Francis Edward Smiley
| Maj Francis E. Smiley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
The body of a former Upper Darby Air Force navigator, missing in action since August 27, 1967, has been recovered in Laos. Major Francis E. Smiley, who had flown 148 missions in Southeast Asia, had only two more to go before he would have been rotated home, probably within a couple weeks.
Major Smiley's wife, the former Margaret Chance, of Mayfair, was notified at her home in Cypress, Calif., near Los Angeles, that the wreakage of the bomber had been found. A graduate of St. Joseph's College where he was a member of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Program, Major Smiley, 37, entered the service in July 1956. The couple was married six months earlier. Later he flew with the Air Defense Command from Otis Air Force Base, Cape Cod, Mass. The Air Force sent him to University of Arizona, where he won a degree in metallorgy in 1964. He was then assigned to the forign technology division at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Due to the shortage of fliers for the Vietnam war, he was called to flight test duty with bombers at Wright Patterson before being sent overseas. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and 10 Air Medals.
Besides his wife Major Smiley is survived by two sons, Francis Jr., and Andrew; three daughters, Mary, Joyce and Eileen; his widowed mother, Mrs. Margaret G. Smiley; a brother, Paul, of 141 Hampden rd., Upper Darby, and a sister, Mrs. Margaret Hamilton, Springfield, Delaware County (PA).
Article appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on April 17, 1969.
Military Service
- Rank: Major (promoted posthumously)
- Serial Number:
- Type: Pilot
- Squadron: 606th Air Commando Squadron
Missions
27 Aug 1967 - Cpt Smiley flew as part of 'Operation Barrel Roll' which was the covert program of US air campaign conducted over northern Laos in support of the Royal Lao Government against North Vietnam and the Pathet Lao.
On August 1967 during a Barrell Roll operations in what was to have been his next to the last mission, Cpt Smiley, flying with Lt Col Jensen, in their A-26A (#64-17642) was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. They both were KIA.
Citations & Awards
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Air Medal (x10)
- Purple Heart
- National Defense Service Medal
- Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
- Air Force Longevity Award (x2)
- Air Force Presidential Unit Citation
- Vietnam Gallantry Cross
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Air Force Good Conduct Medal
Planes
Crew
Disposition
- KIA 27 Aug 1967
He is listed on the Vietnam Wall, Panel 25E, Line 54.
Personal Life
Francis Edward Smiley was born 29 Sep 1931 in Upper Darby, PA.
Family
Margaret (Chance) Smiley (Widow)
Francis Edward Smiley, Jr. (son)
Andrew Smiley (son)
Mary Smiley (daughter)
Joyce Smiley (daughter)
Eileen Smiley (daughter)
Paul Smiley (brother)
Margaret (Smiley) Hamilton (Sister)
Images
Records and Personnel Information
Personnel Data on these pages came from the following sources:
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund - Wall of Faces (www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces)
- Honor States (www.honorstates.org)
- Together We Served (http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf)
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