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CAPT Malcolm Alexander Smith III

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CAPT Malcolm Alexander Smith III Veteran

Birth
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA
Death
21 May 1944 (aged 26)
Vibraye, Departement de la Sarthe, Pays de la Loire, France
Burial
Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France Add to Map
Plot
Plot C Row 10 Grave 46
Memorial ID
View Source
When the United States entered World War II, Capt. Malcolm "Mac" A. Smith was a cadet at West Point. He trained in the P-40 Tomahawk, eventually flying a P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed "Mary Ann" after his wife.

His unit, the 368th Fighter Group, was one of the most heavily engaged air groups in isolating and eliminating enemy defenses in Normandy just prior to D-Day. Under heavy fire from the ground, as well as air attacks by enemy aircraft, Smith was shot down in his P-47 on May 21, 1944 near Vibrayue, France, at 26 years old. At the time of his death, his family included his wife Mary Ann, his daughter Susan Ann, his parents, and a sister, Marianne.

Early in 1948, Smith's family was deeply touched by the return of his West Point ring by a veteran Army GI. In September 1945, an elderly French woman in Le Mans had given the ring to a passing GI. She had witnessed his aircraft being shot down, and wanted to send his ring home to his family.

Capt. Malcom A. Smith is buried in Normandy American Cemetery, plot C, row 10, grave 46. He was awarded the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
When the United States entered World War II, Capt. Malcolm "Mac" A. Smith was a cadet at West Point. He trained in the P-40 Tomahawk, eventually flying a P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed "Mary Ann" after his wife.

His unit, the 368th Fighter Group, was one of the most heavily engaged air groups in isolating and eliminating enemy defenses in Normandy just prior to D-Day. Under heavy fire from the ground, as well as air attacks by enemy aircraft, Smith was shot down in his P-47 on May 21, 1944 near Vibrayue, France, at 26 years old. At the time of his death, his family included his wife Mary Ann, his daughter Susan Ann, his parents, and a sister, Marianne.

Early in 1948, Smith's family was deeply touched by the return of his West Point ring by a veteran Army GI. In September 1945, an elderly French woman in Le Mans had given the ring to a passing GI. She had witnessed his aircraft being shot down, and wanted to send his ring home to his family.

Capt. Malcom A. Smith is buried in Normandy American Cemetery, plot C, row 10, grave 46. He was awarded the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.

Inscription

CAPT 395 FTR SQ 368 FTR GP ALABAMA

Gravesite Details

Entered the service from Alabama.




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  • Maintained by: Frogman
  • Originally Created by: War Graves
  • Added: Aug 8, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56650148/malcolm_alexander-smith: accessed ), memorial page for CAPT Malcolm Alexander Smith III (7 Dec 1917–21 May 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56650148, citing Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France; Maintained by Frogman (contributor 47380828).