Photo By Kevin P Clarke | NAS Kingsville Commanding Officer Capt. Thomas Korsmo adds Capt. Theodore Smyer to the...... read more read more
Capt. Theodore “Ted” Smyer, the only naval officer to serve concurrently as commanding officer of NAS Kingsville and Commander, Training Air Wing Two, became the latest inductee to the air station’s Hall of Heroes on Jan. 14.
After his retirement from the Navy, he returned to the Kingsville area and continued his service with the local community.
Smyer, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam began his career in naval aviation in July 1944 when he earned his wings and was designated a naval aviator at NAS Corpus Christi.
His first assignment was with Attack Squadron (VF) 9 aboard the USS Lexington and USS Yorktown where he took part in the first carrier raids on the Japanese empire.
After the war, he was assigned to Fighter-Bombing Squadron 17 and attended the Navy’s General Line School in California. He then reported to VF-63 at NAS Oceana, Virginia, where he completed three combat cruises in Korea operating from the decks of the USS Boxer, USS Valley Forge, and USS Philippine Sea.
Subsequent assignments included Cruiser Division 1 and VF-53. In 1959, Smyer was assigned as an exchange pilot with the U.S. Air Force and became the first naval aviator to fly the first five “Century” series aircraft, F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104 and F-105.
Smyer’s major commands included Commanding Officer, VA-216; two staff tours with Commander, Fleet Air; and on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Capt. Smyer assumed command of NAS Kingsville on Sept. 4, 1970, and became the first commander of Training Air Wing Two when the wing was established on August 1, 1971.
He was serving as the chief of staff for the Sixth Naval District in Charleston, South Carolina, at the time of his retirement on June 30, 1975.
During his career, Captain Smyer was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Meritorious Service medals, two Purple Hearts, and 10 Air Medals in addition to other lesser awards and decorations.
Smyer returned to Kingsville, Texas, and settled his family in Riviera.
After a bout with cancer, he became very active with the American Cancer Society and chaired the Crusade Department for the Texas chapter.
He was also involved in the local community, serving as president of the Kingsville Rotary Club and the Navy League, was a board member for State Bank of Kingsville, and served 20 years on the city/county health board.
Capt. Smyer died April 15, 2001, and is buried in Kingsville’s Chamberlain Cemetery.
(A version of this story appeared in the Jan. 21, 2021, edition of the Kingsville Record.)
| Date Taken: | 01.14.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2021 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 387661 |
| Location: | KINGSVILLE, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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