Remembering the Life and Memory of...

Cpl James E. Smith 


Hometown:  Long Valley, NJ
Died: October 3rd, 1993 in Mogadishu, Somalia, Operation Gothic Serpent.
Unit:  Company B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Ft. Benning, Ga.
Incident: Died from injuries suffered whilst attempting to rescue a team member.

Posthumously awarded the Silver Star with Valor Device and Oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart.
   Corporal Smith was born in Morristown, New Jersey in February 1972. He is a 1990 graduate of West Morris High School. He entered the service in October 1990 and after completing initial entry training at Fort Benning, Georgia, was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. On 16 August 1993, Corporal Smith and his company were sent to Mogadishu, Somalia. While in Somalia, Corporal Smith participated in six combat operations, the final operation being the fifteen-hour battle known as “The Battle of the Black Sea.” During this battle, one of the UH-60 helicopters providing aerial coverage was shot down. Corporal Smith and his team were the lead element for the company in the movement toward the downed aircraft.
          Under an intense fusillade of enemy fire, Corporal Smith and his men fought from street to street to link up with the downed aircraft. Upon reaching the crash site, Corporal Smith began to suppress the enemy as other elements attempted to rescue the helicopter crew. Corporal Smith continued to hold the enemy at bay until he was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Corporal Smith was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device and oak leaf cluster (Posthumous), and the Purple Heart. His other awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Combat Infantry Badge.
Cpl. James "Jamie" Edgar Smith Jr. (1972 – October 3, 1993) was a U.S. Army Ranger who served in Mogadishu, Somalia. He was one of the 19 American soldiers killed during the The Battle of Mogadishu, bleeding to death after being shot in the thigh. Smith was the eldest of three sons of James H. Smith, a Vietnam War veteran.

ContentsEarly lifeJamie Smith was born in 1972 to James and Carol Smith. He was from Long Valley, New Jersey.[1] Smith graduated from West Morris Central High School in 1990, where he played both varsity lacrosse and football. After graduation, Smith went on to enlist in the US Army, his goal from the beginning to become an Army Ranger.[2] Smith became a machine gunner, and was one of the top gunners in his regiment. He was quickly promoted to corporal.

Military ServiceSmith was one of 19 US military personnel killed in action in Somalia between October 3 and 4, 1993. He had been part of a Ranger unit fast roping from a helicopter to provide security for a mission to capture Somali clan leaders. He was among the first Rangers to arrive at the scene of one of the downed helicopters. The Rangers did not want to leave dead bodies in the helicopter; Somalis were known for mutilating American bodies. He was helping a fellow soldier when an enemy bullet struck his thigh, severing his femoral artery.

Film and Book portrayals In the 2001 film Black Hawk Down, based on the operation, Smith was portrayed by Charlie Hofheimer and served as Matt Eversmann's second in command. The most notable scene including Smith was shortly after he was shot in the leg, being cared for by other United States soldiers attempting to save his life. Jamie Smith's role in the Battle of Mogadishu was described in the novel Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. Smith's father was extensively interviewed by the book's author, Mark Bowden, prior to being published in 1999.

Tributes Jamie Smith was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster in addition to a Purple Heart.

During the reading of a tribute to him in the senate he was said to be "dedicated and responsible...extremely focused on his commitment to the U.S. Army"[3]

See alsoReferences
  1. ↑ "THE SOMALIA MISSION; Pentagon Identifies Fatalities in Somalia", The New York Times, October 6. 1993. Accessed December 26, 2007. "SMITH, Spc. James E., 21, Long Valley, N.J."
  2. ↑ Hanley, Robert. "THE SOMALIA MISSION; Relatives Recount Dreams of 2 Killed in Somalia", The New York Times, October 7, 1993. Accessed December 26, 2007. "Mr. Smith, himself a retired Army Ranger captain who lost the lower half of his left leg in combat in Vietnam in 1967, shared portions of his 21-year-old son's letter, dated September 25, at a news conference near their home here and talked about his son's boyhood, his decision to enlist in the Army after graduating from West Morris Central High School here in 1990 and his death after a month's duty in Somalia."
  3. ↑ TRIBUTE TO SPC. JAMES SMITH, COMPANY B, 3D BATTALION, 75TH RANGER REGIMENT (Senate - November 10, 1993)"Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I stand before you today to pay tribute to Spc. James Smith , a Ranger tragically killed in the recent clash with Somali forces loyal to warlord Mohamed Farah Aideed. Along with 11 other U.S. soldiers, Mr. Smith died when he was pinned down near the crash site of a U.S. helicopter.James Smith , a New Jersey native, graduated from West Morris Central High School, Long Valley, NJ. While growing up, he participated in the Boy Scouts and varsity lacrosse and football. Following the family tradition, Jamie, as his family and friends knew him, decided to try for the elite Ranger unit with which his father had served in Vietnam. In October 1990, he enlisted in the Army and trained in Fort Benning, GA. He was sent to Somalia on a mission of mercy at the end of August.Specialist Smith was the leader of the five-man unit trained for fast, highly violent confrontations. After entering the Army, James not only became more dedicated and responsible, he also became extremely focused on his commitment to the U.S. Army.Like his comrades, Specialist Smith died a hero. This country is indebted to him for his service. As the more than 800 mourners at his memorial service demonstrated, his passing leaves a void in the lives of many. His commitment to his nation, his strength of character, and his love of family and friends will always be remembered."

The Photo Gallery below is from the 2016 NJRFTF at Hero Marker 307.2