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Lee R. K. Smith
Nickname: Smitty
Rank on team: PFC
Hometown: Woodward, OK
Years on Team: 1960-1961
Team Jobs & Highlights
- Team Parachutist
- Competition Team
- Original USAPT Member
-
3rd Place in Style (Free Fall) - 1961 US Nationals
The Significance of this is that it just happened to be behind Two (2) WORLD CHAMPIONS, Jim Arender, D-13 and Dick Fortenberry, D-38!
Army Jobs & Highlights
- STRAC Parachute Team
- Original HALO Test Team
- 4yrs - U.S.Navy Aviation 1955-1959;Acf.Eng,Elect,Parachute Rigger
- 17yrs - U.S.Army Aviation 1960-1977
- Retired as CAPTAIN
- 1960 HALO (Team Member.A&E Bd.)
- 1962 awarded The Prestigious Gen.DeGarve Trophy for Achievement and Excellence in Sky Diving-82nd Airborne Div.Sport Parachute Club.
- Served two tours in Vietnam.
- Flew Fixed Wing reconnaissance missions (O-1's)
- As an EM, I was an aircraft electrician & air traffic controller.
Awards & Badges
- BRONZE STAR MEDAL
- MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL
- AIR MEDAL 1st-5th
- U.S.NAVY GOOD CONDUCT
- U.S.ARMY GOOD CONDUCT
- NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL
- VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL
- VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL
- ARMY AVIATOR WINGS
- MILITARY FREE-FALL JUMP MASTER PARACHUTE BADGE (HALO WINGS)
- ARMY MASTER PARACHUTE BADGE
- TAIWANESE PARACHUTE BADGE
Licenses & Ratings
- F.A.I. Expert Parachutist License D-27
- Military Free-Fall Instructor Certificate Number 16
- FAA Parachute Rigger
- FAA Private and Commercial Pilot Rated
- Private Commercial license
- Powered Parachute Sport Pilot (PPC)
- FAA Sport Pilot [endorsed] Powered Parachute (PPC)
Comments
It is a privilege to have served with such exemplary leaders and mentors as those assigned to THE U.S.ARMY PARACHUTE TEAM(GOLDEN KNIGHTS). AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY ! Lee Smith D-27
Current Status
Retired and reside in Thomson,GA. Previously flew a BUCKEYE DREAM MACHINE POWERED PARACHUTE (PPC) with a PERFORMANCE DESIGNS(PD)SUN RISER RAM AIR WING. Basic Flight Instructor(BFI)for Powered Parachutes (PPC's).