Weber County's Greatest Generation
Weber County's Greatest Generation
From Utah Beach to Eternal Rest: The Story of Private James Howard Smith
We follow 19-year-old Private James Howard Smith from Liberty, Utah to the second wave landing on Utah Beach during the D-Day invasion. Born in Arkansas but settled in Utah by 1934, Smith registered for the draft the day after turning 18 and was in uniform just months later. His brief but valiant service with the 90th Infantry Division's 357th Regiment ended on June 19, 1944, amid the brutal hedgerow fighting that characterized the Normandy campaign. The regiment's own journal described it as "one of the worst baptisms of fire ever undergone by an American infantry unit." Smith's remains wouldn't return home until April 1949, nearly five years after his sacrifice, when he received final military honors at Ogden City Cemetery. His story represents thousands of similar narratives that would be lost without deliberate preservation.
Discover these powerful stories yourself at webercountysgreatestgeneration.com where you'll find books, podcasts, and blog posts dedicated to ensuring Weber County's wartime contributions are never forgotten. Join us next week as we cross the globe to the Pacific Theater to honor Marine PFC Neil F. Dudman, who fell during the Battle of Saipan.
Hi, this is Kim, back with another edition of Weber County's Greatest Generation. I just wanted to tell you a little bit about how this all got started. My paternal grandparents, whiff and Mameskeen, sent three sons to war. Uncle Jim served in the Army in Europe, and my dad, don, and my uncle Clyde served in the Navy in the Pacific. In 2014,.
Speaker 1:I figured that I could probably find out something about their careers by researching old newspapers, so I went into newspaperscom and started looking, and I was amazed at all of the information that is available online. There were stories about the boys who are serving and also just about Weber County in general. I decided I wanted to know how many Weber County boys served, and so I decided that I would start counting. So, starting in December of 1941, I went through every newspaper, finding boys who either enlisted or who were drafted into the service. When I started, I figured that there would be maybe 2,000 or 3,000. But by the time I got to 5,000, I decided that I wanted to do something more than just take their names. I decided that their stories need to be saved, and so Weber County's Greatest Generation was born to be saved. And so Weber County's Greatest Generation was born. I started with December of 1941, on December 6th, thinking that I could document everything that was happening in Weber County and also the names. But it wasn't very long before I realized that there was just not one book that was going to be able to do that and that there would have to be one volume for every year of the war. So I completed volumes one and two 1942 and 1943, and I self-published them. I'm working on 1944. I was hoping that it would be done, but it's taken a little bit longer than I had hoped it would, but it should soon be available. I took some time off to go back to school and get my bachelor's in communications, but I'm back and so hopefully we're going to move forward. If you're interested in any of my books, they're available on my website, wwwwebercountysgreatestgenerationcom, and they are there with my podcasts and some blogs from about a year ago. So for today we're going to go back to France in June of 1944 and the Normandy invasion. So far we've lost Staff Sergeant Yarrington, a paratrooper who was trained to liberate St Mary Glees, private First Class Lund, who was in a tank battalion leading the way on Omaha Beach, and today we're going to talk about private James Howard Smith, 19 years old, who was in the second wave on Utah Beach.
Speaker 1:James Howard Smith was born on March 16, 1925 in Bassa, arkansas, to William B and Robbie Beaver Smith. He was the second of eight children, five boys and three girls. In the 1930 census the family lived in Pecan, mississippi, where William was listed as a farmer. However, the family moved and in the 1940 census they were living in Marriott Utah, now incorporated as Marriott Slaterville, just north of West Haven where I live. The family eventually moved to Liberty, utah, a beautiful Weber County small town on the east side of the Wasatch Mountains.
Speaker 1:On March 17, 1943, the day after he turned 18, james went into the Weber City County Building still on 26th and Washington, to register for the draft. We know this because his draft card is tight. He is listed as 5'7 and 160 pounds. He has brown eyes and brown hair and he lists his mother as the person who will always know his address. He was inducted into the Army on July 8, 1943 in Salt Lake. On July 25, he is listed with 89 others from Weber County in an article in the Standard that reads Board sends two large group of inductees, local Board 4 from Ogden City and Board 5, from Weber County, he was assigned to the 90th Infantry Division, the 357th Regiment. He had to hurry, because a week later they sailed on a 13-day voyage on the Dominion Monarch to Liverpool, england, and after disembarking they were loaded immediately on trains and moved to Kinlet Park in Shropshire. Say that three times fast, shropshire. Say that three times fast, shropshire. They immediately started intensive training, with stress being placed on forced marches, with heavy loads of weapons and ammunition covering five miles on foot in less than an hour. One thing that I hadn't realized was that there were over one and a half million American servicemen stationed all over Great Britain before the invasion specifically had numerous camps for the thousands of American troops who were gathering there to train.
Speaker 1:By Sunday, june 4th of 1944, the final preparations had been made. Everything that was humanly possible in the way of preparations had been done. It was all over but the fighting. The 90th traveled 30 miles to Cardiff Wells and embarked on two ships, the SS Explorer and the SS Bienville. At 7 30 on June 5th, the ship sailed down the River Severn and dropped anchor in the Bristol Channel near Swansea, where the convoy assembled. So, quoting from the 90th Infantry Division history, by 0200 on June 6, 1944, the convoy was underway towards France, following a route close to the coast of England.
Speaker 1:At this very moment, many thousands of other men were sweating out the few remaining hours before they were to make the greatest assault landing in history. So, as we learned a couple of weeks ago, it started with the 82nd, including Sergeant Yarrington, and then the 101st paratroopers, who landed early in the morning on June 6th. The air bombardment was next, and Stephen Ambrose wrote it was the largest air armada ever gathered. It was the largest air armada ever gathered. On D-Day, the Allies flew more than 14,000 sorties into the Luftwaffe's 250. Next came the ships. The 255 minesweepers were first, and behind them came the tank battalions. The 90th Journal recorded during this short voyage across the English Channel.
Speaker 1:The actions and conversations of those who were about to tackle the biggest jobs of their life is deemed worthy of mention. The apparent necessity for absolute secrecy, for security reasons, prevented the disclosure to these men of what their first job would be. They knew, however, that the future held no picnic and that in a very short time they would be engaged in this bloody business called combat. So this was kind of a mystery to me, because the 90th Journal said that they didn't come in until the 8th. So they left on the 6th but they didn't come in to Normandy until the 8th. So I'm not sure where they hung out for those two days, but it says the 8th. So I'm not sure where they hung out for those two days. But it says as the dawn of the 8th came and the world became real again, the sight which presented itself was indescribable.
Speaker 1:Many more vivid descriptions of D-Day and the days following might have been written in other texts, but in a word, it may be described as a show which is not presented very often. The price of a show of this type is too high. Ships and planes were everywhere. The big battle wagons were firing round after round into the coast and the world's finest air force was operating at full capacity, but so were some of the Luftwaffe. Burning ships could be seen in the distance and a flaming plane hitting the water was not an uncommon sight. At 9.30, the convoy dropped anchor off Utah. The water was not an uncommon sight. At 9 30 the convoy dropped anchor off Utah Beach and the Cotonton Peninsula. There I go, murdering the French again.
Speaker 1:Debarkation into the big LCIs began at 1200 and by 1245 the first elements of the regiment led by Colonel Ginder were waiting ashore, and again this is taken from the 90th Journal. The wearing of life jackets and belts undoubtedly saved many lives during the landing, as in some places the men heavily laden with supplies and ammunition had to get off the boats into the water five and six feet deep. The most consoling thought at this time was the fact that the men working on the beach were Americans instead of Germans. The beach was still under fire and occasionally a barrage of 88mm would come in. No time was lost there, however, for the men were assembled rapidly and the march inland began. The regiment closed in its assembly area at 1900 hours.
Speaker 1:From the beginning, the 357's north flank met heavy resistance Under intense fire. For the first time the regiment's battalions barely got past the line of departure and the regiment lost 99 men. On that day, on June 9th, orders were received to pass through elements of the 82nd Airborne Division near Amreville by daylight of the Tantan Seas and Secure Crossings at the Duvet River west of St Columba. So, if you remember, the 82nd and 101st were dropped so they could start coming inland and help those who were coming in off the beach. So the 82nd had met its target. As this movement was being executed, the regiment received its first casualties in land action against the enemy from 88mm fire.
Speaker 1:The saying that first impressions are greatest helped you in this case, as this wicked weapon, employed so effectively by the enemy throughout Normandy campaign, soon became familiar to everyone. Its name became almost a byword. When daylight came, the second and third battalions, from left to right, jumped off and met. Surprisingly little resistance. Signs of the recent vicious combat between the airborne men and the enemy was everywhere and everyone felt in his bones. It was just a matter of time until the show would start for the 357th.
Speaker 1:As the advance began, an officer in the L Company was credited with being the first man in the regiment to kill a German. They met face to face coming around the corner of a building. At noon the enemy defense line was reached. Darkness found the regiment still attacking in the face of withering enemy mortar and machine gun fire. It seemed that every German had an automatic weapon, and mortar shells seemed to follow the men right into their holes and ditches. Casualties were heavy and gains could be measured only in yards. World War II had begun in earnest. For the new 357th Infantry, the day had been the longest the men had ever spent. The initial shock of seeing old friends struck down had been great, and it was evident that there was much fierce fighting ahead.
Speaker 1:The hedgerow country of Normandy was nature's gift to the defenders. The countryside was divided into tiny fields, each bounded by a drainage ditch covered over with a high dense hedge. This offered an almost perfect defense system for the camouflage-wise Germans, and it was almost impossible to see them and their cleverly constructed and camouflaged hedgerow positions. Snipers dressed in camouflage suits were the most troublesome in the wooded areas and were responsible for many casualties behind the line. It was days before many of the frontline riflemen even saw a live German to shoot at.
Speaker 1:Their task was clear the beach had had to be extended before any sizable forces could be landed. In the battle of the maneuver, there was only one way that this could be done, and that was by a frontal assault by the infantry against prepared enemy positions. The enemy knew it, and so did the men of the regiment. Consequently, the days that followed brought one of the worst baptisms of fire ever undergone by an American infantry unit. To attack as long as there was daylight was the only order To advance from one handrail to another. The distance of perhaps 100 to 200 yards was at least a day's job, and a costly one. The Germans were putting up fanatical resistance. Expenditure of ammunition on both sides was tremendous. Fanatical resistance. Expenditure of ammunition on both sides was tremendous. Every field was literally pot-marked with mortar and artillery. Shell holes 88 millimeter shells wind down every road.
Speaker 1:At this time the 90th Division had driven across the peninsula to the coast and the drive towards Cherbourg had begun. To prevent the Germans from leaving or entering the peninsula was the mission assignment of the regiment on the 18th. Following a 15-mile motor movement, the battalions moved into position during the 18th and the 19th. During this operation, 66 prisoners, including five officers, were taken as they attempted to infiltrate to the south through the 3rd Battalion line. The enemy immediately exerted pressure from the south In an attempt to break through to the south through the 3rd Battalion line. The enemy immediately exerted pressure from the south In an attempt to break through to the entrapped forces in the peninsula. Simultaneously, other large groups were attempting to break out from the north and escape the trap. Sharp encounters resulted from these enemy efforts, which were often supported by armor as well as heavy artillery and mortar fire. On the 21st, the 1st Battalion engaged a force of 160 Germans attempting to break to the south and succeeded in accounting for the entire force, capturing 125 prisoners.
Speaker 1:On August 18th the Ogden Standard Examiner reported memorial services set for Sunday. Huntsville Memorial Services for Private James Howard Smith, son of Mr and Mrs William B Smith of Huntsville, who was killed in action in France on June 19, will be conducted Sunday at 8 pm in the Huntsville LDS Chapel by Bishop Fred A Berlin. Private Smith was born in Bassett, arkansas, on March 16, 1925. The family came to Utah in 1934, settling at North Ogden and later in Huntsville. He attended school in Huntsville and joined the service in July of 1943. He was home on furlough last March, following which he was sent overseas to England Surviving. Besides his parents are the following brothers and sisters Mrs Marie Staley and Mrs Virginia Long, ogden.
Speaker 1:Herbert Ellis Smith, us Army, camp White, oregon. Zenas Parnell Smith, us Navy. Robert Henry, lois, ruth, devin, raymond and Betty Smith, all of Huntsville. The family requests no flowers. On August 24th there was another announcement in the paper, a card of thanks. We wish in this humble manner to express our appreciation to the many friends and relatives who were so gracious and kind during the death of our beloved son James Howard Smith. Especially do we wish to thank the Huntsville Bishop Rick and all of those who contributed to the services.
Speaker 1:After the war, private Smith's family requested that the body be returned and on April 29, 1949, almost five years after the Normandy invasion, an article in the newspaper read Huntsville Services for Private James Howard Smith, 19, killed in action on Normandy Beachhead June 19, 1944, will be conducted Monday at 3 pm at the Marchuary on 24th Street and Adams by Bishop Marlow Stoker at the LDS. Huntsville Ward. Military honors at Ogden City Cemetery will be in charge of the VFW post-1481. So this is our third serviceman who was killed during the battle invasion of France in June 1944. Next week we are headed to the Pacific to talk about Private First Class Neil F Dudman. He is an Ogden Marine who was also killed on June 19th on the other side of the world in the battle for Saipan. Thank you for joining. The podcast is available on my website, wwwwebercountysgreatestgenerationcom or at any other place where podcasts are available. Thanks.