Sergeant Smith was a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He fell off a truck and its towed trailer ran over him. He was evacuated to the 4th Field Hospital near Seoul, South Korea, where he died on 5 January 1951.

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