Nelson Walker Smith was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of John Lawrence Smith and Mattie Zula Goodman. He attended Farragut High School.

He was the Tail Gunner on aircraft B-17F with serial number 42-30824. The Aircraft was on a bombing mission to Schweinfurt, Germany and crashed approximately 1/2 mile from Villingen in Germany.

Thirty to forty minutes after leaving the target, near Villingen, Germany, five of the crew members bailed out at an altitude of between 300 and 500 feet after the aircraft was shot in two by ME 110. The ship went down and burned. Nelson didn’t bail out. He was killed in the radio room.

Crew members
Pilot, 2nd Lt Frank M. Talbot
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt Elvin C. Erickson
Navigator, 2nd Lt James H. Houser
Bombardier, 2nd LtEdward L. Walter
Top Turret Gunner, S/Sgt Edward M. Evans
Ball Turret Gunner, Sgt Donovan W. Jones
Right Waist Gunner, Sgt William C. Tench
Left Waist Gunner, S/Sgt Arlen R. Harmon
Tail Gunner, S/Sgt Nelson W. Smith
Radio Operator / Gunner, S/Sg Gerald F. Young

  • Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Date of birth:
  • 22 August 1920
  • Date of death: 14 October 1943
  • County: Knox
  • Hometown: Concord
  • Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
  • Division/Assignment: 327th Bomber Squadron, 92nd Bomber Group, Heavy
  • Theater: Europe
  • Conflict: World War II
  • Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
  • Burial/Memorial Location: Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium
  • Location In Memorial: Pillar XIV, Top Panel
  • Contact us to sponsor Nelson W. Smith

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