Roger Smith

Roger Smith was from Flemington, New Jersey, and graduated from high school in 1941. He started working various service and labor jobs while taking flying lessons. He was recruited out of flight school by the US Army Air Corps and entered active duty in July 23, 1942. 

He underwent glider pilot training and became a flight office in October 1943 - the same month he met Glenna and they were wed. Usually used for sport before World War II, glider planes allowed the Allies to fly heavy machinery like vehicles and anti-tank guns into mainland Europe. Gliders also carried troops, allowing greater concentration of soldiers to land in more precise locations. 

Part of the Air Corps' glider pilot program, Smith was deployed to Casablanca, Morocco, in the spring of 1944 and later moved to Italy. On August 15, 1944, Smith flew his CG-4 glider into the Le Muy area of Southern France as part of Operation Dragoon (the second D-Day). Following this mission, Smith was evacuated back to Corsica and, ultimately, Rome where he flew eight more combat mission as a co-pilot on C-47s. He was discharge in December 1945 and stayed in the Air Force Reserves. 

Courtesy of msn.com