The relief of Major General Ralph Smith, United States Army, from the command of the 27th Infantry Division during the battle for Saipan on 24 June 1944 by Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith, United States Marine Corps, seemingly ignited a...
Looks at the battle of Osan, which was the first engagement of the Korean War involving American troops. It was fought by a battalion-sized force to delay the enemy's advance while its parent unit--the 24th Infantry Division--entered Korea through...
A large part of all the history that has been written relates in some way to military operations. The history of the Civil War is useful in keeping alive the military interest of the present generation so that the next may have some civil history...
Provide information about Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith before he joined the military and the renowned day of April 4, 2003 and his receipt of the Medal of Honor.
SFC Paul Ray Smith was born September 24, 1969 in EI Paso, TX, and moved to...
SFC Paul Ray Smith was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for distinguishing himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4...
Discipline is not a natural ability for all soldiers; it is learned over time. Like so many young soldiers Paul Smith was not well disciplined when he enlisted in 1989. He trained as a Combat Engineer and was stationed at Bamburg, Germany in 1990....
SFC Smith’s heroism saved approximately 100 American Soldiers and prevented the Republican Guard from over running the aid station and the Task Force headquarters less than a half a mile away. In doing this, he became the latest recipient of the...
During the Civil War, the Confederate government passed legislation creating a national military academy and establishing the rank of Cadet. The national military college was unnecessary because the Confederacy already possessed numerous state...
We watch the news stories about corrupt cops, athletes that inject steroids and crooked politicians. My heroes don’t play professional sports nor are they elected political officials; they are standing in front of me today. They are America’s...
This monograph examines intelligence and how it was applied to Task Force Smith. Task Force Smith was a regimental combat from 1st Battalion 21st Infantry Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Charles 'Brad' Smith, the first American soldiers...
History can provide valuable insight into how future American forces can avoid finding themselves unprepared to fight and win in a conflict’s opening stages. There are numerous examples of American forces performing poorly in the opening battles...
This study investigates whether the infantry doctrine used by the Union and Confederate armies in the Battle of Chickamauga followed published doctrine and determines what effect infantry doctrine had on the battle. Beginning with a review of each...
This monograph examines the exercise of staff control by the chiefs of staff at those headquarters either fighting or supporting warfare at the operational level. It is important for those commanders tasked to plan for warfare at the operational...
One of the most significant areas of guerrilla warfare during the American Civil War occurred along the Missouri-Kansas border. Many of these guerrilla forces had been active during the Bleeding Kansas period and continued their activities into the...
By 1863, the Civil War was basically a stalemate between the two belligerents. Though the Union forces had achieved some success in conducting joint expeditions that resulted in securing the Mississippi River and the majority of the Southern ports,...
Army leaders must make the right decisions at the right time for the right reason, even if the right decision is in direct conflict with the Army's regulatory guidance. This scenario is called an ethical dilemma and it faces many NCOs and Officers...
The purpose of this monograph is to inquire whether or not the traditional explanation of poor peacetime training and unit readiness is adequate to account for U.S. Army defeats during the first month of the Korean War. General histories of the...
This study investigates the role that Engineer Operations played in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. A background study and description is made of the structure, composition, capability, and employment of engineer officers and...
This volume is a series of pen-pictures of the every-day life of the soldier during the Georgia campaigns beginning with the movement against Atlanta, how he lived, how he marched, and how he fought on the skirmish line and the line-of-battle.
Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith was born September 24, 1969 in EI Paso, Texas. At the age of nine years old, he and his family moved to South Tampa, Florida. Donald and Janice Pvirre were the parents of Paul Ray Smith. He was one of four...