Alaska Highway. African American. Chaplain, H&S Company. Born: 12 June 1903, New York. Died: 29 November 1986 Flushing, Queens, New York. Enlisted: 15 August 1941 and released 31 August 1961. Highest Rank: Lt. Colonel.
Education: graduated with B.S. and B.D. from Union Theological Seminary in New York on 23 May 1933. This Seminary was established in 1836 to train Presbyterian ministerial students. Albert spent three years at St. James Church in New York, an African American Presbyterian Church, as a student pastoral assistant. He completed his field work in this church specializing in boys work and leadership training. He spoke French, Spanish and German.
Chaplian, 1st Lt. Albert L. Smith arrived with his regiment, the 93rd segregated Engineers, at Valdez, Alaska on 29 April 1942. Three feet of snow covered the ground. The 97th built the northern section of the Alaska Highway. He was assigned to the H&S Company and promoted to Captain on 4 August 1942.
He was interviewed in 1943 by Madeline L. Aldridge for an article in Opportunity, Journal of Negro Life. While attending a chaplains conference in Washington, in October 1943, Captain Albert L. Smith, negro chaplain [97th Engineers], said that the morale of these troops was excellent even throughout the freezing temperatures which reached 72 degrees below zero on Christmas Day, 1942. These engineers went farthest north of all American units participating in building the [Alaska] Highway. They started their section in the vicinity of Slana, AK and pushed south to the White River. At the outset they were confronted with new tools, little experience and miles of frozen wasteland.
Service Record: ROTC commissioned 2nd Lt; promoted to 1Lt; promoted to Captain, 4 Aug 1942; promoted to Major 4 June 1949; highest rank achieved Lt. Col.
97th Engr BN [GS Regiment] APO 989, Seattle Washington: 97th Engr BN [GS Regiment] Camp Sutton, NC 1 October 1943; 97th GS Regiment APO 957 [Schofield Barracks, Hawaii] 2-31 March 1944; 97th Engr Regiment (GS) APO 928 [Milne Bay, New Guinea] Roster SWPA 28 April 1944; 97th Engr Regiment (GS) APO 322 [Base F Finschafen, Dreger Field, New Guinea] 31 May 1944; HQ 4th Service Company, Atlanta, Georgia Aglo 23 January 1945; 1463 SCU Ft. McClellan, Alabama 25 January 1946; Overseas ETO (AGLO 27 June 1946) Departed USA 15 August 1946; HQ 3rd Repl Depot, APO 872 [Marburg, Germany] 1946; HQ 3rd Army, APO 403 [Marburg, Germany] 28 August 1946; 1124 Engr Combat Gp APO 170 4 Sept 1946 (3rd Army SO 213, 3 Sept 1946); 229 Engr Combat BN, APO 61 eff 6 Sept 1946.
Serial #O-420976
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