The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, 1LT Joseph William Smith, who died in the service of his country on November 27th, 1950 in North Korea. The cause of death was listed as POW declared Dead. At the time of his death Joseph was 25 years of age. He was from Newark, New Jersey.

The decorations earned by 1LT Joseph William Smith include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Korea Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

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First Lieutenant Smith was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea on November 27, 1950 and died while a prisoner on August 1, 1951. His remains were not recovered. For his leadership and valor, First Lieutenant Smith was awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Joseph Smith was my brother in law. He was in the paratroopers during WWII and fought in the European Theatre of Operations. Joe was a professional soldier. He was stationed in Korea when the North Koreans invaded South Korea and he was captured early in the war. We had no idea he was a POW until 1953 when his wife, my sister, received a letter from him sent from a POW camp. He died from ameobic dysentary before he could be repatriated. A fellow POW visited my sister and brought some of Joe's personal belongings, including his wedding ring, to her. Joe's remains are intered in the Punch Bowl militaty cemetery. He left two children, Cindy(decesased) and Christine. (Quintin Villanueva)