Jerrold R. Smith is the son of LeRoy and Ida Epps Smith of 827 Holyoake Ave., Edwardsville IL. Jerrold grew up in Edwardsville, was an Intelligencer newspaper carrier and attended local public schools, graduating from Ewardsville High School Class of 1947. Jerrold enlisted in the Army soon after graduation and received his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and then Fort Monmouth, New Jersey where he was assigned to the Signal Corps. He also recieved training stEl Paso, Texas and Fort Ord, California. Corporal Smith was honorably discharged from the Army on June 26, 1950 - the very day that hostilities with North Korea began. Still in the Reserve, Corporal Smith was recalled to service on October 11, 1950. He reported for duty at Fort Lewis, Washington and from there was sent to Japan in November, 1950 and to Korea in December of that year. Cpl. Smith was assigned to the Eighth Army,
23rd Regiment, 2nd Battalion and was serving at a forward headquarters base when he was reported missing-in-action during a Communist offensive on May 18, 1951. A letter was received by his family in October, dated August 8,1951, from Cpl. Smith stating that he was a prisoner of war and "in good health". That was the last correspondence anyone had with Corporal Jerrold R. Smith. After the Korean Conflict armistice in 1954, a list of 210 American prisoners of war that had died in captivity was released. Corporal Jerrold R. Smith was on the list. A private funeral service was held Sunday, June 12, 1955 at the First Christian Church, Rev. F. Guy Brown officiated. A public service, with full military honors was held at the gravesite in Woodlawn Cemetery, Edwardsville IL. He is survived by his parents, two sisters, Mrs. Annabell Vernor and Mrs. Pearl Margoni, and a brother, Robert L. Smith.
Corporal Jerrold R. Smith was 22 years, 11 months and 2 days of age.
