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Smith Jesse Edward

Name:
Jesse Edward Smith
Rank:
Private First Class
Serial Number:
Unit:
625th Ordnance Ammunition Company
Date of Death:
1944-04-28
State:
Kentucky
Cemetery:
Pleasant Valley Cem., Providence, Kentucky
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Purple Heart
Comments:

Jesse Edward Smith was born on October 23, 1919. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Private First Class in the 625th Ordnance Ammunition Company. He was killed during the Exercise Tiger--one of the large-scale rehearsals for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. This took place in April 1944 in Slapton Sands, Devon in the UK. An Allied naval convoy involved in the exercise was attacked by German submarines, and coordination and communication problems resulted in friendly fire deaths. At least 749 American servicemen were killed. Because of the impending invasion of Normandy, the incident was highly classified and the full story did not come out until years later after the war. He has 2 memorials in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Providence, Webster County, Kentucky and Green Grove Cemetery, Providence, Webster County, Kentucky but we are still confirming where he is actually buried.