Cromwell Orrick Smith Jr.

Cromwell Orrick Smith, Jr. (C.O.) was born in Moorhead Mississippi on November 8, 1926 to Cromwell Orrick Smith Sr. and Edith (Scott) Smith. He is survived by his wife of 65 years Joanan (Monts de Oca), and his children Orrick Smith, Susan (Smith) Gordon, Scott Smith, and Jeffery Smith (deceased). He was preceded in death by twin brother Scott in 2014 and his younger brother Randy in 1991. He is also survived by grandchildren and great grandchildren. He has resided in San Diego since October 1971.

His career began when he left high school in 1944 at the age of 17 and joined the U. S. Navy. He rose to the rank of RdM3c (Radarman Third Class) and after having served 14 months of sea duty on the cruisers USS Savannah and USS Providence (9 months in the European Theater) was honorably discharged in 1946.

After his discharge he returned to New Orleans, LA, where he completed high school and then earned a BS of Electrical Engineering from Tulane University of Louisiana. Having enrolled in the ROTC, he was commissioned at graduation on 1 June and was called to active duty six days later on 6 June 1951. His initial assignment was with the 125th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 137th Fighter Bomber Wing, at what is now England AFB.

While in the USAF he completed Navigator/Bombardier training and was rated as an AOB (AFSC 1525E). He flew a 50 mission Korean combat tour with the 37th Bomb Squadron, 17th Bombardment Wing (L/NI). Upon return to the ZI he was assigned to the 380th Bomb Squadron, 310th Bomb Wing (M), and Strategic Air Command and flew B-29 bombers. He subsequently upgraded to become combat qualified in the B-47E and flew a “REFLEX” tour in Europe and North Africa in nuclear capable B-47E’s. Upon return to the ZI, he left the USAF and became employed by the Sperry Gyroscope Co.

As an employee of Sperry he served 2 years as a field engineer on the K-System and the A-12 Autopilot with the RB-47E equipped 90th Strategic Recon Wing at Forbes AFB, before moving on to the TALOS (a Navy SAM) program. While on the TALOS program he was instrumental in the installation of the TALOS fire control system on heavy and light cruisers and conducted sea trials on the cruisers USS Galveston and USS Little Rock. He served in this capacity during the Cuban missile crisis. From there he became the Sperry Site Manager for the TALOS Weapons System at the USN Missile Test Facility at White Sands, New Mexico.

C.O. then moved to PRD Electronics as a senior engineer on the VAST (Versatile Automatic Test Station) ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) Program. He installed the first VAST system at Grumman Calverton in support of the F-14A and the E-2C. After moving a crew of 25 engineers to LTV, Dallas, Texas, the crew installed two VAST Stations and assisted in the development of Test Program Sets (TPS) for the A-7E. From there he moved to San Diego, CA and installed the first VAST station on the Navy Carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63). He made a war time cruise to Viet Nam in USS Kitty Hawk supporting the A-7E and served in the hostile fire zone for three line periods including the 1972 Easter Offensive and the mining of Haiphong Harbor.

He then joined the Naval Air Rework Facility North Island, CA as engineering branch head (civil service) and was instrumental in the development of NAVAIR ATE and ATE TPS in-service engineering program. During this period he was instrumental in bringing the F/A-18 TPS and ATE TPS CFA (Cognizant Field Activity) and ATE CFA (covering all of the Navy ATE) to NADEP North Island.

C.O. moved to the PMA (F) 221 (Program Management, AIR) and initiated the transition to all ATE Program Management from NAVAIR HQ to NADEP NORIS. He transferred back to NADEP as PM for the JTIDS TPS development effort. The next and final assignment was as Deputy Competency Manager for the ATE TPS Competency supporting TPS In-service Engineering for F/A-18, E-2C, S-3B Naval Aircraft. C.O. retired on 3 January 2002.

C.O. was an active docent at the San Diego Aerospace Museum where he found himself as one of the few USAF veterans defending the USAF against the majority of the USN docents.

He held the USAF rating of Aircraft Observer (Navigator/Bombardier/Radar Operator AFSC 1525) and was qualified in B-26, B-29 and B-47 Aircraft.

In addition, he holds the following decorations and medals:

Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Medal (2 OLC)

Presidential Unit Citation (2 OLC)

American Campaign Medal

European-African-Middle Campaign Medal (1 Star)

WWII Victory Medal

WWII Occupation Medal

National Defense Service Medal

Korean Service Medal (2 Stars)

ROK Presidential Unit Citation

ROK Korean Service Medal