Eugene Gordon Smith (1925 - 1945)

Born 5 Feb 1925 in Crosbyton, Crosby, Texas, United States

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 20 in Philippine Sea

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Biography

Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Eugene Smith served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 4 Sep 1942
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Eugene Smith was Killed in Action during World War II.

Eugene Smith was awarded the Purple Heart.

Eugene was born in 1925. His parents were Olney Bryan Smith 1898–1931 and Esther Magnolia (Swenson) Smith Anderson Millsap 1903–1999.^[1]

Eugene enlisted in the navy on 4 Sep 1942, he was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 23 Nov 1942, where he served as Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class.^[2]

In July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sent on a secret mission to deliver the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island without an escort, on the return trip, still without escort, it was attacked by a Japanese submarine. The USS Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes on 30 Jul 1945 with some 300 of the 1,195 crewmen aboard going down with the ship. With few lifeboats and many without life jackets, only 316 of the nearly 900 men set adrift survived the 4 days in shark infested water before rescue. Eugene was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. ^[3][4]

Eugene is honored at three memorials: Cranfills Gap Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas; USS Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana and Fort William Mckinley, Manila, Philippines.^[5][6][7]

Sources

1. ↑ Texas, U.S., Birth Certificates https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1017055:2275
2. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30418872:1143?tid=52663567&pid=13427178295&queryId=11517c2aa73ff5a56d913cc907de783f&_phsrc=VOb12&_phstart=successSource
3. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/132393:1122
4. ↑ U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable) https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/9850:62207?tid=&pid=&queryId=97e0b291bdb39af0ef0b32c1b4698bdc&_phsrc=EzO7772&_phstart=successSource
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56750417/eugene-gordon-smith: accessed 15 September 2023), memorial page for BM2 Eugene Gordon Smith (5 Feb 1925–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56750417, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by IrishEyes (contributor 47644540).
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194063417/eugene-gordon-smith: accessed 15 September 2023), memorial page for Eugene Gordon Smith (5 Feb 1925–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194063417, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by Laura J. Stewart (contributor 47412616).
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20388459/eugene-g-smith: accessed 15 September 2023), memorial page for Eugene G Smith (5 Feb 1925–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 20388459, citing Cranfills Gap Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas, USA; Maintained by Abby Streight Birdwell (contributor 46993729).

• Eugene is included on the USS Indianapolis in World War II Wikitree Space Page https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29_in_World_War_II
• "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HG1Z-6W2 : Fri Aug 04 19:11:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Olney B Smith and Ester M Smith, 1930