Jack Smith

Jack Smith

ABM3

I was born on March 3, 1925 in Logansport, Kentucky, in Butler County. Before entering the Navy, I was a farmer, along with my father.

I enlisted in the Navy in Morgantown, Kentucky in September 1943, and went to Boot Camp in Great Lakes, Illinois for six weeks. After a short leave home, I went to San Francisco, California to board the U.S.S. Nassau.

I was on the Nassau for most of my 2 years, 2 months and 14 days that I was in the Navy. While on the Nassau my rank was Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3C, and my ratings were AS, S2C, SIC, ABM3C. My duties were to take care of the fuel detail. I had to oversee the fueling and defueling of the aircraft. My battle station was manning a 20 mm gun.

My most memorable event aboard the Nassau was when I crossed the Equator on May 12, 1944. I saw many places while in the Navy, and was glad to have served my country. I received an

Honorable Discharge from the Great Lakes Naval Station on December 12,1945.

Upon returning home, I married Wanda Neil Romans on March 20, 1946 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. We moved to Owensbor, Kentucky and have called it home since 1950. We have three children and six grandchildren. All live nearby and we enjoy them very much. We have been blessed by God to have such a good life, family, health, and to live in such a great country. May God Bless America.