Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Lieutenant Colonel Fred E. Smith was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on September 29, 1918 near Binarville, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with 308th Infantry, 77th Division. Smith was 45 years old.
Smith was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. 10 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 9, 1919. Chaumont, France, presented by Gen. John J. Pershing.
Smith was born on March 29, 1873 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. His Medal of Honor is credited to Bartlett, Ramsey County, North Dakota. He is buried at Meuse-Argonne Cemetery in Romagne Meuse, France.
Smith is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 19 credited to North Dakota.
Official Medal of Honor citation
When communication from the forward regimental post of command to the battalion leading the advance had been interrupted temporarily by the infiltration of small parties of the enemy armed with machine guns, Lt. Col. Smith personally led a party of two other officers and 10 soldiers, and went forward to reestablish runner posts and carry ammunition to the front line. The guide became confused and the party strayed to the left flank beyond the outposts of supporting troops, suddenly coming under fire from a group of enemy machine guns only 50 yards away. Shouting to the other members of his party to take cover, this officer, in disregard of his danger, drew his pistol and opened fire on the German gun crew. About this time he fell, severely wounded in the side, but regaining his footing, he continued to fire on the enemy until most of the men in his party were out of danger. Refusing first-aid treatment, he then made his way in plain view of the enemy to a hand grenade dump and returned under continued heavy machine-gun fire for the purpose of making another attack on enemy emplacements. As he was attempting to ascertain the exact location of the nearest nest, he again fell, mortally wounded.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (September 29, 1918).
- Age at death: 45
- Resting place: Meuse-Argonne Cemetery
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I, Spanish–American War.
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Timeline
- March 29, 1873Born in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
- September 29, 1918Act of valor — near Binarville, FranceAge 45. 308th Infantry, 77th Division Killed in action.
- February 9, 1919Medal of Honor presented posthumouslyChaumont, France, presented by Gen. John J. Pershing
- Resting placeMeuse-Argonne CemeteryRomagne Meuse
Biography
Fred Eliphaz Smith (March 29, 1873 – September 29, 1918) was a United States Army officer and a posthumous recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. He was born in Rockford, Illinois, and graduated from the University of North Dakota in the spring of 1894. He first joined the national guard in 1898, later transferring to the regular army in 1899. He was promoted to major due a lack of capable officers when the US joined World War I. On September 29, 1918, near Binarville, France, Smith showed conspicuous leadership until being mortally wounded. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor four years later, on November 25, 1922.
From the Wikipedia article “Fred E. Smith”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
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