Maynard Harrison Smith

Maynard Harrison "Snuffy" Smith was a United States Army Air Forces staff sergeant and aerial gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber in World War II who received the Medal of Honor for his conduct during a bombing mission over France on May 1, 1943. He was the first enlisted member of the United States Army Air Forces to earn the nation's highest military decoration for valor.

On his first combat mission, Smith's aircraft was heavily damaged by enemy fire, which caused intense fires, wounded multiple crew members, and knocked out the communications systems. Under intense pressure, Smith single-handedly fought the fires, administered first aid to the wounded tail gunner, manned the waist guns to fight off attacking German fighters, and threw burning ammunition overboard, ultimately saving the aircraft and crew.

Despite his heroic actions, Smith was a controversial figure who frequently clashed with military authority, earning him the nickname "Snuffy." After his wartime service, he returned to civilian life, and his legacy remains defined by his extraordinary courage and resourcefulness during his first combat mission in the skies over Europe.