Albert C. Smith

Major General Albert Cowper Smith (June 5, 1894 – January 24, 1974) was an officer in the United States Army. He is most noted for his service as Commanding General of the 14th Armored Division during the later part of World War II. Smith and his division liberated Prisoner-of-war camps, Oflag XIII-B and Stalag VII-A in April 1945.

Following the war, Smith held several important assignments including several divisional commands or as acting Commanding General of the Fifth United States Army and completed his career as Chief of the Office of Military History in September 1955.

Early years Albert Cowper Smith was born on June 5, 1894, in Warrenton, Virginia, as the son of Eugene Albert and Blanch Baker Smith. Following his graduation from the Gordon Military Institute in Barnesville, Georgia, he sought for an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, but this did not materialise, so he entered the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia, instead. Smith completed his basic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, while attached to 3rd Cavalry Regiment and was promoted to the permanent rank of first lieutenant on May 15, 1917, He embarked for France in October 1917 and his regiment was tasked with the operation of three major horse remount depots. The three squadrons were charged with the purchase of horses, mules and forage, the care, conditioning, and training of remounts before issue, and the distribution and issue of remounts to the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).

Decorations

Here is Major general Smith's ribbon bar: