Thomas J Smallwood, Jr

Sergeant First Class
D BTRY, 4TH BN, 60TH ARTILLERY, 1 FIELD FORCE
Army of the United States
05 November 1938 - 31 October 1969
Fort Myers, Florida
Panel 16W Line 010

1 FIELD FORCE 60TH ARTY RGT
Artillery

Bronze Star, Army Good Conduct, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Thomas J Smallwood, Jr

25 Apr 2004

TO MY DAD, I never had
You left me at age five
I never knew what to do about the rage inside
It churned and burned and tore me up, my secret war inside
It finally showed its face one day
The pain from deep inside
The hate that filled my heart that day
Killed all the love I knew
I love you, Dad, and understand you did what you had to do

To hear your voice, a key you see
To tell me "It's OK"
To say "I love you son, sorry I went away"
To feel your hand, your touch is gone
That's taken from me too
The war is gone, but scars remain for many like me

I love you, Dad, but I'm still sad to never see you smile
To hear your laugh, the joy you had
All at once was silenced
I miss you much and want to say that I'm so proud of you
To have your name, with no shame
Was what I got from you
To see the stone, your new home
That was made for all of you
It's just a way for us to say you're in our hearts so true

So my Dad I always had, who never left my side
It was circumstance, just pure chance
That stole you from my life
Your track it flipped, it just slipped
The bridge gave way you see
Your crew with you angels too
It was all your destiny

A Duster crew at Heaven's gate, another fight you see
To keep the evil far away with God's artillery
So my Dad just be glad the peace that I have found
The rage is gone, the hate's replaced by the love that I have found

GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN

I love you so much and miss you even more.

Your son,
Thomas J Smallwood
P O Box 171321, Irving TX 75017
817-881-6481
zesmallwood@sbcglobal.net

My father was with Battery D, 4th Battalion, 60th Artillery.
I would like to hear from anyone who has any information on my Dad.

A Note from The Virtual Wall

The 4th Battalion, 60th Artillery, was a "Duster" unit equipped with the self-propelled M42 twin-40mm AA gun. Two men died in the accident described above - SFC Thomas J. Smallwood and PFC Michael L. Hosea of Beeville, Texas.




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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 25 Apr 2004
Last updated 08/10/2009