this author, who coordinated with the family.
“Thankfully, his file survived the fire in 1973 which destroyed 16–18 million official military personnel files at the records center,” Mr. Guthrie said.
Mr. Smith said he was grateful to have his medals. “I’m going to save them for when I’m a little older,” he said. “I’m just so appreciative to have them after all these years. This is just so very, very nice.”
Second Lieutenant Edwin Smith, at 100 years young, is finally a decorated American hero.
