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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Marine Corps

Willard M. Smith

Corporal Willard M. Smith, Marine Corps, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 5, 1864

Corporal Willard M. Smith was a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Brooklyn. Smith was about 24 years old.

97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Smith was born in 1840 in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York. Smith died on March 26, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of about 78. He is buried at Elm Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.

Smith is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats, and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, on 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire continued to fall, Cpl. Smith fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Allegany — map
  • Died: Buffalo — map
  • Buried: New York — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1840
    Born in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York
  2. August 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Mobile Bay, Alabama
    Age about 24. U.S.S. Brooklyn
  3. March 26, 1918
    Died in Brooklyn, New York
    Age about 78.
  4. Resting place
    Elm Lawn Cemetery
    Buffalo, New York

Biography

Willard Moon Smith (1840-March 26, 1918) was a sergeant serving in the United States Marine Corps during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Mobile Bay.

From the Wikipedia article “Willard M. Smith”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on August 5, 1864

TA Thomas E. Atkinson Yeoman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JA James Avery Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 CB Charles Baker Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William Blagheen Ship's Cook · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John Brazell Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John Brown Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert Brown Captain of the Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB William H. Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WB Wilson Brown Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 JB John M. Burns Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WC William M. Carr Master-at-Arms · Navy Civil War · 1864 MC Michael Cassidy Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864

See all 98 recipients for August 5, 1864 →

Same unit

JB James Buck Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 HM Harry Lewis MacNeal Private · Marine Corps Spanish-American War · 1898

More Civil War recipients from New York

Harrison Clark Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 AR Alexander Robinson Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 MC Michael Crowley Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JC James Connors Private · Army Civil War · 1864 WH William Hinnegan Second Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1864 TB Thomas Burk Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.