Corporal John B. Smith, World War II Casualty

Corporal John B. Smith Company D - 2nd Bn. - 28th Marine Inf. 5th Marine Division F.M.F. c/o Fleet Post Office San Francisco, California John Benson Smith, Jr. was born 10/17/1922 at 5:00a.m. in Marsden, Arkansas; the son of Lottie Lorena Hatcher Smith and John Benson Smith. J. B. often wrote his family while in the C.C. Camp stationed in Salmon, Idaho at age 18. He was drafted in May 3, 1943 and did his boot camp at Camp Elliott in San Diego, CA. He was later stationed at Camp Joseph E Pendleton, Oceanside, CA. Attached are a postcard, and an envelope mailed for three cents in 1940. When he was stationed in the states postage was free to the military then when he was overseas it was six cents for airmail. All his letters were censored and stamped before being mailed to the family. This was to ensure that no vital information about his military maneuvers or whereabouts were in the letters. Click on image at right for a larger view ? J. B. married Mary Senn and had three daughters-Trena, Rena, and Johnie. He never got to see his youngest daughter. He was shot on March 14th and died March 15th 1945. He and Raymond Al Dooley were standing at the foot of the hill when Our Flag was raised on Iwo Jima, Japan. When Mary received notice of J. B.’s death she had to be taken to the hospital and Johnie was born in April 1945.