A beloved Starke County Veteran will be laid to rest today. WKVI’s Ed Hasnerl shares his remembrances of Joe Smrt.
Joe Smrt Turns 96
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.
Knox World War II Veteran Remembers Pearl Harbor
At Knox VFW Post 748, veterans and others observed the anniversary. World War II veteran Joe Smrt, who said he was attending church choir practice when he heard the news, remembered the attack.
“Twenty-one ships of all kinds were attacked, damaged, or sunk in the sneak attack. In addition, there were 2400 or more casualties of military personnel. There were eight ships in battleship role that were badly damaged with the Arizona being sunk,” Smrt said.
Smrt said after the attack, President Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan. In a little-remembered account, Smrt said two of the United States high command were relieved of their duties.
“Admiral Kimmell and General Short, commanders of the naval and army forces respectively, were promptly accused of dereliction of duty, and were relieved of their command. They were falsely accused, as facts later discovered would prove. The truth is that the administration and higher brass in Washington, having had information from intercepted Japanese intelligence reports, had withheld the information for one reason or another from Kimmell and Short,” Smrt explained.
Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941– a day that will live in infamy.
Veteran’s Day Service Held at Knox Schools
Veteran’s Day programs were held in communities and schools throughout the Kankakee Valley area today. At Knox, Travis Flora, a United States Marine veteran spoke to the assembled students at the high school and middle school using the theme, “Freedom Isn’t Free.” Following the presentation, Flora told what Veteran’s Day means to him.
“Veteran’s Day is a time where we pause and reflect and thank those millions of people who have come before us and those millions of people who are currently serving and defending our way of life,” said Flora. “I would like those students to realize that within every veteran there’s a story and that they should ask those veterans their story. They may not hear what they want to hear but in the end, if they listen, they’ll have a better understanding of what a veteran is. When you see that sign outside of the VFW that reads ‘Freedom is not Free’, they should realize that our freedom has been bought and paid for by people who have signed their name on the dotted line and sacrificed.”
24-Hour Vigil at Knox VFW Post
Memorial Day Services in the Kankakee Valley began Sunday at the Knox VFW Post 748. The posting of the guard ceremonies began at 12:00 noon. Speakers included Tim Shepherd of the VFW, Dewayne Arndt, representing Congressman Joe Donnelly, State Representative Nancy Dembowski, and Knox Mayor Rick Chambers.
Joe Smrt Celebrates 95th Birthday
Valentine’s Day has been a special day for 95 years for a prominent Starke County resident. Joe Smrt turned 95 yesterday, and his fellow VFW members surprised him with a party at the post.
“What better comradeship could you ask for than something like this? It was a complete surprise when Ben told me they were planning something for me ” said Smrt.
World War II and Korean Veterans Can Register for Honor Flight
Last year, two Starke County World War II veterans, Joe Smrt and Harvey Hammerlund, were flown to Washington, D.C. to visit the World War II Memorial by a veteran’s service organization called “Honor Flight”.
John Jordan, of Honor Flight, was asked if there will be an opportunity for additional World War II veterans to make the trip.
