Herbert Smith was born on February 7, 1906, in Iowa. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on January 11, 1944, and went on active duty to begin basic training on February 22, 1944. Pvt Smith completed basic training and infantry training at Fort McClelland, Alabama, and Ft. Meade, Maryland, between February and May 1944, and then deployed to England before the D-Day Invasion of Normandy. He was assigned to Company H, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment of the Third Armored Division in France after D-Day, and saw combat with his unit in France until he was killed in action on September 14, 1944. Herbert Smith was buried at Highland Cemetery in New Sharon, Iowa.

Soldier's Creed:

I am an American Soldier.

I am a warrior and a member of a team.

I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.