Donavon F. Smith

Donavon F. Smith (HM1AQ2)

Location: Niles, MI 49120 Berrien County
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Country: United States of America
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N 41° 49.609', W 86° 14.782'

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Inscription

Lieutenant General USAF

— 1922 - 1974 —

This Veterans Memorial Park is named in honor of Donavon F. Smith, Lt. General, USAF. General Smith graduated from Niles High School in 1940. After flight training, he was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in England where he flew 123 combat missions in a P-47 "Thunderbolt" aircraft. General Smith became a fighter Ace when he show down his 5th enemy aircraft, three of these occurring in a single mission over Germany, 11 December 1943. His military career spanned 32 years with combat in World War II and as chief advisor to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in the Vietnamese conflict.

His body now rests in the United States Air Force Academy in the foothills of the Rockies.

(Metal Tablet)
General Smith served in a variety of vital Air Force assignments that included tours with Headquarters U.S. Air Force; Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe; Strategic Air Command; and the Air Defense Command. He also served as commander of the Alaskan Air Command and the Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force, Turkey. His military decorations and awards included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with Eight Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with One Oak Leaf Cluster. The Republic of Vietnam awarded him with the National Order of Vietnam, Fourth Class; Air Force Distinguished Service Order, First Class; Staff Service Medal, First Class; Flight Honor Certificate with Wings; and the Chuong My Medal.
Details
HM NumberHM1AQ2
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Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, September 14th, 2014 at 4:14am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16T E 562583 N 4630822
Decimal Degrees41.82681667, -86.24636667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 41° 49.609', W 86° 14.782'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds41° 49' 36.54" N, 86° 14' 46.92" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)269
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 1100-1198 E Main St, Niles MI 49120, US
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