Darby J Smith

Pfc Darby Smith was killed in action on 11 June 1944, serving with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment. On 11 June 1944, the 3rd Battalion moved into Balleroy, occupying the town by noon with one company leading the way, following a patrol that had gone ahead the day before. The action reflected the battalion's broader push into the area during this stage of the Normandy campaign, though the precise role of any single company beyond the lead element is not detailed in the record. The occupation of Balleroy marked a step forward in the battalion's advance as Allied forces worked to expand and secure the beachhead in the days following the invasion. Pfc Smith was killed in action that day; the report does not specify the individual circumstances.