Honoring Veterans: Air Force Veteran Luther H. Smith

Luther H. Smith was born in September 1920 in Des Moines, Iowa, the second of nine children. His passion for aviation ignited after experiencing his first flight in a Ford Tri-Motor aircraft and admiring the military pilots who delivered mail in open-cockpit aircraft. Smith enrolled in the University of Iowa’s mechanical engineering program after high school. When the United States established the Civilian Pilot Training Program in 1939, he seized the opportunity, earning his pilot’s license in 1940.

Smith’s military career began in 1942 when he made history as the first African American from Iowa accepted into the Army Air Corps. He completed nine months of aviator training at Tuskegee Airfield in Alabama, earning his commission in May 1943. He joined the legendary Tuskegee Airmen and quickly distinguished himself during World War II. Flying 133 combat missions with the 302nd Fighter Group, his exceptional skill was evident as he destroyed two enemy aircraft in aerial combat and another 10 on the ground.

In October 1944, Smith faced one of his greatest challenges. While on an escort mission, his P-51 Mustang, part of the famed “Red Tails,” sustained severe damage during a bombing raid in Yugoslavia. He narrowly escaped by parachuting from his burning aircraft, sustaining serious injuries. Captured by German forces, he endured seven months as a prisoner of war (POW) in Austria. His son, Gordon, recounted that, before Smith was liberated in May 1945, “he was often asked by the Germans why, as a Black man, he was fighting for the United States. He would become indignant and respond that he was proud to serve his country.” By the time he was freed, Smith weighed only 70 pounds and required two years of hospitalization and 18 surgeries to recover.

Throughout his military service and his success in the field of engineering, Smith received numerous awards. These included a Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, a Purple Heart, a Prisoner of War Medal, eight European and Mediterranean Theater Campaign Ribbons, a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Iowa, a Franklin W. Kolk Aerospace Industry Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers and induction to the UI Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy.

After retiring as a captain in 1947, Smith returned to the University of Iowa to complete his engineering degree. Overcoming discrimination in the job market, he secured a position at General Electric, where he worked for 37 years as an aerospace engineer. His civilian contributions were equally remarkable. He held two U.S. patents for dynamic sealing devices in aircraft and collaborated with the Air Force, NASA and the Navy Submarine Command. He was later recognized as an active member of the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame.

In 1995, Smith joined President Bill Clinton and six other Veterans in Europe to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. He also played a pivotal role in selecting the design for the National World War II Memorial, dedicated in 2004. That same year, he led the 60th anniversary celebration of the Tuskegee Airmen’s achievement of escorting bombers on 200 missions without losing a single one to enemy fighters.

Smith died in 2009 in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. 

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for Honoring Veterans

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s Honoring Veterans social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Veterans History Project

This Honoring Veterans profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Writer: Yosaida Santana

Editors: Kinsey Spratt, Aditya Gulati

Researcher: Paola Negron

Graphic Designer: Adara McClain