Maynard Harrison Smith

Military
Staff Sergeant Maynard Smith of the 306th Bomb Group, salutes after being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 15 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S. Secretary Of War Presents America's Highest Award To S/Sergeant At American Airfield In Britain. Mr Henry L. Stimson, the United States Secretary of War, who is on a visit to Britain, visited an American Bomber station in Britain to present the Congressional Medal of Honour, America's hi media-407864.jpg FRE 4438 Staff Sergeant Maynard Smith of the 306th Bomb Group, salutes after being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 15 Jul 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S. Secretary Of War Presents America's Highest Award To S/Sergeant At American Airfield In Britain. Mr Henry L. Stimson, the United States Secretary of War, who is on a visit to Britain, visited an American Bomber station in Britain to present the Congressional Medal of Honour, America's highest award for valour - to Staff/Sergeant Maynard Harrison Smith, gunner of a Flying Fortress, who comes from Caro, Michigan, U.S. S/Sgt. Smith singlehanded fought a fire which threatened to destroy the Fortress, and also attended to a wounded crew mate, and manned two gun stations. Photo Shows:- S/Sergeant Maynard Harrison Smith wearing the Congressional Medal of Honour after being decorated by Mr Stimson, at the ceremony on an American Bomber station in Britain. AND 15th July, 1943. PN-s. Censor No: 274692.' On reverse: Planet News Ltd, 'File' and 'Return to P.I.D.' [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4438 - Staff Sergeant Maynard Smith of the 306th Bomb Group, salutes after being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, in front of a B-17 Flying...

Manned guns, extinguished fires, and treated wounded crewmates on first mission in B-17 42-29649. He also helped to throw out cans of ammunition that weighed almost as much as he did so the bomber could make an emergency landing. On the day he was to be awarded the MOH, he couldn't be found. He was eventually located in the mess kitchen, where he was peeling potatoes. He had been given KP duty for coming in late from pass and had forgotten to show up to get his medal. He Flew four more combat missions before being returned to the US.



Awards: MOH, AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (4 x battle star), American campaign medal.

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Gunners of the 306th Bomb Group sit atop ammunition for a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Sport and General.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 9 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '273718.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ''THE DEFENSIVE POWER OF FLYING FORTRESSES. The extremely heavy defense of the Flying Fortresses has enabled them to fight their way through to targets like Huls and Kiel in the face of the most intensive fighter opposition aerial warfare has ever seen. The result of these
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13087745
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Caro, Michigan 19 May 1911 Son of Henry Harrison and Mary Christine [Gohs] Smith.

Enlisted

31 August 1942

Other

Discharged USAAF

26 May 1945 Honourable discharge.

Died

Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, USA 11 May 1984

Buried

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia Section 66, Grave 7375

Based

Thurleigh Assigned to 306BS, 423BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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Contributorjmoore43
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Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

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Updated middle name per info from Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 21435.

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Contributorjmoore43
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Updated Born & Died events and added Burial event per info from Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 21435.

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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Corrected typo's.

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Contributorjmchristel
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Contributorjmchristel
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Information in biography section.

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Contributorjmchristel
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U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010

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Associated images from Freeman Collection

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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Freeman, MOH Citation, Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 113-4, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp. 103-11, 120, 140, 171, 303

Maynard Harrison Smith: Gallery (10 items)