Major James Smee, USMC '70. From the Lucky Bag: "First coming to Annapolis from Tehran, Jim, a defector from an Army family, occasionally called Fort Lupton, Colorado, Fort Monroe, Virginia, or San Francisco, home. After spending Plebe year as an intramural jock, he renounced the dusty fields for the musty corner of Maury Hall that houses the debate team, where he became a member of the first string. As the result of his debating feats, Jim managed to avoid the Naval Academy on weekends, but still managed to remain high in the class. Although his workouts were primarily composed of carrying around two bags of file cards, while leaving the more difficult evidence carrying to his nefarious forensic colleague, the Dwarf, Jim managed to try sailing and squash as well. His military and academic prowess, tied with a truly genuine interest in others, will make him a fine officer."
In the Class of 1970's 40th Reunion Book: "Jim began flight training in April 1971 in Pensacola, after completing The Basic School at Quantico. He received his wings in Kingsville, Texas in October 1972. His first assignment was F-4 squadron VMFA 235 in Kaneohe, Hawaii. He was selected for the Olmsted Scholar Program, class of 1975, and spent two years at the Institut d’Etude Politiques in Grenoble, France. Upon his return, he was deployed for a year to Iwakuni, Japan. After attending Amphibious Warfare School in 1978-9, he spent three years in Beaufort with VMFA 122 and 312, deploying to Iwakuni as the Operations Officer of VMFA 312. In January 1983, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk. In August 1983, he was assigned to MAWTS-1 in Yuma, Arizona. At the time of his death in May 1984, he was serving as the Operations Officer of MAWTS-1.
Jim married Susan Garnett in September, 1970, in Ft. Riley, Kansas. They had two daughters, Melissa Kristine Smee Walker and Sarah “Gayle” Smee Minden. Melissa lives in Nashville with her husband Tim, and has three children: James Lawton, Katherine Alexandra, and Margaret Susan. Gayle lives in Denver with her husband, Vaun, and has one child: Zoe Elizabeth. Susan Smee lives in Burke, Virginia. We miss Jim every day."
Jim's family will be joining many others this weekend as we honor their incredible service and sacrifice at the annual Honor Our Fallen Heroes event.