Overview
In this account, which spans a period from working on a farm in Alabama to receiving an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, Admiral Smith provides an unusual degree of openness in describing his career. His uncle, Admiral Harold Page Smith, was an able role model and mentor, as was Captain William Bringle, who was commandant when Leighton Smith, later known widely by the nickname ""Snuffy,"" was a midshipman at the Naval Academy. Young Smith graduated from the academy in 1962 and shortly afterward married Dorothy McDowell. His recollections of their family life are interspersed throughout the oral history. Smith's early commissioned service was on board the landing craft repair ship USS Krishna (ARL-38), flight training, and in 196465 as an instructor in air intercept control at Glynco, Georgia. All told, Smith made three combat deployments to Vietnam, culminating in 1972 with his successful attack on the Thanh Hoa Bridge in North Vietnam. He flew A-4 Skyhawks and later A-7 Corsairs. Squadron duty included Attack Squadron 44 (VA-44); Attack Squadron 81 (VA-81); Attack Squadron 22 (VA-22); Attack Squadron 174 (VA-174); Attack Squadron 82 (VA-82). In 197577 he was XO and then CO of Attack Squadron 86 (VA-86). From 1968 to 1970 he was a production test pilot at the Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) plant in Dallas. In 197778 he commanded Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15); in 197880 served in the Navy Military Personnel Command; and in 198081 was Commander Light Attack Wing One. He commanded the replenishment oiler USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) in 198283; served briefly on the staff of ComNavAirLant in 1983-84, and commanded the aircraft carrier USS America (CV-66) in 198485. Smith was a member of the Strategic Studies Group at Newport in 1985-86. As a flag officer, he was director of tactical readiness on the OpNav staff; commanded Carrier Group Six, based in Mayport, Florida; and served briefly in 1989 as acting Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12. From 1989 to 1991 he was operations officer for the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany; served from 1991 to 1994 as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations (OP-06, later N3/5); and served 199496 as NATO's Commander in Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe and Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe. In the NATO command he ordered air strikes that led to the conclusion of the Dayton Accords to stop fighting in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in 199596 commanded the multinational Implementation Force that carried out the provisions of the Dayton agreement.
Full Product Details
Author: Leighton W. Smith, Jr., USN (Ret.) ,
Paul L Stillwell, USNR (Ret.)
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
Imprint: Naval Institute Press
Dimensions:
Width: 21.50cm
, Height: 5.20cm
, Length: 27.90cm
Weight: 2.580kg
ISBN: 9781682692356
ISBN 10: 1682692353
Pages: 1004
Publication Date: 01 November 2012
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Temporarily unavailable
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Author Information
Paul Stillwell is an independent historian and retired naval officer. He worked for thirty years at the U.S. Naval Institute as an oral historian and editor of Naval History magazine. He is the author or editor of fourteen books, including four on battleships and an award-winning volume on the Navy’s first African American officers, The Golden Thirteen. His 2021 book Battleship Commander: The Life of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee Jr. also received acclaim. He lives in Arnold, Maryland.
