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Kevin J. Smith

    
Monday, December 12 2005 @ 08:20 AM EST
Contributed by: tomw
Views: 2,182
Individuals US

Orlando Sentinel -- A Central Florida soldier died after a homemade bomb exploded near his Army vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, the Department of Defense said late Friday.

First Lt. Kevin J. Smith, 28, born and raised in Brandon, died Thursday while escorting a convoy of electrical engineers along the Tigris River to a power plant, said his father, Clifford Smith of east Orange County.

An insurgent detonated the explosive as the convoy passed, and Smith suffered massive injuries to his right shoulder and chest. Three other soldiers were injured, his father said.

"His commanding officer said that in Baghdad, there are two routes that are quite dangerous," said Smith, 57, a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. "This was one of them."

About 90 Floridians have died in Iraq.

Smith was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Stewart, Ga.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 4 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 2913 John Moore Road, Brandon, which is east of Tampa.

When Clifford Smith returned home from work Thursday and found an Army officer and chaplain sitting in his driveway, he knew his son was dead.

It was a possibility he and his son rarely broached -- not in Kevin Smith's twice-weekly e-mails home or during telephone conversations. Kevin Smith, a West Point graduate, never even expressed fear.

What little he did say was matter-of-fact.

"He said, 'When my time comes, my time comes. I could be killed in a car driving down I-95,' " Clifford Smith said.

In the end, Clifford Smith said, his son died for a cause he believed in.

"He believed in God, and he believed in his country, and he believed in his family," Clifford Smith said.

As Kevin Smith was growing up, his father never imagined he would attend college at West Point and become an army officer.

The quiet boy grew like a weed, and soccer coaches recruited him to play goalie because of his height. He grew to be 6 feet 4 inches tall.

While attending Brandon High School, he became a disciplined player. Clifford Smith spent hours with his son on the field, videotaping his moves so Kevin Smith could critique his work.

Ultimately, Kevin Smith became the goalkeeper for Florida's team in the U.S. Junior Olympics.

Kevin Smith attended Lynn University in Boca Raton for one year on a soccer scholarship, then abruptly changed course and decided to go to West Point. When he returned home after graduating from West Point in 2002, he was different.

The quiet teen had become a man of conviction. "He totally turned inside out," his father said.

When he went to Iraq about six months ago, he was eager to serve.

Clifford Smith and Kevin's stepmother, Linda Joann Smith, 56, hung an American flag at their house and put up a yellow ribbon that wouldn't come down until their son's return in January.

Kevin Smith's time in Iraq was hard on his father. Each time a roadside bomb exploded, he saw his son's face.

Thursday, that vision came true. Friday morning, he and Linda Smith took down the yellow ribbon. They decided it was time.

"He really is home," Clifford Smith said. "He's at home with the Lord."
 
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Kevin J. Smith | 8 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Kevin J. Smith
Authored by: anonymous on Friday, December 16 2005 @ 03:15 PM EST
Thank you Kevin J. Smith for your ultimate sacrifice. May your family find comfort knowing the truly great heroe you are.

A Texas Family
  • Kevin J. Smith - Authored by: anonymous on Tuesday, December 20 2005 @ 12:30 AM EST
Kevin J. Smith
Authored by: anonymous on Monday, December 19 2005 @ 07:16 PM EST
It was an honor to know you and your family. I kow they will miss you a lot. We ask for God to give them the strength to find peace in this time of grieving.May they also find stregth in the fact taht you are with the lord looking over them...

Raja Misra & Family, Katy TX
Kevin J. Smith
Authored by: anonymous on Wednesday, December 21 2005 @ 04:48 PM EST
Clifford, Georgia, and Correna
You are in our hearts and prayers over the loss of Kevin. Ken, Nancy, Stephen and Julie - Wasilla, Alaska
Kevin J. Smith
Authored by: anonymous on Thursday, December 29 2005 @ 10:00 PM EST
Lt. Smith,
Sir, I would like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for our Country. And to your family, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

A grateful citizen
Kevin J. Smith
Authored by: anonymous on Sunday, January 01 2006 @ 11:35 PM EST
I am so proud of you baby. You are greatly missed by all.

Dana
Kevin J. Smith
Authored by: I95gal on Thursday, January 26 2006 @ 06:40 PM EST
KJ was one of the greatest among us - his optimism was never-ending and his wit was endearing. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to have known him and memories of him will always make me smile. He will be greatly missed and remembered often. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and fiancee. May we all find the strength, optimism, and faith in our own lives that came so easily to KJ in his. God Bless all of our soldiers and their families - your service is greatly appreciated.
Kevin J. Smith
Authored by: anonymous on Monday, November 06 2006 @ 08:39 AM EST
You were a great guy, someone who I looked up to, someone I admired. I have not found out about your passing until now. All I can say is how proud I am of you, and how sad I am to find out we lost another great soldier. You will be missed, and you will be in our hearts forever. My thoughts and prayers go out to your family, fiancee, and your friends. You were the best!
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