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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).