b. 31/07/1898 Calumet, Michigan. d. 27/03/1973 Detroit, Michigan.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 11/02/1921 Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.
Albert J Smith MOH
Smith was born in Calumet, Michigan, on July 31, 1898, to parents who had emigrated from Austria and Germany. According to the historical society of Schoolcraft County, Michigan, the family eventually moved to a farm in Thompson, Michigan, where Smith spent his childhood helping his father.
Smith was fascinated with flying, so in October 1919, when he was 21, he joined the Marine Corps in hopes of becoming a pilot.
A year later, Smith was stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. It was the only U.S. naval air station during World War I and had been responsible for training 1,000 naval aviators — most of whom were officers — by war’s end.
On February 11, 1921, Smith was on duty as a sentry at the station’s Marine barracks. Two naval machinists were warming up a seaplane when something went wrong, and it took off. The plane came crashing to the ground right near the gate where Smith was posted, and its gas tank exploded, sending fire everywhere.
Smith immediately sprang into action to help Plen Phelps, the one machinist who had been on the aircraft when it took off. Without any concern for his own safety, Smith pushed his way through until he found Phelps pinned under the burning wreckage. Smith managed to drag the unconscious Phelps out, despite suffering serious burns to his head, neck and hands.
Smith received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 29, 1921. He was presented the medal by the brigadier general Harry Lee who commanded the 1st Marine Aviation Squadron in Santo Domingo in the modern-day Dominican Republic, where Smith was stationed after Pensacola on October 17, 1921.
MOH CITATION:
At about 7:30 A.M. on the morning of 11 February 1921, Pvt. Smith, while on duty as a sentry, rescued Plen M. Phelps, late machinist’s mate second class, U.S. Navy, from a burning seaplane which had fallen near his post, gate No. 1, Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. Despite the explosion of the gravity gasoline tank, with total disregard of personal safety, he pushed himself to a position where he could reach Phelps, who was pinned beneath the burning wreckage, and rescued him from the burning plane, in the performance of which he sustained painful burns about the head, neck, and both hands.
BURIAL LOCATION: GRAND LAWN CEMETERY, DETROIT, MICHIGAN.
SECTION X, LOT 64, GRAVE 5.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: MICHIGAN HEROES MUSEUM, FRANKENMUTH, MICHIGAN.
