James C. Smith (general)

James Cliffton Smith Jr.[1][2][3] (5 September 1923 – 14 December 2016) was a major general in the United States Army who served as commander of the United States Army Aviation Center and commandant of the Army Aviation School from 1976 to 1978. He previously served as commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division from 1971 to 1973.

James C. Smith
Nickname(s)Jim
Born(1923-09-05)5 September 1923
Georgia, U.S.
Died14 December 2016(2016-12-14) (aged 93)
Lawrenceville, Georgia
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1942–1981
RankMajor General
Commands heldUnited States Army Aviation Center
1st Cavalry Division
1st Armored Division
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment
Support Command, 1st Cavalry Division
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal
Silver Star Medal (2)
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal (2)
Purple Heart
Air Medal

Early life and education

Smith was born in Georgia, where his father was a sergeant major in the 6th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Oglethorpe. When he enlisted in the Army on 30 June 1942, a review board waived basic training and instead sent him to officer candidate school at Fort Riley.[2][3][4] Smith completed fixed-wing flight training for artillery observation at Fort Sill in November 1946. He later received helicopter flight training and, in 1961, completed a Bachelor of General Studies degree in military science at the University of Omaha. Smith graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College in 1957 and the Army War College.[2][3][5][6]

Military career

During World War II, Smith was sent to Europe after being commissioned as a second lieutenant of cavalry on 14 January 1943. While serving as a platoon leader, he was shot several times by a German sniper. Smith was awarded the Silver Star Medal and a Purple Heart.[1][4] He also saw combat duty during the Korean War, receiving two Bronze Star Medals.[2][4]

On his first combat tour during the Vietnam War, Smith in turn commanded the Support Command, 1st Cavalry Division; the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division; and the 1st Brigade (Airborne), 1st Cavalry Division. On his second tour, he served as deputy commander of the 1st Aviation Brigade and then as assistant commander of the 101st Airborne Division. He was awarded a second Silver Star Medal, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and an Air Medal.[7][8]

After briefly serving as commander of the 1st Armored Division in 1971, Smith assumed command of the 1st Cavalry Division on 5 May 1971 at Fort Hood after the division returned to the United States from Vietnam.[9] He relinquished command in January 1973. Smith later served as commander of the Army Aviation Center and Fort Rucker from July 1976 to December 1978.[5]

His final assignment was as director of training in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans in the Department of the Army at the Pentagon. Smith retired from active duty on 28 February 1981 after almost thirty-nine years of military service.[5]

Personal

Smith was married to Doris Smith for sixty-six years. The couple had seven children and twelve grandchildren.[4]

After his death in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Smith was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on 27 September 2017.[8][10]

References
  1. Official Army Register (PDF). Vol. I. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 January 1947. p. 1040. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  2. U.S. Army Register: Active and Retired Lists. Vol. I. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 January 1958. p. 837. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  3. U.S. Army Register: Active and Retired List. Vol. I. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 January 1962. p. 507. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  4. Badertscher, Nancy (22 December 2016). "Gen. James C. Smith, 93: 'Soldier's soldier' in 3 wars put troops first". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  5. Goodson, Betty (February 1981). "Last Liaison Pilot Retires". U.S. Army Aviation Digest. Vol. 27, no. 2. pp. 46–47. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  6. "James C. Smith". U.S. Army Aviation Museum. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  7. "Hail and Farewell". U.S. Army Aviation Digest. Vol. 24, no. 12. December 1978. p. 50. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  8. "Smith, James Cliffton". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  9. Banks, Herbert C. (2002). 1st Cavalry Division: A Spur Ride Through the 20th Century from Horses to the Digital Battlefield. Turner Publishing Company. p. 113. ISBN 978-1563117855. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  10. "James Clifton "Jim" Smith". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 23–30, 2016. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
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