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Alfred T. Smith

Alfred T. Smith
Smith as commander of the 3rd Infantry Division in 1937
Born(1874-11-25)November 25, 1874
Washington, D.C., U.S.
DiedNovember 27, 1939(1939-11-27) (aged 65)
Washington, D.C.
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Army
Years of service1894-1938
RankBrigadier General
UnitU.S. Army Infantry Branch
CommandsCompany E, 12th Infantry Regiment
Company I, 12th Infantry Regiment
54th Infantry Regiment
34th Infantry Regiment
18th Infantry Brigade, 9th Infantry Division
Philippine Division
3rd Infantry Division
Battles / warsSpanish–American War
Philippine–American War
Pancho Villa Expedition
World War I
AwardsSilver Star
Order of the Crown of Italy (Commander)
Spouse(s)Annie Y. Pike (m. 1903-1939, his death)

Alfred T. Smith (November 25, 1874 – November 27, 1939) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and World War I, he attained the rank of brigadier general and was most notable for his command of the Philippine Division (1935–1937) and the 3rd Infantry Division (1937–1938).

Early life

Smith as a high school senior in 1894

Alfred T. Smith was born in Washington, D.C., on November 25, 1874, the son of Theodore Smith (1846–1884) and Lydia Smith (1854–1918).[1][2] Smith's father was a first lieutenant in the 15th Infantry Regiment,[3] and Smith's desire for a military career was known among friends and family from an early age.[4] He attended the public schools of Washington, and was an 1894 graduate of Central High School.[4] While in high school, Smith joined the High School Cadets, an organization which took part in military drill and ceremony competitions.[5] He commanded the regiment's Company D with the rank of captain, and his company won the city's annual contest in May 1894.[5]

Start of career

In September, 1894 Smith enlisted in the United States Army as a private with the intention of qualifying for an officer's commission.[4] Assigned to Company H, 6th Infantry Regiment,[4] Smith served at Fort Thomas, Kentucky and attained the rank of sergeant.[6] He performed well on his 1896 competitive examination, and when he was nominated in 1897 for appointment as a second lieutenant, the members of his company demonstrated their esteem by presenting him with an officer's sword and the uniform insignia of his new rank.[7]

In May 1897, Smith received his second lieutenant's commission in the Infantry branch.[8] He was assigned to the 12th Infantry Regiment at Fort Niobrara, Nebraska.[8] During the Spanish–American War, Smith served in Cuba with the 12th Infantry.[9] He took part in the Battle of El Caney and the Siege of Santiago.[9] After the war, he received promotion to first lieutenant by brevet in recognition of his gallantry.[9] He received promotion to permanent first lieutenant in March 1899.[10]

Continued career

After his service in Cuba, Smith was assigned to the 12th Infantry in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War.[11] His posting included leading the effort to reestablish civil government in San Miguel, Bulacan.[11] During his service in the Philippines, Smith was commended twice for heroism and was recommended for promotion to brevet captain.[10]

Smith was recommended for promotion to permanent captain in February 1902.[12] He briefly commanded Company E, 12th Infantry at Fort Douglas, Utah and in May 1902 was transferred to command of the regiment's Company I at Fort Bliss, Texas.[13] In 1904, Smith commanded Company L when an ad hoc battalion of 12th Infantry units deployed for service in the Philippines.[14]

After leaving the Philippines in 1906, Smith remained with the 12th Infantry, this time assigned to Fort Niagara, New York.[15][16] In 1909, Smith returned to the Philippines with the 12th Infantry.[17] This posting also included temporary detached duty in Nagasaki.[18] By the time the 12th Infantry returned to the United States in 1912, Smith was serving as the regimental adjutant.[19]

Smith remained with the 12th Infantry, this time assigned to the Presidio of Monterey, California.[20] In 1914, he was designated to take the course at the School of the Line at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.[21] He graduated in 1914 and performed temporary duty with the 12th Infantry at the Presidio of San Francisco before returning to the School of the Line to serve on the faculty.[22] He then returned to the 12th Infantry, this time on the Texas-Mexico border during the Pancho Villa Expedition.[23]

World War I

Smith's 1919 passport photo

In July 1916, Smith was promoted to major.[24] In September, he was assigned to Ohio State University as professor of military science.[25]

From 1917 to 1919, Smith was the U.S. military attaché in Argentina, and was assigned to duty in Buenos Aires.[26] During the war, Smith was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel, then temporary colonel.[27][28] In 1919, he traveled to Europe and performed unspecified special duty in the Netherlands.[29] After returning, he was assigned as commander of the 54th Infantry Regiment at Camp Grant, Illinois.[30]

Later career

In 1920, Smith was assigned as a student United States Army War College.[31] While taking this course, Smith reverted to his permanent rank of major, and was quickly promoted to permanent lieutenant colonel and permanent colonel.[32][33] In 1921, he was assigned as a student at the United States Army Command and General Staff College.[34]

After graduating from the Staff College in 1922, Smith was assigned to duty with the Organized Reserve Corps on the staff of the Third Corps Area at Fort Howard, Maryland.[35] In 1928, Smith was assigned to command the 34th Infantry Regiment at Fort Eustis, Virginia.[33]

Smith was chief of the War Department's Military Intelligence Division from January 3, 1931 to January 2, 1935.[36] He was promoted to brigadier general in January 1932.[37] From February to May 1935, Smith was assigned to Fort Devens, Massachusetts as commander of the 18th Infantry Brigade, a unit of the 9th Infantry Division.[38]

From June 1935 to January 1937, Smith commanded the Philippine Division.[26] From July 1937 to January 1938, he commanded the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington.[26] Smith left the Army for disability in May 1938, a few months before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64.[26]

Later life

By virtue of his service in the Philippines, Smith was a member of the Military Order of the Carabao.[39]

In retirement, Smith was a resident of Washington, D.C.[26] He died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on November 27, 1939.[26] Smith was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[26]

Awards

Smith received the Citation Star for his heroism in Cuba.[26] When the Army created the Silver Star decoration in 1918, Smith's award was converted to the new medal.[26] He was also a recipient of the Order of the Crown of Italy (Commander), which was presented by the King of Italy to recognize his services on that country's behalf during World War I.[26]

Family

On February 24, 1903, Smith married Annie Y. Pike (1879–1952),[40] the granddaughter of Albert Pike.[26] They were married until his death and had no children.[26]

Smith had one sister, Frances (1877–1940).[3] She was the wife of Army Colonel Glenn Hedges Davis (1869–1922).[3]

References

  1. ^ "U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, Entry for Alfred T. Smith". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com, LLC. July 3, 1919. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  2. ^ "1890 United States Federal Census, Family Schedule for Lydia J. Smith Family". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com, LLC. 1890. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy (1922). Fifty-third Annual Report. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. p. 59 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b c d "Enlisted in the Army: An Ambitious High School Boy Who Wants to Rise from the Ranks". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. September 22, 1894. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "The Prize Won: Company D of the High School Cadets the Victors". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. May 26, 1894. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Washington Boy's Success". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. July 23, 1896. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Esteemed by His Men". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. May 17, 1897. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Army and Navy Orders". The Washington Times. Washington, DC. June 3, 1897. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b c "The Army: Brevet Appointments". Army and Navy Journal. New York, NY. February 11, 1899. p. 557 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ a b "Bravely Won His Straps". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. November 10, 1900. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b "A Filipino Police Force". The New York Times. New York, NY. August 4, 1900. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Appointed by the President". The New York Times. New York, NY. February 18, 1902. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Late Locals: Frank L. Winn and Alfred T. Smith". Deseret News. Salt lake City, UT. May 23, 1902. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Twelfth Infantry Leaves for Philippines". El Paso Herald. El Paso, TX. February 23, 1904. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Mrs. Alfred T. Smith". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. June 7, 1906. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Capt. Alfred T. Smith". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. October 14, 1906. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Port of Honolulu: Passengers Arrived". The Hawaiian Gazette. Honolulu, HI. July 16, 1909. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Transfers Army Men to Nagasaki". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, CA. April 24, 1910. p. 58 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "The Coming First U.S. Infantry and Its Officers". The Hawaiian Star. Honolulu, HI. February 3, 1912. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Registered at Army Headquarters". The San Francisco Call. San Francisco, CA. March 25, 1913. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Officers Are Assigned". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. July 22, 1914. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Army and Navy Changes of the Day". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. July 28, 1914. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Gen. Alfred T. Smith Arrives at Army Base". The Boston Globe. Boston, MA. February 4, 1935. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Show Big in the Army: Promotions Since July 1; In the Infantry". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. July 26, 1916. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Army Orders". El Paso Times. El Paso, TX. September 24, 1916. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Brig. Gen. A. T. Smith Dies After Illness of Four Days". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. November 28, 1939. p. 2 – via GenealogyBank.com.
  27. ^ "Mrs. Lydia J. Smith Dead". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. April 16, 1918. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Happenings in Society: Col. and Mrs. Alfred T. Smith". The Washington Times. Washington, DC. June 27, 1919. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Col. A. T. Smith". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. August 22, 1919. p. 8 – via GenealogyBank.com.
  30. ^ "Personal Matters: Alfred T. Smith". Army and Navy Register. New York, NY. July 31, 1920. p. 125 – via Google Books.
  31. ^ "War College Orders". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. May 30, 1920. p. 41 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Army Orders: Alfred T. Smith". New York Herald. New York, NY. June 12, 1920. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ a b "Colonel Smith to Command at Eustis". Daily Press. Newport News, VA. March 7, 1928. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Ordered to Kansas". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. May 29, 1921. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Ordered to Reserves". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. July 4, 1922. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Records, War Department Military Intelligence Division, 8/26/1918-4/19/1947". National Archives Catalog. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  37. ^ "Promote Officers". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, TN. January 13, 1932. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "Army Orders". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu, HI. January 19, 1935. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "War Chiefs Meet at Carabao Dinner". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. February 9, 1930. p. B2 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "Washington, D.C. Compiled Marriage Index, 1830-1921, Entry for Alfred T. Smith and Annie Y. Pike". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com, LLC. February 24, 1903. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  • "ANC Explorer". Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington, VA: Office of Army Cemeteries. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
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