Private First Class Smith was a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near DT277428, North Korea, on 24 September 1952.

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.