02/27/2026
Help us honor Lafayette County native:
Navy Captain Leonard B. "Tuck" Smith with a new memorial on the grounds of the LafayetteCounty Courthouse.
Captain Leonard B.”Tuck” Smith A Higginsville native, was an American pilot who while training Britsh pilots spotted the German battleship Bismarck on May26, 1941 after an extensive search by British forces. His actions led to it being sunk by British naval and air forces. Smith was the first American to participate in a World War II naval victory and is sometimes considered the first American to be directly involved in World War II for his actions. Smith was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in the sinking of the Bismarck. The movie Sink the Bismarck covers this event.
Donate at Https://FLCVM.org
The Friends of the Lafayette County Veterans Memorial seek to preserve, maintain, and expand the Lafayette County Veterans Memorial located on South 10th Street in Lexington, Missouri.