Smith, Jimmy Lee

1948 - 2014  (65 years)

• Name	Smith, Jimmy Lee
  		Jimmy Lee Smith (1948-2014) Displayed with permission of Lady in Black
  Birth	30 Sep 1948	Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	SMIT.J057
  _FGRAVE	130331995
  Military Service	Viet Nam War, Specialist Fifth Class, 60th Infantry, 9th Medical Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, United States Army  [1]
  	The Army drafted Jimmy Lee Smith and sent him to Vietnam as a medic in 1969. During a patrol just days before his 21st birthday, an explosion severed Smith's spine and left him a quadriplegic for the rest of his life. He'd been in the war for about a week. Smith met the love of his life while rehabilitating at a Milwaukee VA hospital in 1970. Four years later, the wounded soldier married his physical therapist, Marilyn Picago. ====================================== Jimmy was born September 30, 1948, in Flora, Illinois, the son of Ralph and Elsie (Elliott) Smith. He graduated from Flora High School in 1966, and was drafted into the Army and served in the Vietnam War. He was injured a few days before his 21st birthday, in September of 1969, after having served 5 months in Vietnam as a medic with the 60th Infantry, 9th Medical Battalion, Ninth Infantry Division. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant and received a National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Combat Medical Badge, and a Purple Heart. During 1970 in Milwaukee, Jimmy met Marilyn Picago, a physical therapist, the daughter of Dominic and Mary Picago. Jimmy and Marilyn were married on December 28, 1974 and together, with their love of travel, adventure, mountains, and beaches, landed in Santa Monica, California, where he graduated from UCLA. They returned to live in Effingham in 1989, and Marilyn preceded him in death in 2007. Jimmy did not let his quadriplegia slow him down. He drove himself, traveled independently in the U.S. and Australia over the years, and even went tandem skydiving in the Florida Keys. He was patient, generous, a life-long learner, and a definite dog person.
  		United States of America Flag, 50 Stars (1960 - Present) This is the current flag of the United States. This flag became the official United States flag in 1960 when a star was added for the State of Hawaii. It replaced the short-lived 49-star flag (July 4, 1959 - July 3, 1960) honoring the State of Alaska. An Executive Order by President Eisenhower provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine…
  		United States Army Prior to the establishment of the "Department of the Army Emblem", there was no official display item to identify the Army. The Seal had traditionally been used to authenticate documents only and was not authorized for public display. In recognizing the need to provide a display item, the Secretary of the Army approved the emblem design as the…
  		United States Army
  		Specialist 5th Class (abbreviated as SP5) (paygrade E-5), United States Army (1959-1985) Formerly Specialist 2nd Class (SP2) (1955-1959)
  		Specialist (Rank) Specialist is a military rank in some countries’ armed forces. In the United States Armed Forces, it is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, above private (PVT), private (PV2), and private first class and is equivalent in pay grade to corporal. In the U.S. Space Force it consists of the four junior enlisted ranks, prior to…
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		Vietnam War (1955-1975)
  		Vietnam
  		9th Infantry Division ("Old Reliables"), United States Army
  		9th Infantry Division ("Old Reliables"), United States Army
  		60th Infantry Regiment, United States Army
  		Combat Medical Badge (1st Award), United States Army
  		Combat Medical Badge, United States Army
  		Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Unit Citation with Palm (Army Frame) The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (Vietnamese: Anh-Dũng Bội-Tinh) is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal was created on August 15, 1950 and was awarded to military personnel, civilians, and Armed Forces…
  		Gallantry Cross, South Vietnam
  		Military Service Ribbons, Smith, Jimmy Lee (1948-2014) Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Purple Heart Medal, United States Military
  		Purple Heart Medal, United States Military
  		National Defense Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		National Defense Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Vietnam Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Vietnam Service Medal, United States Armed Forces
  Death	24 May 2014	Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois   [1]
  Burial	Bunker Cemetery, Rinard, Wayne County, Illinois   [2]
  		Headstone, Smith, Marilyn Picago and Jimmy Lee
  Person ID	I37282	Carl Wayne Gray Research
  Last Modified	1 Sep 2023

  
  

  Father	Smith, Ralph Robert,   b. 1 Jul 1920   d. 11 Jun 1988 (Age 67 years)
  Mother	Elliott, Elsie Marie,   b. 9 Nov 1918   d. 15 Jun 1994 (Age 75 years)
  Family ID	F15015	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Picago, Marilyn,   b. 30 Apr 1945, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin d. 12 Oct 2007, Evergreen Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Effingham, Effingham County, Illinois (Age 62 years)
  Marriage	28 Dec 1974  [2, 3]
  Age at Marriage	He was 26 years and 3 months - She was 29 years and 8 months.
  Children	1. Smith, Samuel Lee   d. yes
  Family ID	F15016	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 30 Sep 1948 - Flora, Clay County, Illinois Death - 24 May 2014 - Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois Burial - - Bunker Cemetery, Rinard, Wayne County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S11992] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Smith, Jimmy Lee, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130331995/jimmy-lee-smith), none. (Reliability: 2). [S11993] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Smith, Marilyn Picago and Jimmy Lee, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130331995/jimmy-lee-smith), none. (Reliability: 2). [S15701] Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, Illinois, Obituary, Smith, Robert “Bob” Eugene, 80, (http://www.frankandbright.com/obituaries/obit/1440/), none. (Reliability: 2).