MM1/c Raymond Jennings Smith was born in Kankakee, Illinois, on January 1, 1914, to Edward C. Smith and Laura Styck-Smith, and had a sister. His parents divorced and his mother married Fred Jennings. When he was eight the family moved to 611 South 7th Avenue, Maywood, Illinois. He had the nickname of “Bus.” Ray graduated from Emerson School in Maywood and Proviso Township High School in 1932. On his school records, he used Jennings as his last name even though he was never adopted by Fred. He married Clara Bell Fitzgerald and became the father of two daughters.
To support his family, it appears he enlisted in the US Navy on January 5, 1940, in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and was issued the serial number 380 83 44. Since his birth name was Raymond Smith, he was required to use Smith on all his military records, so he served in the Navy as Raymond Jennings Smith. It is not known where he did his basic training, but what is known is he served on the USS Chicago, the USS San Francisco, the USS Bulmer. When the war in the Pacific started he was a member of the crew of the USS Pope and held the rank of Machinist Mate 2nd Class. During his time on the ship, it was involved in the Battle of Balikpapan, Borneo, Battle of Badung Strait, Bali, and the Battle of Lombok Straits.
The Pope was assigned as an escort for HMS Exeter to Ceylon, India, and on February 29, 1942, the Exeter had suffered torpedo damage and needed to be repaired. The British ship, the HMS Encounter was also given this duty. While attempting to reach India, the three ships ran into a 13 ship Japanese convoy. During the engagement, both the Encounter and Exeter were sunk and the Pope attempted to escape. It was hit by bombs from Japanese planes and began to take on water. The explosion from one bomb threw Raymond into the ocean. The crew attempted to save the Pope, but the ship was taking on water faster than they could pump it out, so the crew abandoned ship. He remained for three days until he was picked up by a Japanese destroyer, the Ikazuchi on March 2, 1942.
The Prisoners of War were taken to Makassar POW Camp, Dutch East Indies. Not much is known about the camp except that the POWs worked in a nickel mine. According to records, Raymond died on April 28, 1945, in the camp. Official military records show his cause of death as beriberi and malaria. Other sources state he died from beriberi and dysentery. After his death, he was buried in the Makassar Christian Cemetery, Makassar Celebes in Grave 35.
After the war the American Graves Registration Service sent out teams to recover the dead. His remains were exhumed and moved to the United States Military Cemetery, Barrackpore, India, where he was buried in Plot 2, Row B, Grave 45. During the next several years, his mother received multiple letters from the Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington DC. In one letter, she was given the option of having Raymond buried in a American Military Cemetery or returned to the United States. She chose to have him returned to the US.
During this time, Raymond was exhumed and his remains casketed and sent to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. On April 28, 1948, his casket was placed on the USAT Cardinal William O’Connell which sailed for San Francisco. The ship arrived at Fort Mason, San Francisco Port of Entry on May 7, 1948. By train, with a military escort, Raymond’s casket was sent to the Quartermaster Corps Distribution Center #8, in Chicago, and arrived there on May 17th. On June 1, 1948, his casket in a military hearse was taken to the Paul W. Sense Funeral Home, Maywood, Illinois. MM1c Raymond Jennings Smith was buried in Section J, Row 541, Grave 3, in Mount Emblem Cemetery, Elmhurst, Illinois. He posthumously been promoted in rank. Since the military would only provide a headstone with his name as Raymond Jennings Smith, his mother had a headstone made showing his name as Raymond Smith Jennings.
