13 Nov 2002 Terry, I still remember your Tennessee toothpick and your kindness. Ron Smith rsmythe@mindspring.com

 

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON, DC 20350 The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL posthumously to CORPORAL TERRY L. SMITH UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a radio operator with Company "M", Third Battalion, Twenty-sixth Marines, Third Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 20 February 1968, on Hill 881S near Khe Sanh, Corporal Smith observed a Marine helicopter landing in a zone on which he knew North Vietnamese Army gunners had registered heavy mortars. He realized that the aircraft would almost certainly be destroyed if it remained in the landing zone, and attempted unsuccessfully to contact the pilot by radio. Aware that the enemy rounds were probably already on the way, he restrained a Marine junior to him from going out on to the zone, and leaving the safety of his bunker ran across the open ground signaling manually to the helicopter crew to take off immediately. As the helicopter took off and before Corporal Smith could reach cover, he was fatally wounded by mortar fragments, gallantly sacrificing his life so that the crew might live. By his extraordinary courage in the face of overwhelming odds, his uncommon concern for others, and his self-sacrificing efforts, Corporal Smith reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. For the President, /s/ J. William Middendorf Secretary of the Navy

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall At the time of his death, Corporal Smith was a radio operator with Mike 3/26. His platoon, and two other from Mike 3/26, were under the operational control of India Company, 3/26, occupying Hill 881 South near the Khe Sanh Combat Base. Hill 881S was under constant observation by North Vietnamese Army units on the surrounding hilltops, and the Marines atop the peak were surrounded by NVA forces in the valleys and on the side of the hill. All resupply of Hill 881S was by air. Captain William H. Dabney (now Colonel USMC, Retired) commanded India 3/26 and the attached platoons from Mike 3/26. Colonel Dabney describes the situation and recalls Corporal Smith's actions and the aftermath on the The Warriors of Hill 881S web site. The following extract is from that source: "Cpl. Terry L. Smith [had] been on the hill for a while, was a smart and good Marine, and had worked most all the birds, including sometimes helping out the HST [helicopter support teams]. He therefore knew exactly what the risk was to the bird, and to himself. Several years after the death of Cpl. Smith I talked with a Marine from 881S who had visited his parents and found that the award which I had recommended for him had not been acted upon. My original recommendation package was sent to Khe Sanh a couple days after Cpl. Smith's death but, as was the case then, we heard nothing back so I assumed it had been approved at some level. In retrospect I recall that soon after February 20, 1968 our command bunker at Khe Sanh took a direct 152mm hit killing an Admin Clerk and wounding several others. The paper work may well have been blown away at that time. Understand that unit administration, including award recommendations, was not simple then, I resubmitted it and it was approved. Further, General P. X. Kelly, considering Corporal Smith's actions a perfect example of what the Air-Ground Team is all about, approved naming the new Henderson Hall Gymnasium for Corporal Smith in 1985." The Citation text and information above is courtesy of the The Warriors of Hill 881S site, which is hosted and webmastered by Frank Gulledge of the HMM-364 site. The Virtual Wall appreciates their contribution to this memorial.

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