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Veteran Story: This article first appeared in the "The Spearhead Doughboy", June 2004, and is reprinted with the kind permission of its' editors. "The Spearhead Doughboy" is the newsletter for the veterans of A Company, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division. |
Hilton A. Smith
Forgotten Soldier
By: Bob Pacios
"Who the hell," you ask, "is Hilton A. Smith?"
Before I answer that question, let's back up a bit and let me tell you a bit about myself. I joined Company 'A' of the 36th Armored Infantry Regiment (3rd Armored Division) on August 19, 1944 while it was licking its wounds after a battle of attrition with the Germans during the closing of the Falaise gap. The company was resting just outside of Fromental, France.On August 17, it received fifty replacements. Two days later it received thirty-eight more replacements including Hilton A. Smith and me. On August 22 three Lieutenants: Paul M. Dooley, Jr., Edwin J. Bulman and Arthur A. Prieskorn, who were given command of the first, second, and third platoons, respectively, were assigned to Company "A." Thus, ninety-one new replacements, just about 70% of its fighting strength, were assigned to the company during this rest period.I was only nineteen years old, newly married, had a baby face and needed to shave just about once a month. I had a lot in common with Hilton A. Smith: he was eighteen or nineteen, newly married, and had a very young face and needed to shave once in a while. Although we were both in the second platoon, I was in the mortar squad and Smitty was a rifleman in one of the rifle squads.We both had an easy break-in to combat. The Germans were on the run across Northern France; occasionally we would catch them and a one-sided fire fight would then ensue. Mons, Belgium, was quite a fracas, but, because the second platoon was in reserve, we saw just a little action and were mostly concerned with rounding up surrendering members of the Wehrmacht.It was a little tougher for us at Liege and we could feel the German Army harden as we neared the borders of the Fatherland. On September 13, 1944, Company 'A', as part of Task Force X, stormed the first row of dragon's teeth that constituted the beginning of the Siegfried Line. For several days we pushed through German towns and villages with the names of Oberforstbach, Hifeld, Brand and Freund. At Brand we discovered a clothing store that still contained some merchandise. From the store we confiscated several dozen scarves; some plaid, solid reds, solid browns and solid greens. (Later, as the weather turned colder many men in the second platoon wore the scarves to help keep warm. Soon we were told they were not GI and therefore could not wear them any longer.) During this time, Smitty and I had a few chances to shoot the breeze a bit and talk about home and our wives.We finally approached the outskirts of Munster-Busch, a suburb of Stolberg. We sat on the edge of town, near a gravel pit and white trolley car that was at the end of the trolley line, for several hours. We made good use of this idle time to dig slit trenches; Hilton A. Smith's was right next to and just a few yards from mine.Orders were given to attack the town so we proceeded across an open field towards a line of houses on the edge of the town. Partly across the field a tank was knocked out by anti-tank fire. There was a furious burst of machine-gun and rifle fire from the houses that trapped the third platoon and part of the second in the open field.By leaps and bounds we retreated to our slit trenches. I looked over - Smitty's remained empty - he had been killed. All that afternoon, through the night and into the next morning, I contemplated that empty hole. Smitty and I were so much alike, but now he was dead and I was alive.Over the years I have sometimes thought of Hilton A. Smith, but I can no longer remember his face. I can only relate the data I have on him. He was a Pfc., Army Serial Number 34547657, who was killed in action on September 17, 1944, at Munster-Busch, Germany. His home address was 3702 W. Brainard Street, Pensacola, Florida. His name is listed on page 178 in the Memoriam section of the directory of the 36th Armored Infantry Regiment.|
WWII History: The dedication ceremony for the Wereth 11 took place summer in Belgium. Following is a description of the ceremony provided by Dr. Norman Lichtenfeld, courtesy of Steve B. of the NWHA's 3rd Armored. |
Dedication of the
U.S. Wereth Memorial
On May 23, 2004 a dream was realized with the completion and formal dedication of the U.S. Wereth Memorial in Wereth Belgium. The day began with a cold rain but as the time for the dedication neared the sky brightened, the wind died and a beautiful day was enjoyed by the over two hundred attendees. Many people came from Belgium and Holland to attend. A large group from The Rocks organization arrived by bus from Germany in addition to a formal military band and honor guard from the United States Army.
The march arrives at the Wereth monument.
The official party gathered at the Langer house. They included Mrs. Adda Rikken, President of the U.S. Wereth Memorial committee, Gloria Barrow the daughter of one of the surviving members of the 333 F.A.B., Dr. Norman Lichtenfeld, and Tina and Herman Langer, whose father had given food and refuge to the Wereth 11 on December 17, 1944.Lt. General William E. Ward, followed by many of the attendees, led the official party and color guard. The group walked from the Langer home down the road to the Memorial site- following the same route that the Wereth 11 were marched by their Nazi captors. The military band played patriotic music as the party arrived at the memorial.Mrs. Adda Rikken welcomed everyone and after further introductions and the invocation Lt. General Ward gave a moving speech in tribute to the valor of all the American G.I.s during the Battle of the Bulge but especially to the African -American G.I.s of WW II who fought and died for their country. He stressed how the sacrifices of soldiers like the Wereth 11 paved the way for the subsequent integration of our armed forces and opened opportunities of equality for Americans of all backgrounds without regards to their race.The plaques commemorating the memorial, in four languages, were unveiled, in addition to a plaque from the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge.Finally, the names of each of the Wereth 11 were called while Taps was played.
Ceremony at the new monument.
It was a beautiful and moving ceremony. More importantly it was the culmination of much effort and dedication by many people to remember these murdered men and change the little private memorial, that began in the corner of a cow pasture in an obscure Belgian hamlet, into a proper memorial for all to see and remember. Mrs. Adda Rikken said it best in her welcoming remarks when she spoke " What began with hate- we now end with honor."
