Stuart Farwell Smith, Jr.

PFC Stuart Smith was an aviation radioman and gunner flying with VMSB-141, a Marine scout-bombing squadron then operation out of Guadalcanal’s Henderson Field. Smith arrived on 8 October 1942, and was soon flying patrol missions and combat sorties. (Muster rolls note that he was promoted to corporal after two days on the ‘Canal, but this is not reported in other military records.)

On 17 October 1942, Smith prepared himself for another day in the Solomon skies: a routine anti-sub patrol in SBD-3 #03310, piloted by 2Lt. Samuel T. Gillespie. The fliers departed for their assigned station – and were never seen again.

The exact cause of Gillespie and Smith’s loss was never determined. A Japanese air raid at 0720 resulted in a lopsided American victory; it is possible that Gillespie’s Dauntless was spotted and shot down by a Japanese pilot during the engagement. Without direct eyewitness reports, however, the final moments of the two Marines in #03310 will remain a mystery. Both were declared dead on 19 February 1945.