Walter A. Smead
Jan. 28, 1926 – March 16, 2021
HADLEY – Walter A. Smead, 24, of Hadley, New York, killed in action during the Korean War, was accounted for March 16, 2021.
Born on January 28, 1926, in Lake Luzerne, he was the son of the late Carl Smead and Jennie(Hitchcock) Smead.
Walter attended Hadley-Luzerne schools and enlisted in the United States Army on May 13, 1944. He served during World War II with the 10th Mountain Division which was deployed to Italy. He then was assigned to A Battery, 57th Field Artillery, 7th Infantry Division when he was deployed to Korea in 1950.
Private First Class Smead was listed as missing in action on December 6, 1950, after his unit was attacked while attempting to withdraw near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. He was added to the list of presumed dead in December of 1953 and was promoted to Corporal posthumously.
Corporal Smead’s remains were included in the 55 boxes returned to the United States following the summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim in June of 2018. His remains were identified using DNA technology and anthropological analysis in the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii on March 16, 2021.
We will Stand a Flag Line for the Dignified Transfer outside the gate on Firehouse Rd. PGR will not be permitted on the Airport Grounds.
SC Gregg Barratt will be RCIC with flags on site.
Members are reminded that Personal Weapons are not permitted on State Property.
God Bless America, Our Troops and Our First Responders.
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