GSHR_OREL Austin SMITH
OREL Austin SMITH -- Son of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Smith; born May 31, 1898, Kingman, Fountain County, Ind. High school student. Enlisted in U.S. Marine Corps April 3, 1917. Sent to Parris Island, S. C.; assigned to 82nd Company, 6th Regiment, 2nd Division. Transferred to Quantico, Va.; then to Cuba. Went overseas; in battles of Belleau Woods, Chateau-Thierry, Soissons, Toul, and Meuse Argonne Offensive. Killed. in action November 2, 1918, Meuse Argonne Offensive. (Buried Harveysburg Cemetery, Kingman, Fountain County, Indiana)
Obituary of: OREL (Oral) AUSTIN SMITH
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 2 Dec 1918
Hillsboro, Dec 2 - It was learned here Sunday that Oral Smith, a former student of the Hillsboro HS has made the supreme sacrifice, having been killed in France November 2. He was a member of the 82nd Co, 6th Reg US Marine Corps. Young Smith was staying at the home of his grandmother, Miss Mary Robbins of this place, attending school and was one of the first boys of this vicinity to volunteer his service to Uncle Sam. He enlisted Feb 28, 1917 and after a few months training was sent to Cuba where he remained until the past spring when he volunteered as a sniper and was sent back to the States for a brief training period before going overseas. He landed in France in May and has been in some of the thicket of the fighting. He was in a hospital for a time and it is not known when he was sent back to the front. He was 20 years of age and the son of Austin Smith of Danville, Illinois. He made his home with his uncle, John Smith of Yeddo for a few years. -- kbz