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Minnesota Family Honors Dad Lost to Vietnam Service
16 Jun
Summary
- Vietnam veteran's service continued to impact his family post-war.
- Veteran died at 44 from cancer linked to Agent Orange exposure.
- Family honors him at Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's In Memory ceremony.
A Minnesota family is traveling to Washington, D.C., this week to honor Lt. Col. Maurice Leon Smith Jr., a Vietnam War veteran whose service continued to affect him long after his return. He will be recognized at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's In Memory ceremony on Saturday.
Smith, born in St. Paul in 1947, served in Vietnam in 1970. After returning to Minnesota, he taught ROTC and remained in the reserves, accumulating about 20 years of military service. His family later discovered letters he wrote during the war, which provided insight into his experiences.
Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his teenage daughter's sixth grade year, Smith underwent extensive treatment. His family believes his cancer was linked to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 44.
The In Memory ceremony acknowledges Vietnam veterans who died as a result of their service, even years after returning home. Smith's daughter expressed the importance of this recognition, stating that the deaths from the war have not ended. She hopes sharing her father's story will help other families learn about the program.
