Cpl Ingvardt Marinus Smitsdorff

Cpl Ingvardt M. Smitsdorff was born in Denmark but emigrated to the United States in 1929. He served in the USAAF from 1942 to 1946 and served overseas in the United Kingdom. He was one of the Danish nationals enlisting in the USAAF.

Ingvardt Marinus Hother Smitsdorff was born on 8 April 1907 in Esbjerg, to Valdemar Julius Reinhart Smitsdorff and Cecilie Michaeline Theodora Bjerre (née Bjerre).^[1]

Smitsdorff emigrated to the United States in 1929, arriving in New York onboard SS United States on 18 August 1929. ^[2] He settled in Racine, Wisconsin, where he was employed as a plumber for Mike Zold Plumbing for many years.^[3]

Smitsdorff enlisted as a private (36262150) in the United States Army Air Force Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 31 August 1942. He was not yet a citizen at the time of enlistment. ^[4] There is very little information on his service available.

He was naturalized as a United States citizen on 9 January 1943 at which point he served in the 873rd Chemical Company (Air Operations) at Herbert Smart Airport in Macon, Georgia. ^[5] Here the his unit was trained as chemical warfare troops in air operations. ^[6] However, from December 1943, Smitsdorff seems to have been serving as a corporal overseas with 6th Service Component Squadron, ^[7] which was a support unit at USAAF Station 468 at Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. This station was the home of 47th (light), 322nd (medium), and 94th (heavy) Bombardment Groups during the war.^[8]

Smitdorff was released from service on 23 February 1946. ^[9] He returned to Racine, Wisconsin, where he died on 26 May 1976.^[10]

Endnotes

[1] DNA: Parish register, Esbjergensisk sogn. The family changed name from Christensen to Smitsdorff on 8 June 1911.

[2] Ancestry: New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957.

[3] Ancestry: U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947.

[4] Ancestry: U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946.

[5] Ancestry: Georgia, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1794-1993.

[6] Macon Downtown Airport, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macon_Downtown_Airport (accessed on 9 November 2024).

[7] NARA: RG 64, Morning Reports, Morning Reports for December 1943: Roll 622 (4 of 4) (NAID: 459693222), image # 872.

[8] Rougham, Suffolk Village Info, https://www.suffolkvillage.info/rougham/ (accessed on 9 November 2024).

[9] Ancestry: U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985.

[10] Ancestry: U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010.