PFC William Howard Smith was born on May 9, 1916, in Handley, Kanawha County, W.Va., a son of Henry Wilson Smith and Melvina "Mallie" Hatton Smith. The Smith family moved to Raleigh County in about 1917.
William served in Military Police Platoon, 101 Airborne Division. He died on June 6, 1944. He is buried in the American Legion Cemetery in Beckley, Raleigh County, W.Va. Find A Grave 39863472.
There was an article in The Sunday Register, Beckley, W.Va., on July 2, 1944, Page 10, that said PFC Smith had been wounded on June 6.
His father Henry's Jan. 6, 1950, obituary in the Post-Herald, Beckley, says Henry and Mallie had two sons die during World War II, William H. Smith and Charlie S. Smith. Charlie Clyde Smith died in 1945 in the Philippines, Find a Grave Memorial ID: 56785545. Other Smith children listed in the obituary were four daughters, Carrie, Iva, Goldie, and Thelma; and three additional sons, James, Chester and Donald (Don).
An online article says this about the role of military police in D-Day operations:
"Planning for the invasion, military strategists strived to ensure success on all levels. Military police missions such as circulation control, force protection, and enemy prisoner of war (EPW) management would require numerous military police units. Based upon their need, there would be a large number of military police involved in the landings at Normandy. Consider just the divisional military police units included in the assault forces for 6 June 1944— 1st Military Police Platoon, 1st Infantry Division; 29th Military Police Platoon, 29th Infantry Division; 4th Military Police Platoon, 4th Infantry Division; 90th Military Police Platoon, 90th Infantry Division; and the military police platoons of the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions. (Although listed as divisional military police platoons, these units were larger and actually closer to company strength.)" Military Police Soldiers on D-Day, https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/Garrison/public-affairs/mps
Sources: Find A Grave; WWII Draft Registration Cards for West Virginia, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147, Box 456; Roll of Honor, https://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/101mp/101mp_honor.html ; articles in The Sunday Register and the Post-Herald, Beckley, W.Va., and Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963.
William served in Military Police Platoon, 101 Airborne Division. He died on June 6, 1944. He is buried in the American Legion Cemetery in Beckley, Raleigh County, W.Va. Find A Grave 39863472.
There was an article in The Sunday Register, Beckley, W.Va., on July 2, 1944, Page 10, that said PFC Smith had been wounded on June 6.
His father Henry's Jan. 6, 1950, obituary in the Post-Herald, Beckley, says Henry and Mallie had two sons die during World War II, William H. Smith and Charlie S. Smith. Charlie Clyde Smith died in 1945 in the Philippines, Find a Grave Memorial ID: 56785545. Other Smith children listed in the obituary were four daughters, Carrie, Iva, Goldie, and Thelma; and three additional sons, James, Chester and Donald (Don).
An online article says this about the role of military police in D-Day operations:
"Planning for the invasion, military strategists strived to ensure success on all levels. Military police missions such as circulation control, force protection, and enemy prisoner of war (EPW) management would require numerous military police units. Based upon their need, there would be a large number of military police involved in the landings at Normandy. Consider just the divisional military police units included in the assault forces for 6 June 1944— 1st Military Police Platoon, 1st Infantry Division; 29th Military Police Platoon, 29th Infantry Division; 4th Military Police Platoon, 4th Infantry Division; 90th Military Police Platoon, 90th Infantry Division; and the military police platoons of the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions. (Although listed as divisional military police platoons, these units were larger and actually closer to company strength.)" Military Police Soldiers on D-Day, https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/Garrison/public-affairs/mps
Sources: Find A Grave; WWII Draft Registration Cards for West Virginia, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147, Box 456; Roll of Honor, https://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/101mp/101mp_honor.html ; articles in The Sunday Register and the Post-Herald, Beckley, W.Va., and Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963.
PFC William Howard Smith was born on May 9, 1916, in Handley, Kanawha County, W.Va., a son of Henry Wilson Smith and Melvina "Mallie" Hatton Smith. The Smith family moved to Raleigh County in about 1917.
William served in Military Police Platoon, 101 Airborne Division. He died on June 6, 1944. He is buried in the American Legion Cemetery in Beckley, Raleigh County, W.Va. Find A Grave 39863472.
There was an article in The Sunday Register, Beckley, W.Va., on July 2, 1944, Page 10, that said PFC Smith had been wounded on June 6.
His father Henry's Jan. 6, 1950, obituary in the Post-Herald, Beckley, says Henry and Mallie had two sons die during World War II, William H. Smith and Charlie S. Smith. Charlie Clyde Smith died in 1945 in the Philippines, Find a Grave Memorial ID: 56785545. Other Smith children listed in the obituary were four daughters, Carrie, Iva, Goldie, and Thelma; and three additional sons, James, Chester and Donald (Don).
An online article says this about the role of military police in D-Day operations:
"Planning for the invasion, military strategists strived to ensure success on all levels. Military police missions such as circulation control, force protection, and enemy prisoner of war (EPW) management would require numerous military police units. Based upon their need, there would be a large number of military police involved in the landings at Normandy. Consider just the divisional military police units included in the assault forces for 6 June 1944— 1st Military Police Platoon, 1st Infantry Division; 29th Military Police Platoon, 29th Infantry Division; 4th Military Police Platoon, 4th Infantry Division; 90th Military Police Platoon, 90th Infantry Division; and the military police platoons of the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions. (Although listed as divisional military police platoons, these units were larger and actually closer to company strength.)" Military Police Soldiers on D-Day, https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/Garrison/public-affairs/mps
Sources: Find A Grave; WWII Draft Registration Cards for West Virginia, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147, Box 456; Roll of Honor, https://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/101mp/101mp_honor.html ; articles in The Sunday Register and the Post-Herald, Beckley, W.Va., and Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963.
William served in Military Police Platoon, 101 Airborne Division. He died on June 6, 1944. He is buried in the American Legion Cemetery in Beckley, Raleigh County, W.Va. Find A Grave 39863472.
There was an article in The Sunday Register, Beckley, W.Va., on July 2, 1944, Page 10, that said PFC Smith had been wounded on June 6.
His father Henry's Jan. 6, 1950, obituary in the Post-Herald, Beckley, says Henry and Mallie had two sons die during World War II, William H. Smith and Charlie S. Smith. Charlie Clyde Smith died in 1945 in the Philippines, Find a Grave Memorial ID: 56785545. Other Smith children listed in the obituary were four daughters, Carrie, Iva, Goldie, and Thelma; and three additional sons, James, Chester and Donald (Don).
An online article says this about the role of military police in D-Day operations:
"Planning for the invasion, military strategists strived to ensure success on all levels. Military police missions such as circulation control, force protection, and enemy prisoner of war (EPW) management would require numerous military police units. Based upon their need, there would be a large number of military police involved in the landings at Normandy. Consider just the divisional military police units included in the assault forces for 6 June 1944— 1st Military Police Platoon, 1st Infantry Division; 29th Military Police Platoon, 29th Infantry Division; 4th Military Police Platoon, 4th Infantry Division; 90th Military Police Platoon, 90th Infantry Division; and the military police platoons of the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions. (Although listed as divisional military police platoons, these units were larger and actually closer to company strength.)" Military Police Soldiers on D-Day, https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/Garrison/public-affairs/mps
Sources: Find A Grave; WWII Draft Registration Cards for West Virginia, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147, Box 456; Roll of Honor, https://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/101mp/101mp_honor.html ; articles in The Sunday Register and the Post-Herald, Beckley, W.Va., and Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963.
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PFC MP PLAT
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