I was able to meet SGT Maynard “Snuffy” Smith when going through Basic Boom Operator Flight School at Castle AFB in 1979. He was one of the few Medal of Honor winners who insisted on being saluted and not one of the Boomer or Tail Gunner students had a problem with that especially when we received the briefing on his exploits on his first and only combat mission. I am a little guy at 5’4” and was actually able to look down on the frail aging hero when I was allowed my turn to shake his hand and received my basic aircrew wings from him. No wonder he was assigned as a ball turret gunner. When he gave his talk with us he mentioned that he was always in trouble and spent a lot of time peeling potatoes until his big day. I still have the picture the school house took of me shaking his hand and the set of wings rests in my Air Force retirement shadow box as one of my prized possessions.
Now that is awesome.Good for you.