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Jim Smith: Soldier.
Jimmie Smith was raised in the Rockport community, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Smith.
His informal education was obtained by being able to associate with others in Rockport
and to roam the hills and woods in the Rockport area while under the guidance of his
parents, other kin, and others in the Rockport community. His formal schooling started
at Rockport High School when he entered the first grade. He was able to attend school
at Rockport until the start of the Ohio County consolidation of High Schools and then
the Rockport High School students were sent to Beaver Dam High School. A few years later
complete consolidation occurred and all high school students attended Ohio County
High School. In 1957, Jimmie and the other high school students from Rockport were
bussed to Beaver Dam to complete their high school education. With one year of high
school at Rockport and three years at Beaver Dam, Jimmie received his high school
diploma in 1959.
A few years after graduation, Jimmy Smith joined the U. S. Army. I asked Jim for
his military picture and in general, a brief description of his Army life. I have
left his message intact. Thanks Jim for the picture and info and a big thanks for
your service to our country. A job well done.
I went to Indiana directly out of high school and went to work at RCA two months later,
in 1959. I got married, April 14th 1961, to Charlene Guthrie. We had a short honeymoon
because I went in service in May of 61. I had 41 years and 10 months when I retired
in 2001, counting my service time. RCA was a good place to work.
I joined the Army the last of May, 1961. Viet Nam was starting to get worse and the
Berlin Crisis was going on. My thinking was to go in and maybe get what I wanted. Myself
and two other guys were going in on the buddy system. Well, that didn't work. One
of them backed out and the other failed the physical so I went on by myself.
I went to Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri for basic training and I think that it was
uphill every place we marched. After basic training, I went to Fort Gordon, Georgia
for signal school. We knew we were going to Nam or Berlin; myself and four others
went to Southern France outside a small city called Perigueux. I spent a lot of time
in Germany on maneuvers. I was transferred to Vassincourt in Northern France. One
day we took all of the trucks and signal equipment and loaded them on a ship. We all
thought that we were going to Nam, but we stopped in Virginia for new equipment and
by the time we got everything installed, it was time for me to get out.
I spent 3 years of active duty. I went in on 5/29/1961 and got out 5/28/64. I spent
4 more years of inactive. I was overseas during the Cuban Missile Crisis. That was
a real experience.
Above Material by Army Veteran Jimmie Smith.
I have left
his information intact.
Thanks Jim, thanks for serving.
jrd
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