Memorial

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William D. Smith attended college.

He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on 2 June 1941.

Statement from 2nd Lt Arthur E. Ferrell, who participated in the mission: "Flying as Capt Smith's wingman, I saw him do a quarter roll from about 800 feet to attack enemy aircraft on the ground. Light flak coming up prevented me from following. After evading the flak, I turned to see Smith's ship on its second pass in a 35-degree dive, altitude approximately 350 feet. He was firing his guns. His target exploded with a red flash and black smoke rolling up into the air. At the same instant, I observed Capt Smith's ship break into flames at about 200 feet. The flaming ship seamed to go in a level altitude for about 100 yards, then explode. There was only a large ball of flame left, which went into the ground at about 70-degree angle. I didn't observe a parachute or the crash on the ground."

He was initially buried at the memorial cemetery of Culot, Belgium on 30 August 1944.

His brother, 2nd Lt John Thomas Smith, was killed on 14 August 1944 in an aircraft accident in California, during a training flight with a cadet.