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Capt George Winfred Smythe Jr.

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Capt George Winfred Smythe Jr.

Birth
Death
22 Apr 1958 (aged 31)
Burial
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA Add to Map
Plot
Sec: 30, Site: 181
Memorial ID
View Source
https://www.west-point.org/users/usma1949/17038/
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GEORGE WINFERED SMYTHE, Jr.
USMA Class of 1949
Died April 22, 1958, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, aged 31 years.

A future Air Force officer he was born an 'Army Brat' at Fort Benning GA. He was the elder son of Army Officer (future Major General) and Mrs. George W. Smythe (USMA 1924) and brother of future Army Officer John D. Smythe (USMA 1953).

George was subjected to the normal changes from one military reservation to another, Cub Scouts at Fort Leavenworth, KS, Boy Rangers and Boy Scouts at West Point, NY, graduation from the elementary school at West Point, NY, Eagle Scout Award (Feb 1942) at Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (later HI). He was living on Schofield Barracks and attending the Punahou Academy in Honolulu on December 7, 1941. Evacuating Hawaii in March 1942 on the Transport Ship Republic he was assigned as an ammunition passer on the tail anti-aircraft gun of the Transport. George attended and graduated from Washington and Lee High School, Arlington, Virginia, where he met his future wife, Eleanor Murray Spence. After a year at Sullivan's School in Washington, he entered The USMA at West Point, NY in 1945.

After graduation from USMA in 1949, George took his basic flight training at Randolph Air Force Base.
When he was graduated from jet training at Williams Air Force Base he served for three years in Germany with the 525th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 86th Fighter-Bomber Group, first as a pilot, then as a flight commander, and then as operations officer.
George was then assigned to the Air Force Operational Test Center, Air Proving Ground, Eglin AFB, Florida, as a test pilot and project officer where for five years he flew operational suitability test missions on the latest Air Force aircraft and prepared many evaluation reports on the late model aircraft.

It was while on a practice flight for a Fire Power Demonstration in an F-100 D aircraft that George met his death. He experienced an engine failure while at low level ultimately crash landing on the rough terrain of the bombing range. The aircraft exploded upon impact.

George lived up to the finest traditions of "Duty, Honor, Country." He was also a devoted husband and father. He was survived by his wife Eleanor "Tracy" (Spence) and two sons, David (age 7), and Donald (age 5), at the time of his death.
https://www.west-point.org/users/usma1949/17038/
******************************
GEORGE WINFERED SMYTHE, Jr.
USMA Class of 1949
Died April 22, 1958, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, aged 31 years.

A future Air Force officer he was born an 'Army Brat' at Fort Benning GA. He was the elder son of Army Officer (future Major General) and Mrs. George W. Smythe (USMA 1924) and brother of future Army Officer John D. Smythe (USMA 1953).

George was subjected to the normal changes from one military reservation to another, Cub Scouts at Fort Leavenworth, KS, Boy Rangers and Boy Scouts at West Point, NY, graduation from the elementary school at West Point, NY, Eagle Scout Award (Feb 1942) at Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (later HI). He was living on Schofield Barracks and attending the Punahou Academy in Honolulu on December 7, 1941. Evacuating Hawaii in March 1942 on the Transport Ship Republic he was assigned as an ammunition passer on the tail anti-aircraft gun of the Transport. George attended and graduated from Washington and Lee High School, Arlington, Virginia, where he met his future wife, Eleanor Murray Spence. After a year at Sullivan's School in Washington, he entered The USMA at West Point, NY in 1945.

After graduation from USMA in 1949, George took his basic flight training at Randolph Air Force Base.
When he was graduated from jet training at Williams Air Force Base he served for three years in Germany with the 525th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 86th Fighter-Bomber Group, first as a pilot, then as a flight commander, and then as operations officer.
George was then assigned to the Air Force Operational Test Center, Air Proving Ground, Eglin AFB, Florida, as a test pilot and project officer where for five years he flew operational suitability test missions on the latest Air Force aircraft and prepared many evaluation reports on the late model aircraft.

It was while on a practice flight for a Fire Power Demonstration in an F-100 D aircraft that George met his death. He experienced an engine failure while at low level ultimately crash landing on the rough terrain of the bombing range. The aircraft exploded upon impact.

George lived up to the finest traditions of "Duty, Honor, Country." He was also a devoted husband and father. He was survived by his wife Eleanor "Tracy" (Spence) and two sons, David (age 7), and Donald (age 5), at the time of his death.

Gravesite Details

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