Donavon Francis Smith

Military
First Lieutenant Donavon Smith, of the 56th Fighter Group. Hubert Zemke has handwritten on the reverse: '4-12. 1st Lt. Donavon Smith. I could write here "They don't make them as young as they use to." On my interview of replacement pilots I stared at Lt. Smith and swore the U.S. Army was recruiting directly from the Boy Scouts. We didn't have to issue him a razor. Nevertheless Donavon went on to tally 6 air victories, go to college and become and Air Force Major-Gen. Deceased 1978. Zemke.' media-401448.jpg FRE 2701 First Lieutenant Donavon Smith, of the 56th Fighter Group. Hubert Zemke has handwritten on the reverse: '4-12. 1st Lt. Donavon Smith. I could write here "They don't make them as young as they use to." On my interview of replacement pilots I stared at Lt. Smith and swore the U.S. Army was recruiting directly from the Boy Scouts. We didn't have to issue him a razor. Nevertheless Donavon went on to tally 6 air victories, go to college and become and Air Force Major-Gen. Deceased 1978. Zemke.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 2701 - First Lieutenant Donavon Smith, of the 56th Fighter Group. Hubert Zemke has handwritten on the reverse: '4-12. 1st Lt. Donavon Smith. I could write...

Donavon Smith served as a fighter pilot with the 56th Fighter Group.



DSC/ DFC w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster



5.5 victories

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

Ground crew of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, test the radio equipment of P-47 Thunderbolt (HV-S, serial number 42-28382), known as "Ole Cock III", at Boxted air base. November 1944.

42-28382

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Ole Cock III
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 61st Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Dowagiac, Michigan 2 October 1922

Died

Colorado Springs, CO, USA 10 September 1974

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

www.56thfightergroup.co.uk/personnel.htm

Date
ContributorPyker
Changes
Sources

Corrected Christian name, added middle name plus personal details.

Date
ContributorPyker
Changes
Sources

Corrected Christian name from Donovan to Donavon - per family.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list / Who's Who in the Eighth Air Force and/or Biographical Directory Command & Staff Officers Eighth Air Force 1942-45

Donavon Francis Smith: Gallery (3 items)

Pilots of the 56th Fighter Group celebrate 800 victories and the second anniversary of their arrival in England at a party on 6 January 1945 at Boxted air base. Left to right the pilots are: Major James R. Carter, Lieutenant-Colonel Donovan F. Smith, Lieutenant Harold E. Comstock, Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling, Major Lucian A. Dade and Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie C. Smith.

Object number: FRE 225 - Pilots of the 56th Fighter Group celebrate 800...

First Lieutenant Donavon Smith, of the 56th Fighter Group. Hubert Zemke has handwritten on the reverse: '4-12. 1st Lt. Donavon Smith. I could write here "They don't make them as young as they use to." On my interview of replacement pilots I stared at Lt. Smith and swore the U.S. Army was recruiting directly from the Boy Scouts. We didn't have to issue him a razor. Nevertheless Donavon went on to tally 6 air victories, go to college and become and Air Force Major-Gen. Deceased 1978. Zemke.'

Object number: FRE 2701 - First Lieutenant Donavon Smith, of the 56th...

A P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft, named "Ole Cock" of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter group. The aircarft was piloted by Major Donovan F. Smith. Smith earned the nickname Dieppe, due to his evading flak whilst flying over the French port. Handwritten on slide casing:"HV S ole Cock 16mm movie IM 90d"

Object number: FRE 5590 - A P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft, named "Ole Cock" of...