Smith

Donald Gregory Smith, 0-389010, Captain

Pilot Crew 15 

Born January 15, 1918, Oldham, South Dakota
Killed in Action, November 12, 1942

Graduated from Belle Fourche, South Dakota and received BS degree from University of South Dakota in June 1940. Commissioned as Second Lieutenant, Infantry. Entered service as Flying Cadet in July 1940. Completed flight training and rated as pilot in March 1941. Returned to United States after Tokyo Raid and assigned 432nd Bomb Squadron at Barksdale, Louisiana.  Killed in western Europe as result of injuries sustained in airplane crash on November 12, 1942. Decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Chinese Army, Navy, and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade.

Lieutenant Smith died of injuries sustained in an airplane crash in Western Europe seven months after the Tokyo raid.

Pine Slope Cemetery
US 85 and MT 34
Belle Fourche, SD

Block C Lot 14 Grave 4

Memorial plaque in Belle Fourche, SD

Please see below a short account of the untimely death of Doolittle Raider Crew #15 Pilot Donald Smith written by Raider Tom Griffin on March 16, 2001. It was provided by Tom’s son, John Griffin.

The Untimely Death of Donald Smith, Plane #15 Pilot

 By Tom Griffin

 Donald Smith, Pilot plane #15

    - crash landed along China coast following raid, 18 April 1942

    - killed in crash in British Isles, 12 November 1942

The 319th Bomber Group was at Attlebridge Air Force Base near Norfolk in November 1942. We were feeding a few planes a day down to a field near Lands-End in S/W England.  From there they were taking off for the flight to Aran, Morocco to join now Gen. Doolittle's 12th A/F.

 The day Don Smith was due to take off I drove him to his plane in a jeep.  I'm sure I was the last man to shake his hand and wish him a good flight.

 Don & I had been in the same group working our way westward to Chungking and free China after our raid on Japan.  I and others in our group had come to know Don as a smart, competent, conscientious, and reliable man, who could be counted on to do whatever job assigned to him in a businesslike manner.

 It was with great sadness we heard the news that he had crashed in bad weather on that day's flight.  He and his entire crew were casualties.

 The Army Air Corps had lost a most valuable pilot and I a good friend.