PARIS — Wendell George Smith is the Veteran of the Month at the Maine Veterans’ Home.

Smith was born in Bridgton and grew up in Harrison. He graduated from Bridgton High School in 1948, went to college at the Maine Vocational Technical Institute and graduated in June 1951.

He joined the U.S. Navy in August 1951 and was honorably discharged in August 1955. He achieved the rank MR2. Wendell was in the Korean War and served on the USS Delta AR-9. He spent a lot of time in Japan. He was a machinist and ran the “big guns.”

Wendell received the National Defense Service medal, United Nations Service medal, Korean Service medal (one star) and the Good Conduct medal.

After the service Smith married June Sturtevant on July 28, 1957, and together they raised six children, five girls and one boy. He has 18 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one on the way.

Smith was a machinist for 39 years. He worked at Knowlton Machine Shop in Westbrook for nine years and did 30 years at Maine Machine in South Paris.

He always liked to be outdoors; he enjoyed gardening, chopping wood with his father-in-law on the farm. He also enjoys reading, old fashioned dances and family gatherings.

Wendell came to the Maine Veterans’ Home in November 2008 and resides on the B- unit.