Frederick Phillip Smith

Captain Frederick Phillip “Flip” Smith, US Army, was born 6 March 1946 in Oklahoma City. After graduation from Northeast High School in 1964, he enlisted in the Army in 1965 and initially trained as an artilleryman. He was selected for Infantry Officer Candidate School and commissioned in April 1967 as a Second Lieutenant in the Chemical Corps.

From April 1967 through January 1969, Smith trained to become an Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialist. After completing Airborne School in February 1970, he arrived in the Republic of Vietnam in April 1970 and was assigned to the First Cavalry Division stationed at Phuoc Vinh. Smith became the Assistant Division Chemical Officer in October 1970.

On 13 February 1971, Smith was conducting a helicopter “People Sniffer” mission with Headquarters Battery 2nd/20th Artillery, tasked to support their mission. Eight passengers, including Smith, flew in a UH-1H Huey helicopter to drop twenty modified Air Force CS, tear gas, cluster munitions in heavy jungle terrain with the expectation to make the hidden enemy reveal themselves. Shortly into the flight mission, one of the munitions accidentally exploded, filling the helicopter with gas, smoke, and flame. The aircraft commander instructed the crew to jettison all the cannisters. Although severely burned and clothes on fire, Smith was able to unbuckle his seatbelt, realizing everyone's life was in danger, and push all the clusters out of the aircraft. But in those moments, Smith fell 1,500 feet to his death.

For Smith’s gallantry in action, he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. In 2008 Captain Smith was inducted into the U.S. Army Chemical Corps Hall of Fame. In 2018 Smith’s name was added to the EOD Memorial at Eglin AFB, Florida, which honors the 338 EOD Technicians who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation since WWII. Captain Smith now rests in Rose Hill Burial Park, Oklahoma Cit