The group consists of General Smith’s 1944 dated Ike jacket with single star on each shoulder and pinback US collar device. A 3-place ribbon bar with distinguished service medal, legion of merit and army commendation medal, the snaps are attached for his full set of ribbons which I do not have. The jacket is patched on right sleeve with 2nd Army SSI and right sleeve with 15th Army Group SSI. Jacket is named on interior liner. There is a copy of a photo of him wearing this jacket. Also included is a formal evening dress coat named to Smith along with a set of khaki shirt and pants. Pants are named. The shirt has pinback Colonel rank insignia and pinback infantry crossed rifles. Unattached accessories are a small group of paper items which includes a V-Mail letter to him, an invite to a military dinner, image of him wearing Ike jacket and more.
Smith was born in Somerville, New Jersey from where he entered West Point and was graduated in 1923. Assigned to the Field Artillery, he served in artillery units and as Aide-de-Camp to Major General Frank Parker in the United States and the Philippine Islands until 1937. After graduating from the Command and General Staff College in 1938 he became an instructor with the Mississippi National Guard. He remained there until 1940 when he began service in military intelligence that culminated in outstanding achievement in organizing and commanding the Intelligence Task Force that seized critical intelligence targets in Rome. This was the first time that our Army had established and employed such a force to exploit intelligence in the capitol of an enemy country. Because of its success, Smith was later ordered to Paris to develop a similar force for our entry into Berlin. The Battle of the Bulge so modified United States’ plans that the organization of the force was never completed and he returned to duty in Italy where he was on the Staff of Field Marshall Alexander as G2, Allied Force Headquarters. In that capacity he was the senior intelligence officer in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.
Smith held key intelligence positions:
Assistant Chief of Staff (G‑2), 15th Army Group (Italy) – 1943–1945
Assistant Chief of Staff (G‑2), Allied Armies in Italy – 1944–1945
Assistant Chief of Staff (G‑2), Allied Forces Headquarters – 1945 Generals of World War II+1
He was promoted to Colonel in 1942 and to Brigadier General in 1945
