SMITH CHARLES R

COL Charles R. Smith was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 06/01/2014 at the age of 85.8 from Natural causes
Annandale, VA
Flight Class 70-28
Date of Birth 08/26/1928
Served in the U.S. Army
This information was provided by Sammie Williams

More detail on this person: Charles R. Smith loving husband, father and grandfather, died at 85 of natural causes on June 1, 2014.

Rufus is survived by five children, Carolyn, Charlie, Dana, Greg, and Alison, and 10 grandchildren.

He was born in San Francisco to a military family that settled in Santa Barbara where he met and married Nancy, his wife of 60 years. He graduated from West Point in 1950 and rose to the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army before retiring in 1974.

Throughout his military career, Rufus was an Infantry officer. He served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He received many honors, including two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars, and three Air Medals. Between tours in Vietnam, he became a helicopter pilot and flew during his second tour. From 1974 through 1989, he served as a civilian Congressional Liaison for the Army Materiel Command.

He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on October 16, 2014, following a 10:45 a.m. service at the Old Post Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the National Museum of the U.S. Army, www.armyhistory.org

Published in The Washington Post on June 28, 2014

Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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