BELLVILLE — A Clear Fork High School graduated will be honored Sept. 24 with a flag during a program at 6 p.m. at the Richland County Courthouse in Mansfield.

The Richland County Joint Veterans Council sponsors the program. September’s honoree is U.S. Army Veteran PFC Steven Dean Smith. He was born Sept 22, 1947 to Donald C. and Edith (Robison) Smith and died in Vietnam on April 15, 1968, at the age of 20.

He was a 1967 graduate of Clear Fork High School and there is a scholarship at the school in his memory, the Steven Dean Smith Memorial Scholarship in Agricultural Science.

Steve served in C Company, 1st Battalion 35th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army and was deployed to Vietnam in August 1967. He maneuvered and supplied covering fire to allow members of his his platoon to exit out of a enemy ambush. When all his fellow soldiers were out of danger he was mortally wounded in an attempt to escape. He is buried in Bellville Cemetery.

Steve was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and the Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 1 Bronze Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device and the Combat Infantry Badge

He is survived by one brother, Donald L. Smith of Colorado

He is preceded in death by his parents and brother Gene.

The Honored Veteran’s Flag will be flown for 21 days at the Richland County Administration Building. Smith’s name will be engraved on a brass plate and added to a plaque listing those veteran’s honored in the same manner already displayed in the foyer of the Richland County Administration Building.

The Richland County Joint Veterans Council operates the flag program.