Freedom Remembered

Born: October 9, 1982 in Wilmington, North Carolina
Died: May 12, 2005 in Iskandariyah, Iraq

Sgt John M. Smith of Wilmington, North Carolina graduated from New Hanover High School in 2000 where he played football, baseball and lacrosse and was an JROTC cadet. He liked both punk rock and oldies, and often wore an Allman Brothers Tshirt. Nicknamed, “Pudge,” he took being a little overweight in stride. In August of 2000, after graduation he entered active service. Following training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he completed a tour in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. Upon deployment to Iraq, John was reassigned to HHT, where he served as a Military Trainer for the Iraqi Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom III. ‘Mac’ held the highest respect of his fellow soldiers. He was an outstanding young man who enthusiastically performed every task to standard. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Army Parachutist Badge. He is survived by his parents, Thomas and Judith Smith. Mac wanted to be buried in a National Cemetery, and so it was that his family fullfilled that wish just blocks from where he spent his childhood. His maternal grandfather, a World War II veteran who served in the Marine Corps, is one of the more than 6,000 military veterans also buried in the cemetery. He was the apple of his grandfather’s eye. He was killed at age 22 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Iskandariyah, Iraq.
Army
2nd Squadron
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Fort Irwin, California

Burial is at Wilmington National Cemetery in Wilmington, North Carolina – Sec 6 Site 733

The Sgt John McClellan Smith by Freedom Remembered, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.