The Stories Behind the Stars project, of which this article is a part, seeks to write the stories of the 421,000 WWII Fallen Heroes. Not all of the fallen died from combat injuries. Some died in accidents and of illnesses while in service but not while in combat action. Many of these heroes have the death status of DNB — died non-battle. Sadly, many of these fatalities occurred stateside during training. 

A 2019 article by Robert Blanchard titled, “Sobering Stats: 15,000 U.S. Airmen Killed in Training in WW II” stated that “15,000 young men died in aircrew training in the U.S. is virtually unknown.” Blanchard explained that aviation was a new industry, the manufacturing of airplanes was new with new designs, and safety testing was sped up.

According to the article, “the B-24 bomber was nicknamed the ‘flying coffin’ due to its many problems.” Apparently, in 1939, “fewer than 1,000 pilots graduated basic flight training, and in 1943 that figure had grown to 165,000.” In 1944, there were more than 20,000 accidents, 5,000 wrecked aircraft, and 5,000 fatalities.

Ensign Wallace Keith Smythe died while piloting a Grumman TBF-1 Avenger #06011 off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He served with the U.S. Naval Reserve, as did another Lafayette County fallen hero Claude L. Piper. Fortunately, due to the city of Benton adding Ensign’s Smythe’s name to their city WWII Memorial, his name and his story will not be forgotten.

Wallace Keith Smythe was born on March 1, 1923 in Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin to Charles W. and Myrtle (Dickinson) Smythe. 

Wallace’s father Charles was born and raised in Benton in Lafayette County, Wisconsin. Charles and Myrtle were married in Jo Daviess County, Illinois on September 9, 1920. On the 1920 census, Charles W. was living at his father’s farm in Benton in Lafayette County.

On the 1930 U.S. Census, the Smythe family was living in Madison in Dane County. The household included father Charles, mother Myrtle, and children Charles and “Wallis.” Father Charles was a machinist in a machine tool factory for wages. They owned their own home.

On the 1940 U.S. Census, the Smythe family was living in the same place. Father Charles was employed as a machinist and mother Myrtle was employed as a saleswoman in a department store. Son Charles had one year of college and son Wallace had three years of high school.

Wallace Smythe graduated in 1940 from East High School in Madison. He attended the University of Wisconsin — Madison from 1940 to 1942.

From the June 20, 1942 The Capital Times article titled “12 Local Men On Naval Duty in Iowa City,” the news was “Twelve Madison men have reported for duty as aviation cadets at the U. S. navy pre-flight school at Iowa City, Ia., the first air base of its kind, for the first phase of their 12-month naval aviation training course…” The list included Wallace K. Smythe. The article stated “The cadets will undergo 3 months of strenuous scientific physical conditioning and also will learn the fundamentals of navigation, military formations and drill, and naval lore…After completing the three months course, the cadets will be given 10 days leave before reporting to a naval reserve aviation base for three months of preliminary flight training.

“The last six months of the training will be given over to training at advanced bases. Upon graduation, the men will be commissioned ensigns in the naval reserve.” 

From the December 17, 1942 Wisconsin State Journal article “Cadets Transferred” stated “Four naval aviation cadets from Madison have been transferred to Corpus Christi, Tex., for advanced flight training after completing the primary course at Glenview, Ill., the navy announced today.” The list included Wallace Keith Smythe.

The article went on to state that, “All the future fliers attended the University of Wisconsin and had pre-flight training at the University of Iowa.

After passing the advanced training course at Corpus Christi, the men will be commissioned as ensigns in the naval reserve or second lieutenants in the marine corps reserve.”

A notice in the April 28, 1943 Wisconsin State Journal “Smythe Commissioned” had the information “Wallace Keith Smythe, son of Charles W. Smythe … was graduated this week from the naval air training center, Corpus Christi, Tex., and was commissioned an ensign in the U. S. naval reserve. He had been especially instructed in the navy’s torpedo planes.

“Ensign Smythe, former student at the University of Wisconsin, volunteered for flight training last May and received preliminary flight instruction at the Glenview, Ill., naval air station.”

From the June 22, 1943 Wisconsin State Journal “W. K. Smythe, Ensign, Killed in Plane Crash,” the news was “Ensign Wallace Keith Smythe, 20, son of Charles W. Smythe … was killed in a torpedo bomber crash 10 miles at sea off Lauderdale, Fla., about 4:30 p.m. Monday, his father was notified today.

“Two companions with him aboard the plane were also lost.

“The young officer had completed his naval flight training and was graduated from Corpus Christi, Tex., the last week in April, then receiving his commission as ensign. He was on final training maneuvers preparing for active overseas duty when the crash occurred. He was to have come on a 20-day leave on June 28.

“Ensign Smythe was a graduate of East high school and attended the University of Wisconsin for a year and a half before volunteering for flight training in May, 1942. He received preliminary flight instruction at the Glenview, Ill., naval air station before going to Corpus Christi. His last leave at home was spent here just before Christmas in 1942.

“Surviving besides his father is a brother, Charles, with the U. S. coast guard at Berkeley, Calif.”

From the June 23, 1943 The Capital Times notice, “Fail to Recover Body of Smythe,” the news was “The bodies of Ensign Wallace K. Smythe, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Smythe, 30 Waubesa st., and two privates, who were killed Monday when a navy plane from the Ft. Lauderdale station in Florida crashed into the Atlantic about 10 miles off shore, have not been recovered nor has their plane, according to word received here.”

From the June 25, 1943 Wisconsin State Journal notice “Memorial Services to Be Held Sunday for Ensign Smythe,” the notice stated the memorial was to be held in the Primitive Methodist church in Benton.

Ensign Wallace Keith Smythe is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing on the East Coast Memorial in Manhattan, New York County, New York. This memorial is managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission, His death status was given as “Missing in Action or Buried at Sea.” His date of death was June 21, 1943.

Ensign Wallace K. Smythe is listed on the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted for Remains list. His MIA place is the Atlantic Ocean. Smythe is on the U.S. Rosters of WWII Dead as being from Wisconsin.

The family placed a cenotaph marker at Primitive Methodist Cemetery in Benton in Lafayette County.

The Village of Benton’s WWII Memorial includes Ensign Wallace K. Smythe, USNR 1923-1943.

Thank you, Ensign Wallace Keith Smythe, for your service to and sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.