Community Corner
Smithtown, A History: Honoring a Soldier
Small reminders of a World War II soldier killed in action can be found every day in Smithtown.
Residents of Smithtown will find Percy Street located off of Lawrence Avenue just south of Main Street. Before the 1950s, this road was called Central Avenue.
According to the Smithtown Fire Department website, the street name was changed to honor Percy Forman, a volunteer with the fire department who was killed in action during World War II.
Forman was a lieutenant in the 315th squadron of the 324th Fighter Group of the Army Air Force. The lieutenant was shot down while fighting in Germany on March 11, 1945, according to the website.
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A website dedicated to World War II crashes and encouraging reconciliation between former enemies, Plane Crashes World War II Saarland and Neighboring Areas, gives further details of Forman’s last minutes.
According to this site, “While approaching the target Forman got too close to his squadron leader so he had to take evasive action, which brought him close to the ground. It was then when he was hit by infantry weapons. Together with his ship he crashed into a hill in a woods near Breitfurt on the right-hand side of the road to Mimbach. The plane exploded and Forman was killed.”
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While the lieutenant was first buried by German soldiers near the crash site, his body was later transferred to the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in St. Avold, France.
A flag displayed at the main house of the represents the 58 volunteer firemen of the department who served in World War II between 1941 and 1945. All the stars are in blue except for one gold one in honor of Forman.
While conducting research for the history section of the Smithtown Fire Department website, former fire chief Joseph Gardella also found that between 1941and 1949 Engine Company 1 and Engine Company 2 were merged. At the time, a large number of volunteer firefighters were in the armed forces.
In May of 2009, a plaque to replace an old marker was placed on Percy Street to honor Forman. On hand for the dedication were Town Councilman Ed Wertheim, Smithtown Fire Commissioner Matthew Kondenar, Jr, First Assistant Chief John Hansen, Chief of Department Charles Duffy and Gardella.
Sixty years after he was killed in action, Lieutenant Percy Forman is still remembered in Smithtown, not only on Memorial Day but every day.
