Private First Class Smith was a member of the 29th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was Killed in Action on 22 August 1950 while fighting the enemy at the Pusan Perimeter near Munchon, South Korea.

Smith was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.