Hubert Alexander "Smiley" Arnold was born on August 11, 1923 in Pensacola, Florida, the son of Arnold L. Arnold and Rosa Bell Sowell. After WWII escalated following Pearl Harbor, Smiley was working for the Holland Riding Academy when he enlisted in the USMC on August 1, 1942. After his basic training he was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division landing force during the battle for Bougainville in November 1943.
There, he received a Presidential citation. He returned home for a brief visit after being reassigned to the 26th Marine Regiment of the 5th Marine Division stationed in Camp Pendleton. He returned to his regiment, which sailed from San Diego on July 17, 1944 and ordered to be held in reserve for the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade during the invasion of Guam. Unneeded at Guam, they returned to Hawaii for reorganization and training.
On January 27, 1945, they sailed from Pearl Harbor heading for their destiny on the volcanic shores of Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. The fighting was some of the most vicious ever seen in the South Pacific. Three entire Marine Divisions (3rd, 4th, and 5th) were fighting for their lives with Smiley's 5th Division receiving the most casualties of all three. As his regiment pushed the Japanese troops forward inch by inch, Smiley's luck finally ran out. Amidst the intense enemy machine gun and artillery fire he was severely wounded along with his surrounding comrades. He was evacuated as soon as the corpsmen could get to him and drag him out safely. He was transported to an offshore hospital ship where he died on March 8, 1945.
His body was returned to Iwo Jima after the island was secured and buried in the Marine Cemetery. After the war, his body was removed to Honolulu and buried in the Military Cemetery. His brother Gilbert Otis Arnold was a graduate of Pensacola High School Class of 1932 and served in the Army during the war as well.
