Maj. Gen. William C. Smith

Maj. Gen. William C. Smith, 91, died peacefully September 12, 2010, after a life of service to family, friends and country. Gen. Smith was sworn in to the U. S. Army March 17, 1942, received his flight wings and officer’s commission in the Army Air Corps January 13, 1943, was the first Air Corps pilot qualified in the C-46, and arrived in Sookerating, Assam, India to fly “The Hump” on August 4, 1943. Completing 100 missions over the Himalaya Mountains in 9 months, Smith then volunteered for Combat Cargo for the remainder of his tour, and flew surviving Merrill’s Marauders out of Burma. He flew hospital ships with the 554th, joined the Air Force Reserve March 16, 1946, and ran the instrument pilot instructor school in Memphis until being recalled to active duty with the Air Transport Command for the Korean War. Gen. Smith joined the Tennessee Air National Guard in 1953, served as commander of the 155th Tactical Reconnaisance Squadron, the 164th Air Transport Group, the 118th Air Transport Wing, and retired in 1975 as The Adjutant General of Tennessee for Governor Winfield Dunn. He was a Command Pilot and among his commendations received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star. He was preceded in death by his wife, Robbieanna Roper Smith, and is survived by his children, M. Stephen Smith, Shelley R. Smith, and his grandchildren, William J. Gatziolis, Capt. Christopher R. Smith, USAF, and Peter J. Gatziolis. Visitation at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 5599 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, September 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., funeral service immediately following and internment with honors at Memphis Memory Gardens, 6444 Raleigh Lagrange Rd., Memphis, Tennessee. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to TANGCMS (Tenn. Air Natl. Guard Commemorative Memorial Society), c/o Dennis Yarbrough, 949 Charter Oak Dr., Southhaven, MS 38671.