Document Type

Finding Aid

Collection Number

MSS-027

Publication Date

1-5-2017

Last Revision Date

1-5-2017

Description

William E. Smith (1917-1987) rose in rank from private to sergeant while serving 22 months in the European Theater during World War II. He oversaw the tactical employment and coordination of a team in charge of a 155mm gun (howitzer) in the “C” Battery, 174th Field Artillery Battalion of the United States Army. During the war the battalion, along with Smith, saw action in Normandy, the Rhineland, Northern France, Central Germany, and the Ardennes. His battalion was connected to General Patton’s 3rd Army that liberated Luxembourg and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Silver Service Star for participation in the Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe, Normandy, Northern France and Rhineland Campaigns.

The collection contains both archival material and artifacts relating to the European Theater during World War II. Some of the artifacts were taken from Nazi occupied positions and brought back to the States for remembrance purposes. Material in the collection represents the areas William E. Smith traveled through while part of the 174th Field Artillery Battalion that landed at Normandy and cut through France on its way to Germany.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.