Ernest
Ernest L. Smith
d. November 11, 2008
Ernest L. Smith, age 98, and a resident of Gulfport, passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Claudia Cahill Smith, and sister Willa Vell Lenaz. He is survived by a son, Ernest, Jr., aÌ‚â‚Å“Rusty,aÌ‚â‚; a daughter, Sandra Brinkman; two grandsons, Rob Brinkman and wife, Helen, and Rich Brinkman and wife, Jane; great-granddaughters, Nichole Brinkman and Genee Rose Brinkman; a great-grandson, Richie Brinkman; nephew Ray Lenz and wife Evelyn of Biloxi, nieces May Jean Gregg and husband O.C. of Florida, Lola Fay Attinger and husband Ken of California, and Barbara Stribbling and husband Ken of Madison, MS.
Mr. Smith was born in Purvis, MS in 1910 to Francis Mitchell Smith and Hugh Fountain Smith. He moved to Gulfport in 1922.
Mr. Smith commanded the first ground task force to enter England at the beginning of WWII, July 15, 1942. In November of that year, he was awarded the Legion of Merit in the European theatre of operation. He was cited """"for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and commanding officer of a signal construction battalion.aÌ‚â‚ He aÌ‚â‚Å“supervised the construction and rehabilitation of approximately 400 miles of wire for the British railways, General Post Office and various airfields in the United Kingdom far in advance of target dates."""" He was the senior officer and served as Regimental Commander in 1952 of the 1st Mississippi Regiment, which was commanded by Jefferson Davis in the 1848 war with Mexico, and later called the 155th. infantry. He retired from the Army after achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel.
He returned to Gulfport and was a projectionist at the Paramount Theater until 1974, when he went to Hardy Court Cinema until his retirement in 1987.
Mr. Smith was appointed to Gulfport Planning Commission in 1962, a 32nd degree Mason and the last charter member of Local 674IATSE.
Funeral service will be held at 1:30pm on Sunday, November 16, 2008, at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 11213 Highway 49 N., Gulfport, where friends and family may visit from 1pm until service time. Interment will follow in Southern Memorial Park, Biloxi, MS.
An online guestbook may be viewed and signed at www.riemannfamily.com.
Mr. Smith was born in Purvis, MS in 1910 to Francis Mitchell Smith and Hugh Fountain Smith. He moved to Gulfport in 1922.
Mr. Smith commanded the first ground task force to enter England at the beginning of WWII, July 15, 1942. In November of that year, he was awarded the Legion of Merit in the European theatre of operation. He was cited """"for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and commanding officer of a signal construction battalion.aÌ‚â‚ He aÌ‚â‚Å“supervised the construction and rehabilitation of approximately 400 miles of wire for the British railways, General Post Office and various airfields in the United Kingdom far in advance of target dates."""" He was the senior officer and served as Regimental Commander in 1952 of the 1st Mississippi Regiment, which was commanded by Jefferson Davis in the 1848 war with Mexico, and later called the 155th. infantry. He retired from the Army after achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel.
He returned to Gulfport and was a projectionist at the Paramount Theater until 1974, when he went to Hardy Court Cinema until his retirement in 1987.
Mr. Smith was appointed to Gulfport Planning Commission in 1962, a 32nd degree Mason and the last charter member of Local 674IATSE.
Funeral service will be held at 1:30pm on Sunday, November 16, 2008, at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 11213 Highway 49 N., Gulfport, where friends and family may visit from 1pm until service time. Interment will follow in Southern Memorial Park, Biloxi, MS.
An online guestbook may be viewed and signed at www.riemannfamily.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ernest L. Smith, please visit our flower store.
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