A Vietnam War veteran from Star City flashed a small smile at his wife the moment a Silver Star medal was pinned to his suit jacket in front of a room full of people at the state Capitol.
U.S. Rep Rick Crawford, R-Ark., presented Spc. James "Buddy" Smith with the medal Tuesday morning, nearly 50 years after Smith performed the acts that earned him the award. The Silver Star is the U.S. military's third-highest medal for valor and is awarded for gallantry in action against opposing forces.
"It's an honor that's long overdue," Crawford said. "His service and sacrifice wasn't accurately reflected in the record, and today it is."
Smith, 72, grew up on his family's small farm in Lincoln County. After graduating from high school, Smith started working for the Cotton Belt Railroad. He was drafted into the Army a few months later.
At age 21, Smith was assigned to Fort Polk, La., and then spent nine months in Hawaii before he received orders to go to Vietnam.
According to an authorization signed by Secretary of the Army John McHugh and read aloud Tuesday, Smith received the Silver Star for actions on July 3, 1966.
Smith, a soldier with the 25th Infantry Division, was on patrol that day when he and others in his unit ran across an enemy base camp close to the Cambodian border. They were ambushed, and Smith's comrade, Tommy Giorgi, was shot in the pelvis.
Smith cut a piece of cloth from his T-shirt and used it as a bandage, saving Giorgi's life, according to the authorization. The document also says Smith ran into heavy fire and recovered weapons and ammunition from dead soldiers so his unit could defend itself until more American forces arrived to help.
"When you read about Buddy's accomplishments, the narrative that accompanied that Silver Star award, you get images in your mind of what that must have been like, and you just can't imagine what that day must have been like for him personally," Crawford said. "We can read about it, but we can't ever know."
Smith was badly wounded in the ambush and was taken to a hospital in Yokohama, Japan, where he spent months recovering.
Remembering that day, Smith said only about a half-dozen soldiers from his platoon survived the attack.
"It was a terrible day," Smith said. "It's something you just don't forget. You have to live with it. I came home and just tried to blot it out of my mind and just go on with my life."
After his time in Vietnam, Smith received two Purple Heart medals, the Combat Infantry Badge, the National Defense medal, the Vietnam Service medal and the Vietnam Campaign medal.
Crawford said Smith's qualification for the Silver Star could have been overlooked by the military -- something that "fell through the cracks."
Mark Thomsen, a casework manager with Crawford's office in Cabot, got Smith's case through the right channels starting about six months ago after Giorgi, who now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., provided a sworn statement about Smith's actions in Vietnam.
Giorgi, Smith and a few other survivors from the ambush reunited in St. Louis in 2008, Smith said. They have since kept in touch.
"[Giorgi] called our office and said, 'Look, I got this Silver Star, and Mr. Smith deserves it more than me. He did a lot more than me,'" Thomsen said. "That's what really got the ball rolling."
Besides the Silver Star medal, Smith was presented Tuesday with a certificate for his service in the Cold War, as well as an American flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol.
The ceremony was attended by state officials, Arkansas National Guard members and Smith's friends and family, including his wife, Joyce, and his son, daughter and five grandchildren. Smith looked toward his family throughout the presentation.
While addressing the crowd of about 75 people assembled Tuesday, he repeated his thanks that the group would take the time to recognize his service.
"I'm thankful that God allowed me to come home from Vietnam," he said. "I'm also thankful for all of you who came today to share in this honor with me. May God bless you all, and may God bless America."
Metro on 09/02/2015