Sergeant First Class Smothers was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in Chongpyong, South Korea, on 25 April 1951.

Smothers 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.