Heber J. Smith was born on December 23, 1918 in Salt Lake City, Utah. His parents Willard and Florence were also both born in Utah. Heber was the grandson of two different presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph F. Smith who died a month before Heber was born, and Heber J. Grant who succeeded Smith and would remain president until his death in May 1945.

Heber's father worked as a cashier at Zions Bank, which happens to be the same bank I worked for 100 years later. Heber had three older brothers, an older sister, two younger brothers, and one younger sister. Heber grew up in Salt Lake City. He was active in Boy Scouts and became an Eagle Scout. He attended both Brigham Young University and the University of Utah when he was called to serve a mission for his church in France. His mission was cut short when France was invaded by Germany in 1940. He was transferred to complete his mission in French speaking Canada. He returned to complete his studies at the University of Utah but was drafted by the Army one quarter away from graduation.

Heber was originally going to serve in the Army Medical Corps but instead volunteered to join the Army Air Forces on January 13, 1942. His service number was 39680970. He trained at March Field, California, then Garner Field, Texas, and then Ellington Field, Texas. While in training he engaged to be married to Marjorie Paulson. He learned to fly B-24 Liberators and was designated a co-pilot. He became a second lieutenant on April 22, 1943. He was assigned to the 577th Bombardment Squadron, 392nd Bombardment Group which was sent to England in August 1943.

He was co-pilot on the B-24 Gregory The Great (#42-7493) which was lost on its seventh mission - a November 26, 1943 mission to bomb submarine construction facilities in Bremen, Germany. Smith's B-24 was having engine trouble and had difficulties keeping up with the rest of the formation. It fell behind and belly landed at the month of the Elbe River. The wreckage could be seen at low tide until it was removed. Post-war investigations could not determine whether the plane was shot down or crashed due to mechanical failure. Second hand reports suggest that most of the crew survived the crash, only to be killed after landing, a violation of the rules of wars agreed to by the Germans. There is a website with extensive information about this plane and all the crew here.

Lt. Smith's remains were found after the war. His grave is at Salt Lake City Cemetery in Utah.

Thank you Lt. Smith for your sacrifice.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

References:

Ancestry.com for census information.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62387936/heber-j_-smith

https://bolick-crew.000webhostapp.com/smithstory.htm

Heber J Smith