Smith, Roger E.

Private Roger E. Smith (Class of 1942) was a former student body president, and football standout who became MTSU's highest decorated Navy/Marine Corps fallen veteran. He took time to write the Sidelines frequently to provide first-hand accounts of the war to fellow classmates back home. He served with the legendary Marine Raider Battalions and the 4th Marines. He assaulted Guam with the 1st Division, 4th Marines. There, as a mortar platoon leader on July 21, 1944, Smith came to the rescue of a wounded rifleman lying next to a hostile enemy pillbox. Advancing toward this position, Smith was mortally wounded, but managed to silence the enemy guns.