MonticelloLive

Being Governor provides me with opportunities every day to affect positive change for Arkansas, and this week I had the chance to share in an event that is truly one of the best parts of this job. On Friday, I joined representatives from Senator Blanche Lincoln’s office and from Representative Mike Ross’s office to present the long-overdue Bronze Star Medal to veteran Private First Class Ray Smith of Hot Springs Village for his bravery in combat during World War II.

Often these stories are lost and known only to a few, and to have had the honor to learn more about Ray’s service and to ensure that his bravery receives the recognition it so richly deserves is a genuine privilege. Now, I have the great opportunity to share this story with all of you.

Ray Smith was an infantryman with the 70th Battalion, code-named “The Trailblazers.” Ray served as a courier, relaying messages from the commanders to the battle lines. Many times he was forced to stay on the front lines to fill in for other soldiers, who had fallen in battle. Often, he would have to walk the seven miles to the front.

While in Germany, his and several other divisions were given the orders to take the heavily guarded Saar River. These battalions were stalled along the River. General George Patton needed to get his tanks across the Saar, so he called together the troops and declared that they would take the Saar River that night, and, with General Patton leading the charge, they succeeded.

Later, Ray was returning to the front when he encountered several German infantrymen. He backtracked, found re-enforcements, and returned to destroy the German stronghold. Ray was later injured and taken as a prisoner of war. He was liberated from his detention camp by the Russian Army. Unfortunately, this act of bravery was not recognized for many years.

Sadly, this story was lost when Ray’s military records were destroyed in a fire in Kansas. After more than 50 years of waiting and nearly two years of phone calls and red tape, Sen. Lincoln and Rep. Ross were able to find his records and award Ray the medals he truly deserves.

Ray’s story is not unlike countless others, stories of courage and heroism that defined America’s greatest generation — the generation that protected and built our country and Arkansas. We owe him a great debt of thanks.