Lt. Col Meryl M. Smith
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 475th Fighter Group (475th FG), Headquarters Squadron (HQ)
P-38L Lightning 44-23945 Missing In Action (MIA) December 7, 1944
Background
Meryl M. Smith was born September 20, 1918 to parents Guy Carlton Smith and Alice Marion Phillips Smith in North East, PA.
Wartime History
Smith enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet and earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-403748. Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 475th Fighter Group (475th FG) "Satan's Angels", Headquarters Squadron (HQ). By late 1943 promoted to the rank of Major. By the middle of 1944, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
On August 1, 1944 when a mission over Ceram was canceled due to bad weather. Regardless, Col Charles H. MacDonald, Lt Col Meryl Smith and Danny Miller invited Charles A. Lindbergh to participate in a fighter sweep over Palau in search of aerial victories. The four P-38s took off at 9:27am from Mokmer Drome on Biak Island flying northward for the 1,200 mile mission mostly over open ocean. Despite some bad weather the flight reached Peleliu roughly 2 hours 30 minutes later at an altitude of 15,000' and flew northward then dove down over Koror and were met by anti-aircraft fire then flew to Babelthuap then turned southward at low level and strafed several small vessels then spotted two A6M2-N Rufes and released their drop tanks to engage. One Rufe was shot down by MacDonald and crashed into the sea. Lindbergh attacked the second Rufe but accidentally fired on Smith's P-38 but missed. Suddenly another Zero was spotted above as Smith shot down the second Rufe. The Zero attempted to line up on Lindbergh but was chased away by MacDonald. Calling to withdraw after thirty minutes over the target area, the four spotted a Val dive bomber and MacDonald shot it down. While withdrawing southward, a Zero in pursuit was spotted by Lindbergh and he attempted to intercept it but the Zero got on his tail and opened fire but missed. In defense he made a hard right turn and the Zero was fired on by MacDonald and Miller and left smoking as the four departed. This was likely the most harrowing combat Lindbergh experienced and might have resulted in him being shot down.
Mission History
On December 7, 1944 took off from Dulag Airfield piloting P-38L Lightning 44-23945 flying no. 3 in a flight of four P-38s of "Banyan Special" on a patrol over Ormoc Bay and engaged in air combat and claimed two Japanese planes shot down. Last seen in air combat in a steep dive with both engines smoking north of Esperanza on Poro Island and went Missing In Action (MIA).
Aerial Victory Claims
Smith was officially credited with six aerial victories between September 9, 1943 until October 29, 1943. Other sources list his score as seven victories, likely counting the Ki-43 Oscar he likely collided with when loss, but neither was officially credited.
Memorials
Smith was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Silver Star, Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Smith also has a memorial marker at North East Cemetery in North East, PA in section P. He is also listed on the War Memorial at Gibson Park, North East, PA. He is also memorialized at the National Museum of the Pacific War with a wall plaque.
References
USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: Smith, Meryl M. page 175 (PDF page 183)
The Hall of Valor Project -
Meryl M. Smith (DFC citations)
Missing Air Crew Report
11029 (MACR 11029) created December 12, 1944
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Meryl M. Smith
FindAGrave - LtC Meryl Milton “Milt” Smith (photos, tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - LTC Meryl Milton Smith (memorial marker photo)
National Museum of the Pacific War -
Meryl M. Smith (memorial plaque photo)
Lightning Strikes: The 475th Fighter Group in the Pacific War, 1943-1945 (1988) pages 8, 78, 80, 88, 91, 96, 106, 146 (aces), 149 (roster), 163 (index Smith, Meryl)
Possum, Clover & Hades 475th Fighter Group in World War II (2004) pages 23, 68, 100-101, 179, 183-186, 190, 193-194, 207-208, 226-227, 333 (index Smith, M.)
Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?
|
