Major Smothers served in the 45th Infantry Regiment and died during World War II, while being transported from a Japanese prisoner of war camp in Fukuoka, Japan to a POW camp in Mukden, Manchukuo. He was the father of Thomas and Dick Smothers -- The Smothers Brothers.
Survived the sinking of the Oryoku Maru at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, and the bombing of the Enoura Maru at Takao, Formosa. He was held in Japan at Fukuoka #3 and #22. Since he had been scheduled to be sent to Manchuria, the Japanese boarded him onto a transport, on which he died, to Korea.∼Graduated from West Point, Class of 1929. Became member of the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. Report date: 7 May 1942, he was held at Hoten POW Camp (Mukden) Manchuria 42-123. He survived the Bataan Death March only to die on a Japanese Hellship, they were en route to Korea, when an Allied pilot mistakenly bombed the ship, he was a victim of friendly fire. He was buried at sea. There is a monument at Fort William Mckinley, Manila, The Philippines. His family was awarded the Purple Heart Medal & Bronze Star Medal. He left three children: Tom, Dick & Sherry and wife, Ruth Remick Smothers.
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Major Thomas B. Smothers Jr., 36, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.B. Smothers Sr. of 133 East Sprague Street, died of pneumonia on a Japanese ship en route from Japan to Korea April 26, 1945.
The War Department message announcing the death of Major Smothers was received by his wife, Mrs. Ruth Remick Smothers, who resides in California. Definite news that Major Smothers contracted pneumonia while a prisoner of war of the Japanese came to Mrs. Smothers from Lieut. Col. Eugene Jacobs, who was aboard ship with him.
Major Smothers was born July 27, 1908 and attended the public schools of Winston-Salem. He was graduated from Reynolds High School in 1925 and entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He was graduated there in 1929 and received his commission as a second lieutenant. During the intervening years, he served three years in Panama, at Fort Douglas, Utah, Fort Moultrie, S.C., Fort Benning, GA., and Fort Hamilton, N.Y. He went to the Philippine Islands in June, 1940 and was in the quartermaster department.
When the Philippines fell in the Spring of 1942, Major Smothers was taken prisoner. His parents received word in December 1942 that he was a prisoner of war. When last heard from he was on the Island of Cebu, in the Philippines.
In May, 1942 while Major Smothers was fighting the losing battle of the Philippines, McCalls's Magazine carried an article with pictures about Mrs. Smothers and her three children entitled "The War Comes Home to An American Family." At that time Mrs. Smothers was working in the paint and processing department at the Vega Aircraft Plant in California. She worked the 4 to 12:30 p.m. shift and devoted her mornings to her three children.
Major Smothers is survived by the widow: three children, T.B. 3d, now 9; Richard R., now 7 and a daughter, Sharon, 4, whom he had never seen; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.B. (Pat) Smothers Sr., of this city; one sister, Mrs. Robert Masten of this city and one brother, Paul Smothers of this city, recently discharged from the army.
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Entered the service from North Carolina
Survived the sinking of the Oryoku Maru at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, and the bombing of the Enoura Maru at Takao, Formosa. He was held in Japan at Fukuoka #3 and #22. Since he had been scheduled to be sent to Manchuria, the Japanese boarded him onto a transport, on which he died, to Korea.∼Graduated from West Point, Class of 1929. Became member of the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. Report date: 7 May 1942, he was held at Hoten POW Camp (Mukden) Manchuria 42-123. He survived the Bataan Death March only to die on a Japanese Hellship, they were en route to Korea, when an Allied pilot mistakenly bombed the ship, he was a victim of friendly fire. He was buried at sea. There is a monument at Fort William Mckinley, Manila, The Philippines. His family was awarded the Purple Heart Medal & Bronze Star Medal. He left three children: Tom, Dick & Sherry and wife, Ruth Remick Smothers.
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Major Thomas B. Smothers Jr., 36, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.B. Smothers Sr. of 133 East Sprague Street, died of pneumonia on a Japanese ship en route from Japan to Korea April 26, 1945.
The War Department message announcing the death of Major Smothers was received by his wife, Mrs. Ruth Remick Smothers, who resides in California. Definite news that Major Smothers contracted pneumonia while a prisoner of war of the Japanese came to Mrs. Smothers from Lieut. Col. Eugene Jacobs, who was aboard ship with him.
Major Smothers was born July 27, 1908 and attended the public schools of Winston-Salem. He was graduated from Reynolds High School in 1925 and entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He was graduated there in 1929 and received his commission as a second lieutenant. During the intervening years, he served three years in Panama, at Fort Douglas, Utah, Fort Moultrie, S.C., Fort Benning, GA., and Fort Hamilton, N.Y. He went to the Philippine Islands in June, 1940 and was in the quartermaster department.
When the Philippines fell in the Spring of 1942, Major Smothers was taken prisoner. His parents received word in December 1942 that he was a prisoner of war. When last heard from he was on the Island of Cebu, in the Philippines.
In May, 1942 while Major Smothers was fighting the losing battle of the Philippines, McCalls's Magazine carried an article with pictures about Mrs. Smothers and her three children entitled "The War Comes Home to An American Family." At that time Mrs. Smothers was working in the paint and processing department at the Vega Aircraft Plant in California. She worked the 4 to 12:30 p.m. shift and devoted her mornings to her three children.
Major Smothers is survived by the widow: three children, T.B. 3d, now 9; Richard R., now 7 and a daughter, Sharon, 4, whom he had never seen; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.B. (Pat) Smothers Sr., of this city; one sister, Mrs. Robert Masten of this city and one brother, Paul Smothers of this city, recently discharged from the army.
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Entered the service from North Carolina
Major Smothers served in the 45th Infantry Regiment and died during World War II, while being transported from a Japanese prisoner of war camp in Fukuoka, Japan to a POW camp in Mukden, Manchukuo. He was the father of Thomas and Dick Smothers -- The Smothers Brothers.
Survived the sinking of the Oryoku Maru at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, and the bombing of the Enoura Maru at Takao, Formosa. He was held in Japan at Fukuoka #3 and #22. Since he had been scheduled to be sent to Manchuria, the Japanese boarded him onto a transport, on which he died, to Korea.∼Graduated from West Point, Class of 1929. Became member of the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. Report date: 7 May 1942, he was held at Hoten POW Camp (Mukden) Manchuria 42-123. He survived the Bataan Death March only to die on a Japanese Hellship, they were en route to Korea, when an Allied pilot mistakenly bombed the ship, he was a victim of friendly fire. He was buried at sea. There is a monument at Fort William Mckinley, Manila, The Philippines. His family was awarded the Purple Heart Medal & Bronze Star Medal. He left three children: Tom, Dick & Sherry and wife, Ruth Remick Smothers.
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Major Thomas B. Smothers Jr., 36, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.B. Smothers Sr. of 133 East Sprague Street, died of pneumonia on a Japanese ship en route from Japan to Korea April 26, 1945.
The War Department message announcing the death of Major Smothers was received by his wife, Mrs. Ruth Remick Smothers, who resides in California. Definite news that Major Smothers contracted pneumonia while a prisoner of war of the Japanese came to Mrs. Smothers from Lieut. Col. Eugene Jacobs, who was aboard ship with him.
Major Smothers was born July 27, 1908 and attended the public schools of Winston-Salem. He was graduated from Reynolds High School in 1925 and entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He was graduated there in 1929 and received his commission as a second lieutenant. During the intervening years, he served three years in Panama, at Fort Douglas, Utah, Fort Moultrie, S.C., Fort Benning, GA., and Fort Hamilton, N.Y. He went to the Philippine Islands in June, 1940 and was in the quartermaster department.
When the Philippines fell in the Spring of 1942, Major Smothers was taken prisoner. His parents received word in December 1942 that he was a prisoner of war. When last heard from he was on the Island of Cebu, in the Philippines.
In May, 1942 while Major Smothers was fighting the losing battle of the Philippines, McCalls's Magazine carried an article with pictures about Mrs. Smothers and her three children entitled "The War Comes Home to An American Family." At that time Mrs. Smothers was working in the paint and processing department at the Vega Aircraft Plant in California. She worked the 4 to 12:30 p.m. shift and devoted her mornings to her three children.
Major Smothers is survived by the widow: three children, T.B. 3d, now 9; Richard R., now 7 and a daughter, Sharon, 4, whom he had never seen; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.B. (Pat) Smothers Sr., of this city; one sister, Mrs. Robert Masten of this city and one brother, Paul Smothers of this city, recently discharged from the army.
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Entered the service from North Carolina
Survived the sinking of the Oryoku Maru at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, and the bombing of the Enoura Maru at Takao, Formosa. He was held in Japan at Fukuoka #3 and #22. Since he had been scheduled to be sent to Manchuria, the Japanese boarded him onto a transport, on which he died, to Korea.∼Graduated from West Point, Class of 1929. Became member of the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. Report date: 7 May 1942, he was held at Hoten POW Camp (Mukden) Manchuria 42-123. He survived the Bataan Death March only to die on a Japanese Hellship, they were en route to Korea, when an Allied pilot mistakenly bombed the ship, he was a victim of friendly fire. He was buried at sea. There is a monument at Fort William Mckinley, Manila, The Philippines. His family was awarded the Purple Heart Medal & Bronze Star Medal. He left three children: Tom, Dick & Sherry and wife, Ruth Remick Smothers.
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Major Thomas B. Smothers Jr., 36, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.B. Smothers Sr. of 133 East Sprague Street, died of pneumonia on a Japanese ship en route from Japan to Korea April 26, 1945.
The War Department message announcing the death of Major Smothers was received by his wife, Mrs. Ruth Remick Smothers, who resides in California. Definite news that Major Smothers contracted pneumonia while a prisoner of war of the Japanese came to Mrs. Smothers from Lieut. Col. Eugene Jacobs, who was aboard ship with him.
Major Smothers was born July 27, 1908 and attended the public schools of Winston-Salem. He was graduated from Reynolds High School in 1925 and entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He was graduated there in 1929 and received his commission as a second lieutenant. During the intervening years, he served three years in Panama, at Fort Douglas, Utah, Fort Moultrie, S.C., Fort Benning, GA., and Fort Hamilton, N.Y. He went to the Philippine Islands in June, 1940 and was in the quartermaster department.
When the Philippines fell in the Spring of 1942, Major Smothers was taken prisoner. His parents received word in December 1942 that he was a prisoner of war. When last heard from he was on the Island of Cebu, in the Philippines.
In May, 1942 while Major Smothers was fighting the losing battle of the Philippines, McCalls's Magazine carried an article with pictures about Mrs. Smothers and her three children entitled "The War Comes Home to An American Family." At that time Mrs. Smothers was working in the paint and processing department at the Vega Aircraft Plant in California. She worked the 4 to 12:30 p.m. shift and devoted her mornings to her three children.
Major Smothers is survived by the widow: three children, T.B. 3d, now 9; Richard R., now 7 and a daughter, Sharon, 4, whom he had never seen; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.B. (Pat) Smothers Sr., of this city; one sister, Mrs. Robert Masten of this city and one brother, Paul Smothers of this city, recently discharged from the army.
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Entered the service from North Carolina
