Army Staff Sgt.William Smith POW/MIA Declared Dead

REMEMBER THE FALLEN

WILLIAM M. SMITH VIETNAM M.I.A.

DECLARED DEAD BY HOSTILE ACTION

By Bob Lessard

 Historian Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64 A.L.

(Periodically, the Gazette will publish biographical sketches of Middleboro’s war casualties. This is intended to remind our citizens of the sacrifices of all veterans and especially those who gave their lives to our country. A slogan worthy of repeating states: “ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL.”)

United States Army Staff Sergeant, William Mark Smith, while on patrol with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division,  was reported as “Missing In Action” on March 3, 1969. At the time, his unit was in an area described as about 25 miles from the city of Kontum, South Vietnam.

 Prior to joining the service, Bill had been employed at a company in Assonet. He enlisted in the Army on July 29, 1968 and had been in South Vietnam since early 1969.

 According to various reports, the Middleboro soldier had disappeared from his unit while marching in the rear of a patrol. It was later learned, that members of the Company searched for him without results. Miscommunications from the front claimed Bill had returned to the head of the column. It was later learned that he had fallen down and embankment and was captured by the enemy.

 It wasn’t until May 1973, that the Pentagon announced that Sgt. Smith’s status changed from “Missing In Action” to that of being listed as “dead by hostile actions.” The reason for the change resulted from government interviews of former Prisoners of War.

 Several released prisoners informed officials in the Spring of 1973 that William Smith had died on a trail heading to North Vietnam. According to the debriefing information, Smith had been “taken by a Viet Cong prison guard to a latrine. The POWs heard him shout and were later told by prison guards that he fell and hit his head and died.” None of the prisoners witnessed his death.

 Subsequently, three years after the reported incident, the United States issued the “dead by hostile action” listing for Army Sergeant William Mark Smith. His body has never been found.

 William Mark Smith was 21 when he was captured and later lost his life. He was born on April 2, 1949 in New Bedford. He had lived in Middleboro for 16 years. In high school he enrolled in the College Preparatory course and played basketball in his freshman year. He was a member of the graduating Class of 1967 of Middleboro’s Memorial High School.  

 The class yearbook, which includes his picture on page 35, states: “Bill likes physical education and plans to be a future teacher in that area.”

 He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Smith of 2 Starret Avenue. Other survivors, besides his parents, include two brothers, Robert and Richard and three sisters, Susan, Shirley and Sandra.

 Military articles report that Sergeant Smith was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and POW medal.

 Bill is remembered here in Middleboro by the bridge dedicated to him on Centre Street over the railroad tracks by an act of the Massachusetts Legislature.

 Also, by his engraved name on the Vietnam section of the Central Casualty stone, and, he is listed on the special Vietnam stone in the Middleboro Veterans Memorial Park. His name is included on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. panel 30W-Line 32.

 In 2014, the Middleboro Board of Selectmen agreed to a request of the Massachusetts Chapter of Rolling Thunder to allow a POW/MIA chair dedicated in memory to William M. Smith to be placed in the town hall lobby. There is also a permanent POW/MIA chair in Smith’s memory in the meeting room of the Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64 American Legion.

 The Middleboro Memorial Day parade on May 26, 2014 was dedicated to Sergeant William Smith by naming his siblings as the Grand Marshalls. His brothers Robert, an Army Captain and Vietnam veteran, and Richard rode in the parade with sisters Shirley Woods and Susan Burns. Over 15 members of the Smith family attended as audience members.

 Residents are reminded that memorial bricks are still available for purchase by submitting applications obtained at the office of Middleboro’s Veterans Service Officer third floor bank building; at the Oak Point pool room; and from the brick locator box at the veteran’s park. (Published, March 29,2018)