Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
----Surnames: Smith
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark, Co) 1/30/2019
Smith To Be Recognized By Neillsville Legion (Smith - 2019)
Clifford “Tony” Smith will be recognized by the Neillsville Legion at a potluck this Monday, Feb. 4, at 4:30 p.m. (Photo submitted)
Clifford “Tony” Smith will be one of three veterans recognized by Legion Post 73 at a special potluck.
Smith was born in Colby, KS. His family moved to Neillsville in 1957. He attended Washburn Elementary School in grades one through six. Smith then went to Neillsville Elementary and High school.
While in the Army, Smith received his high school diploma and also attended the University of Maryland, majoring in business management.
Smith enlisted in the U. S. Army in May 1969. He attended basic training at Fort Lewis, WA. He then went to Fort Ord, CA, for advanced training for 63B wheel vehicle maintenance.
Smith also attended a second advanced training at Fort Sill, OK for 63C track vehicle maintenance. He was transferred to West Germany to the 3rd Armored Division, where he worked as a mechanic on jeeps and up to including tanks.
He was discharged in January 1972, and returned to Neillsville, where he joined the 32nd Wisconsin National Guard. He worked at V&H Ford in Marshfield until October 1975, when he went back to active duty in the Army. Smith was sent back to Germany for another tour with the 3rd Armored Division.
He served a total of four tours in Germany for a total of 12 years.
In 1990, Smith was sent to do a tour in Seoul, South Korea, where he was assigned as Chief of the ICCA Inspection Team. His team traveled to all the maintenance facilities in South Korea to ensure all maintenance procedures were being followed.
In February 1993, Smith was sent back to Fort Hood, TX, to process out for retirement after 24 years. He went to work for Schneider Trucking, as an OTR driver, based out of Laredo, TX.
In 2001, he was transferred to the Schneider facility in Oregon where he worked in the dispatch office. He was with Schneider for 10 years and retired again. He returned to Neillsville where he met his former friend from high school. He married Janet in 2017.
Together they have eight children – Sandra, Wendy, Sharlene, Sarah, Clifford, Dawn, Mike and Bill. They have 21 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Smith enjoys hunting, fishing, motorcycle riding and shooting pool in the Neillsville and Granton leagues.
The potluck is this Monday, Feb. 4, at the Neillsville Legion, 6 Boon Boulevard. The event will start with a social hour at 4:30 p.m. with the potluck to follow at 5:30 p.m.
