Walter Bedell Smith - World War I

World War I

Smith's work during the 1913 flood led to his nomination for officer training in 1917 and he was sent to the Officer Candidate Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison. Upon graduation on 27 November 1917, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was then posted to the newly formed Company A, 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry, part of the 4th Division at Camp Greene, North Carolina. The 4th Division embarked for Europe, then embroiled in World War I, from Hoboken, New Jersey, on 9 May 1918, reaching Brest, France, on 23 May. After training with the British and French Armies, the 4th Division entered the line in June 1918, joining the Aisne-Marne Offensive on 18 July 1918. Smith was wounded by shell fragments in an attack two days later.

Smith was returned to the United States for service with the War Department General Staff and was assigned to the Military Intelligence Division. In September 1918, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Regular Army. He was then sent to the newly formed 379th Infantry as its intelligence officer. This regiment was part of the 95th Division, based at Camp Sherman, Ohio. The 95th Division was disbanded following the Armistice with Germany in November 1918, and in February 1919 Smith was posted to Camp Dodge, Iowa, where he was involved with the disposal of surplus equipment and supplies. In March 1919 he was transferred to the 2nd Infantry, a regular unit based at Camp Dodge, remaining there until November 1919, when it moved to Camp Sherman.