- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of Frederic Harrison Smith III
- Creator:
- Bruckner, William Joseph, 1944-
Smith, Frederic Harrison III, 1935- - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center
- Date of Original:
- 2017-02-03
- Subject:
- World War, 1939-1945
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Aerial operations, American
Lexington (Aircraft carrier : 1927-1942)
Phantom II (Jet fighter plane)
An Loc, Battle of, An Lộc, Vietnam, 1972
Tomahawk (Guided missile)
Distinguished Flying Cross (Medal)
MiG (Fighter planes)
United States Military Academy
United States Air Force Academy
United States. Air Force. Tactical Fighter Wing, 12th
United States. Air Force. Tactical Fighter Squadron, 558th
United States. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
National Rifle Association of America
Red River Valley Association - People:
- King, Ernest Joseph, 1878-1956
Olds, Robin, 1922-2007 - Location:
- Germany, Ramstein Air Force Base, 49.441426, 7.60130715086415
Panama, 9.0, -80.0
Thailand, 15.870032, 100.992541
United States, Alabama, Montgomery County, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, 32.38266, -86.35502
United States, District of Columbia, Washington, 38.89511, -77.03637
United States, Virginia, Arlington County, Pentagon City, 38.86333, -77.06118
Vietnam, Cam Ranh Bay, 11.893334, 109.170167 - Medium:
- video recordings (physical artifacts)
- Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, Fred Smith recalls his career in the United States Air Force before, during, and after the Vietnam War. He recalls his growing up years, the son of a West Point graduate and the grandson of Admiral Ernest J. King, Chief of Naval Operations during World War II. He recalls living near his grandfather while his father served in the Pacific during the war. He remembers attending an aviation gunner's competition in Arizona that sparked his lifelong interest in aviation. He describes attending the Air Force Academy and recalls several incidents during his training, including a harrowing crash while performing "hammerhead stalls." He requested duty in Vietnam and describes jungle survival school and his in country training. He describes in great detail the close air support his unit provided and the relationship between the Army and the Air Force in recovering downed air crews. He recalls a subsequent combat tour to Vietnam and comments on the failure of the United States to understand the enemy. He describes later assignments, including a tour in Argentina. He explains the actions that resulted in his two Distinguished Flying Crosses. He displays and explains several artifacts donated to the Atlanta History Center's collections, including gun camera footage, an aerial computer, and his "party suit."
West Point Prep School; Naval Observatory (residence); "hammerhead stalls"; "out of rig"; "inverted spin"; F-86D; F-106; F-4C; "Snake School"; jungle survival; "Magnet Ass"; napalm; low order explosion; CBUs; close air support; monsoon; promotions; POWs; bombing pauses; Plain of Jars; forward air controllers; White Horse Division (ROK); Air War College; foreign object damage (FOD); "Beltway Bandit"; Red River Rats; "party suit"; circular slide rule; Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base
Fred Smith served in the United States Air Force before, during, and after the Vietnam War. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/827
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 1:20:13
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
