What does a hero look like?
Sometimes you know just by looking at someone that they have your back
SSgt Maynard Smith was not one of them.
Barely 5'6" and 130 pounds,
he was more at home in a pool hall than putting his life on the line
to save others.
But on May 1st, 1943,
during a bombing mission over Europe.
A wounded tail gunner looked up at Sgt Smith
and a hero is exactly what he saw.
The son of a county judge, Maynard H Smith
grew up testing authority.
Whether it was riding a horse into a drugstore
or buzzing the local cops on his motorcycle.
Eventually the law would catch up to him
and he was given an ultimatum:
either go to jail
or join the service.
So off to basic training he went.
After volunteering to be an aerial gunner,
he was assigned to the 423rd bomb squad in England
where he earned the nickname, Snuffy,
after the cartoon character that was always getting into trouble.
He had chosen to be a gunner for the extra pay and quick promotion in rank.
What he didn't realize was that the life expectancy
on a B-17 during WWII often came down to a coin flip.
On May 1st, he would find out.
Until that day,
he had never flown a combat mission before because no one wanted to fly with him.
He had a reputation for being arrogant and stubborn.
But heavy casualties left the 423rd short of men.
So Snuffy was tapped to fill in as a ball turret gunner,
since he was small enough to fit in the bubble compartment beneath the plane.
At 9am, 78 planes took off on a bombing raid to destroy Germany submarine facilities.
Most of them turned back due to weather or mechanical issues.
But 29 reached their target and they took care of business.
On their way home, just when they thought they were in the clear,
flashes of bright lights suddenly appeared from below
ripping holes through the plane's metal siding.
A faulty compass had led them into a barrage of German anti-aircraft fire.
Manning his machine gun, Snuffy quickly fired back until a loud explosion came from above.
His B-17 had been hit.
Rupturing the gas tanks and knocking out the ball turret.
So he crawled up into the plane where he was met with heavy smoke
and walls of fire.
The radio operator and two gunners panicked and jumped out over the Atlantic.
Snuffy wasn't ready to give up so easily.
He figured as long as the plane was in the air, he would defend it.
Come hell or high water.
And this was hell alright.
He wrapped a sweater around his head so he could breathe and went to work.
Treating the wounded tail gunner,
pausing amidst the chaos to comfort the Airman by telling him
they were almost home.
As German fighters swarmed the crippled bomber,
Snuffy fought them off by jumping back and forth
between the two side waist guns
while also putting out the fires that were melting holes in the fuselage.
After 90 long minutes,
the B-17 touched down on a remote airfield in southwest England.
It came to a stop
and then broke in two.
The plane was burnt out and riddled with 3,500 bullet holes.
One of them through the scarf Snuffy had tied around his neck.
In all, 93 airmen were killed, wounded or went missing during that mission.
The pilot credited Snuffy as solely responsible for saving the lives of everyone aboard.
SSgt Maynard H Smith became the first enlisted and the first living Airman
to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
The highest recognition for acts of valor,
which he had more of than any man twice his size
and then some.
Say what you will about Snuffy Smith
But on that day, he proved that heroism does not require a résumé.
Whenever asked, Snuffy would simply say he was just doing his job.
He never bragged.
He didn't need to.
He was an Airman.
Today, the term "Airman Snuffy" is often attached to enlisted members who are insubordinate or act out.
But if you ever want to know what a real hero looks like...
You're looking at him.
Aim High Airmen.