Age 23 - From White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Killed on February 29, 1968 - South Viet Nam

INFORMATION FOUND AT VIETNAM VETERANS

MEMORIAL FUND WEBSITE (www.vvmf.org)

JERROLD PATRICK SMITH
is honored on Panel 42E, Row 10 of
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Full Name: JERROLD PATRICK SMITH
Wall Name: JERROLD P SMITH
Date of Birth: 12/25/1944
Date of Casualty: 2/29/1968
Home of Record: WHITE BEAR LAKE
State: MN
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: PFC
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: PR & MR UNKNOWN



EXCERPT FROM "GEORGE MUSSENDEN & MY TOUR IN VIETNAM" BY GARY HEALE - MAY, 2001
(used with permission from Gary Heale)

I remember the day "Moose" was killed.  It was early afternoon.  We were packing and preparing to move further north to Hill 63 [LZ Baldy].

Here's what I wrote to my parents about his death:

Feb. 29, 1968
Dear Mom and Dad,
Our platoon leader called a meeting to tell us some bad news.  Our POW sergeant and one of the new guys went to Chu Lai yesterday to get paid. Their pay records were fouled up, so their pay didn't come up here like it usually does.  On their way back this morning they had a head-on collision with an ARVN truck.  The sergeant [we called him "Moose"] was killed, and the other guy is hurt bad.  See, you don't have to be shot by the VC to be killed.  [Dumb me!  This statement must not have been very comforting to my parents. Sic]  The gook truck was probably driving down the middle of the road.  Damn them!  Boy, he was a real nice guy, too.  He'd extended here twice over his ETS.  He would have been home and out of the army nine months ago, but just made sergeant, so he decided to extend.  How rotten!  That was the first casualty in our platoon.  Up til now, no one even received a wound.

The "new guy" was Jerrold Smith.  He had been in country for less than a month, so most of us did not know him very well.  We found out a couple of days later that he had died too.  Our platoon sergeant told us that we all understood where we were and knew that this could happen.  We all stood there for awhile and then went into our tents, and sat down in sadness and disbelief.

Two days later I sent another letter home:
Mar. 2, 1968
Dear Mom and Dad,
I found out a little more on the accident.  They were passing a truck and couldn't see ahead because of the thick dust.  When we don't have rain here for awhile, the roads get dusty as hell..."

FROM "THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALL"
(http://tanaya.net/vmw/S/rec-48298.html)

Let us not forget Private First Class Jerrold Patrick Smith, casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army Selective Service, PFC Smith served our country until February 29th, 1968 in South Vietnam. He was 23 years old and was not married. Jerrold died when his vehicle crashed. His body was recovered. Jerrold was born on December 25th, 1944 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

PFC Smith is on panel 42E, line 010 of the Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for less than a year.

FROM "THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD
198th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE - AMERICAL DIVISION"
(http://dutch23mp.bravepages.com/graphics/smith.htm?IDNO=56501617)

--- General / Personal ---
Last name: SMITH
First name: JERROLD PATRICK
Home of Record (official): WHITE BEAR LAKE
State (official): MN
Date of Birth: Monday, December 25, 1944
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single

--- Military ---
Branch: Army
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 56501617
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 95B10
Major Organization: 196th LIB

--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Monday, January 1, 1968
Date of Casualty: Thursday, February 29, 1968
Age at time of loss: 23
Casualty type: (C1) Non-hostile, died of other causes
Reason: Vehicle loss, crash (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Unknown/Not Reported
The Wall: Panel 42E - Row 010

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