FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of the Heroes: SFC Paul Smith ~ 12 May 2008

linked in thread | Racer X

[StarCMC]

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

~ Hall of Heroes ~

SFC Paul Smith
All info and photos from this website.

           

Paul Ray Smith was born on September 24, 1969, in El Paso, Texas. At the age of nine, his family moved to South Tampa, Florida, where he attended public schools. He enjoyed sports, liked cats, skateboarding, riding bicycles, and playing pranks with friends and his younger sister Lisa. He particularly enjoyed football, which instilled the importance of being part of a team and motivated his natural leadership abilities.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith joined the 11th Engineer Battalion in 1999 and immediately became an integral part of Bravo Company. When he deployed with his platoon to Kosovo in May 2001, as part of the KFOR 3A rotation, Smith was responsible for daily presence patrols in the highly populated town of Gnjilane. In the spring of 2002, he was promoted to sergeant first class and completed the Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Course in August 2002.

In January 2003, Sgt. 1st Class Smith returned from leave to prepare his men for rapid deployment to Kuwait as part of the 3rd Infantry's Divisions buildup for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Smith took a strict approach to training his men, ensuring that his platoon was proficient in handling weapons and prepared for urban combat.

Bravo Company crossed the border on March 19th and traveled more than 300 kilometers in the first 48 hours of the war as part of the lead company in support of Task Force 2-7 Infantry. Passing through the Karbala Gap, Smith and his men pushed through the night of of April 3, 2003, towards Baghdad Airport where Bravo Company, 11th Engineer Battalion of Task Force 2-7 were involved in a firefight with Iraqi forces. Sgt. 1st Class Smith's heroic actions and tragic death are described in more detail in the battlescape section of this website and in his Medal of Honor Citation.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to

 

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith
United States Army

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith’s extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne,” and the United States Army. 

 

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Everyone. Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families. THANK YOU for all you do.

Thank you, Star, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities.

DC Metroland weather report

~ Today.....Windy with rain likely. High 51F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Rainfall near a half an inch.

~ Tonight.....Windy. Showers early becoming widely scattered overnight. Low around 45F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

Yeah, that crazy duck is about the only one who was happy that it rained all day yesterday and probably will all day today!!! And, it's been chilly. Should have turned the heat on last night, but I'm kind of stubborn on some things (this statement is not an opening for comments from the peanut gallery...got that? LOL).

Major Salute and Hats Off to SFC Paul Smith
May your eternity be filled with Glory.
R I P

Time for me to make my rounds. But, you stay right where you are. Don't touch that dial. Don't change that channel. Put down that remote. Don't leave the room. Keep your eyes on your monitor. Cause...............I'll be bock!

Now remember, the Canteen is

So, come on in and sit for a while. There's always plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM

DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, dear

(((HUGS)))

We are a chilly 45 this morning and WET! We’ll not me personally. I’m just a little damp. LOL

I’m back on my regular schedule so now I have to catch up on all the stuff that got left while I was busy with supporting a workshop thingy last week. I think I’m going to have to list them in priority order of some kind so I don’t miss anything.

(don’t tell Ma...shhhh..... but I’ve been fighting a cold all weekend. Did the Zicam thing and rested as much as possible. Didn’t even get to go visit my mom or ex-MIL yesterday.)

What’s happening out your way?

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Morning, Beach. How’s it going?

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning Beachy. (((HUGS))) to you.

Actually, we went to College Station for the daughter’s graduation at Texas A & M. That was an experience I will never forget. Almost 1,000 young adults in that ceremony, and not one with spiked or weird colored hair.

My Mom passed away in 2003. I wish I could see her on Mothers’ Day. We had to unload the daughter’s stuff that she wanted to keep from college, so we stayed at home.

I am hurting all over and had to use sports cream last night. I hope I get better early today.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning and (((HUGS))) EG. Just a rainy, gloomy Monday with piles of work waiting for my attention. Typical Monday.

Whatz happening out your way? Did you get affected by the storm?

[E.G.C.]

Nope all the stormy weather moved off to the east. We lucked out here in SW OK.

My brother has had quite a run out at the lake with some fishing. Caught quite a few.

BTW, I don't fish. Fishing isn't one of my hobbies. Web surfing is.

[beachn4fun]

Yea, I remembered that your daughter was graduating this weekend. I know you were proud parents! What does your daughter plan to do now?

Sorry about the Mother’s Day and your mom thingy. I was just thinking that it will be two years since CelticLass passed away (the day after mother’s day) and how that affected her son and DIL and grandsons.

BUT! I bet is was a GREAT Mother’s Day for your wife, huh?

[beachn4fun]

LOL on the web surfing being your hobby.

Me, I’d take fishing over web surfing!

[Arrowhead1952]

Well, it was one of those “Send all my stuff with mom & dad and let them unload and put it into my room” thing. She sent all her stuff and we had to move it into her room at the house.

[Tanniker Smith]

Good morning, beach!

Good morning, everybody!

[Arrowhead1952]

I wanted to add more to your reply from the other day and totally forgot.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2013376/posts?page=285#285

We had a great time watching the TAMU grads. Almost 1,000 young adults and they actually acted grown up. No spiked hair, weird colored hair or other dumb stuff happened. Only 30 or so tossed their mortar boards into the air after the ceremony.

The better percentage of the kids stayed after they got their diplomas to see the rest get theirs. Very few walked out and returned to their seats instead.

At the beginning of the graduation, there was a past Aggie grad singing the National Anthem and everyone stood up, faced the US flag, and PUT THEIR RIGHT HAND OVER THEIR HEART, unlike a certain presidential candidate.

[beachn4fun]

Send all my stuff with mom & dad and let them unload and put it into my room” thing

LOL Typical kid.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, hon

((HUGS))

How are ya? Whatz been going on since I’ve been away?

[blackie]

Thanks Kathy!!

{{HUGS}}

[stand watie]

GM, dear.

i'm pleased to note that you did NOT get "washed away" over the weekend!!!

a BIG mess here on our side of the river, but THANKS be to GOD, still nobody killed/seriously hurt.

free dixie SMOOCH,sw

[Sonora]

[Sonora]

[beachn4fun]

Hiya Sugar

How’s things in your little slice of the world?

[beachn4fun]

GM, sugar

I’m guessing my your message that you are back home?

Glad to hear that everything in okey dokey on your side of the river. Do you think the fish like all this rain?

SMOOCH back atcha