 Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1989. He served as a platoon sergeant in the 3rd Infantry Division with B Company 11th Engineer Battalion. Smith deployed as a dog-faced soldier in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Smith distinguished himself when his task force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley fighting vehicle, and three armored personnel carriers. Smith brave hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons and organize the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket-propelled grenade and its 60mm mortar round. Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. He was mortally wounded during the engagement. Before deploying to Iraq, Smith had written to his parents, there are two ways to come home, stepping off the plane and being carried off the plane. It doesn't matter how I come home because I am prepared to give all that I am to ensure that all my boys may get home. On April 4, 2005, Smith's son David received his father's Medal of Honor from President George W. Bush.