Lieutenant Colonel Eugene A Smith
Eugene Alonzo Smith was born on July 22nd, 1886 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania to Dr. John Smith and Mary Weicht. He was the second oldest of five siblings and shortly after his birth, the Smith family relocated to Maryland where Eugene’s father continued his occupation as a physician. At an early age, John Smith instilled the importance of a career in the medical field in his children. As a result, Eugene attended the University of Pennsylvania, completed their Army Dentist School, and received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree by 1906. It did not take long for Eugene to put his skills to use and gain a steady paying job, along with meeting and marrying Emily Townsend. Together they had two children by 1914, both of whom were named after themselves. While life was going smoothly for the couple, the World War abroad that began in 1914 would separate Eugene from his wife and kids. Once the United States entered the conflict in April of 1917, there was a desperate need for trained doctors and physicians to tend to troops in the field. Eugene was offered a 2nd Lieutenant commission in the US Army Dental Corps which he accepted on October 12th, 1917, and later was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on January 21st of the following year. Camp Greenleaf, Georgia became 1st Lt Smith’s new home as he trained there in preparation for going overseas and receiving a unit assignment, which came sooner than anticipated.
France
On May 16th, 1918, 1st Lt Smith joined the Sanitary Detachment, 311th Machine Gun Battalion, 79th Infantry Division and left the United States from New Jersey aboard the Leviathan in early July, landing by the end of the month. After switching between camps in Britain and France to receive additional training, the 311th Machine Gun Battalion entered the line in the Troyon Sector on October 8th to support the massive Meuse Argonne offensive, however during the trek there, 1st Lt Smith was caught in a gas attack and wounded on September 30th, 1918. While his unit and the 79th Division advanced into the Argonne, Smith underwent treatment and finally rejoined his Sanitary Detachment on November 12th, one day after the Armistice was signed that ended the Great War. However, this was not the end of his overseas service. His unit now entered Germany for the occupation and on April 3rd, 1919, Smith accepted a promotion to Captain. A month later, Smith transferred to the Medical Detachment, 38th Infantry Division, then the 27th Evacuation Hospital to continue his duties as a dental officer. With a long stay in Europe evident, the government granted passports to Captain Smith’s family so they could join him in Germany as he now worked with Base Hospital 22 in Koblenz. Finally, on January 11th, 1920, Captain Smith boarded USAT Thomas and arrived back in the US on the 24th. He chose to remain in the Army Reserves while also furthering his physician career in the New York area serving with the New York General Depot.
On October 4th, 1929, Smith was promoted to Major and was assigned to the Hawaiian Department in June of 1930, joining in person in November at Fort Kamehameha. He carried out his duties in the refreshing tropical environment for just over three years before returning to the states on December 1st, 1932. Eventually, he was back on the move to the Panama Canal Department during which he gained a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on October 4th, 1937. His last post began in September of 1939 when he joined the New York Port of Embarkation to be closer to his family residing in Maryland. Unfortunately, a disability incident prompted the Army to find him incapable of further service, and he retired on April 30th, 1940 after over thirty two years of service in the US Dental Corps. This sudden event led him to miss out on using his skills during World War Two, but he had seen enough service regardless. For the rest of his life, Eugene practiced dentistry to hundreds of clients until shortly before his death on March 18th, 1976.
France
On May 16th, 1918, 1st Lt Smith joined the Sanitary Detachment, 311th Machine Gun Battalion, 79th Infantry Division and left the United States from New Jersey aboard the Leviathan in early July, landing by the end of the month. After switching between camps in Britain and France to receive additional training, the 311th Machine Gun Battalion entered the line in the Troyon Sector on October 8th to support the massive Meuse Argonne offensive, however during the trek there, 1st Lt Smith was caught in a gas attack and wounded on September 30th, 1918. While his unit and the 79th Division advanced into the Argonne, Smith underwent treatment and finally rejoined his Sanitary Detachment on November 12th, one day after the Armistice was signed that ended the Great War. However, this was not the end of his overseas service. His unit now entered Germany for the occupation and on April 3rd, 1919, Smith accepted a promotion to Captain. A month later, Smith transferred to the Medical Detachment, 38th Infantry Division, then the 27th Evacuation Hospital to continue his duties as a dental officer. With a long stay in Europe evident, the government granted passports to Captain Smith’s family so they could join him in Germany as he now worked with Base Hospital 22 in Koblenz. Finally, on January 11th, 1920, Captain Smith boarded USAT Thomas and arrived back in the US on the 24th. He chose to remain in the Army Reserves while also furthering his physician career in the New York area serving with the New York General Depot.
On October 4th, 1929, Smith was promoted to Major and was assigned to the Hawaiian Department in June of 1930, joining in person in November at Fort Kamehameha. He carried out his duties in the refreshing tropical environment for just over three years before returning to the states on December 1st, 1932. Eventually, he was back on the move to the Panama Canal Department during which he gained a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on October 4th, 1937. His last post began in September of 1939 when he joined the New York Port of Embarkation to be closer to his family residing in Maryland. Unfortunately, a disability incident prompted the Army to find him incapable of further service, and he retired on April 30th, 1940 after over thirty two years of service in the US Dental Corps. This sudden event led him to miss out on using his skills during World War Two, but he had seen enough service regardless. For the rest of his life, Eugene practiced dentistry to hundreds of clients until shortly before his death on March 18th, 1976.