Today is Joe Smrt’s 96th birthday. He is known by many in Starke County for his patriotism.
On this date in 1916, Joe Smrt was born. He was born two weeks before the singer Dinah Shore and one week before the World War I Battle of Verdun began that claimed the lives of 698,000 French and German soldiers.
Being a New York Yankees baseball fan, Joe was always proud to share a birthday with the radio voice of the Yankees, Mel Allen.
He served in World War II and his life has been devoted to family, God, and country.
