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John Douglas Smith

Marine Corps Reserve | Service Number 975996
Born

January 30, 1920
in Montgomery, AL

Parents

Charles Gray Smith
Lillie Belle (Gray) Smith

School

Lanier High School

Pre-War Employment

Hostler
Montgomery Gravel Company

Entered Service

June 3, 1944
at Birmingham, AL

Joined First Battalion

November 22, 1944
from 17th Replacement Draft

Left First Battalion

March 3, 1945
Wounded and evacuated from Iwo Jima

Left Service

March 3, 1945
Died of wounds

Home Address and Next of Kin

Route 5, Montgomery, AL – address of wife, Mrs. Effie Nell (Hurley) Smith, and two children (Anita and John Douglas Junior)

Service & Campaigns
Before joining battalion

Boot camp at MCRD Parris Island with Seventh Recruit Battalion. Outposted to TC Camp Lejeune for infantry training; assigned to 17th Replacement Draft for transit to Pacific theater.

Joined Charlie Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines at Camp Maui, Hawaii, 22 November 1944.

Iwo Jima

Outfit: C/1/24th Marines
Rank: Private
MOS: 746 (Automatic Rifleman)
Important Events: 
March 3, 1945 – wounded in action (gunshot, head); evacuated to USS Bolivar for treatment. Died of wounds and buried at sea same date, at 24°44.3’N 141°21.2’E.

Campaign Narrative

Individual Decorations

Medal
Purple Heart

Campaign
Iwo Jima (March 3, 1945)

Citation

John is memorialized on the Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Gallery

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