ARTHUR SMITH

THREE RIVERS — A plane crash, caused when a parachute became entangled in the craft's tail assembly, took two lives here Sunday.
  The victims, both passengers, were Arthur Smith, 31, of Cornstock, and Harry Ladewig, 37, of Constantine. The pilot, Walter Staight 28, of Galesburg, was taken to Three Rivers hospital suffering from shock and severe body bruises.
   Witnesses said Smith, a parachute jumper, was standing on the wing of the plane preparing for a jump when his chute opened prematurely. Smith was killed instantly. Ladewig, a photographer, died enroute to the hospital. Staight bailed out and landed near the wreckage.

[The Ludington Daily News, Ludington, MI, 18 Jul 1949, Mon, Page 3]

Application for Headstone or Marker and resulting grave marker for Arthur Smith in Lakeside Cemetery, Decatur, Van Buren), MI.

Arthur enlisted in the Army at Kalamazoo, MI on 4 August 1941.

On 16 October 1942, Pvt Smi8th was transferred from the 507th PIR to Company B, 508th PIR.

On 14 March 1944, T5 Smith was sent on Detached Duty with the Provisional Rigger Co (Pool) 82nd AB Division in Cottesmore, England.  He was transferred to Detachment #1, Service Company, 508th PIR on 2 November 1944.