Vincent M. Smith – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps

From a contemporary press report

Vincent M. Smith, 60, a Springfield, Virginia, resident and retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who was active in Northern Virginia youth activities, died September 3, 1998 at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, where he was undergoing treatment for a heart ailment.

Colonel Smith, an infantry officer, served in the Marine Corps for 21 years, including three tours in Vietnam, before retiring in 1981. He then became an associate projects manager with RGI in Falls Church, where he worked on computer software systems for the government.

He was a past commissioner of both the Springfield and Fairfax County youth football organizations and had coached youth football in Northern Virginia for many years. In recognition of 22 years’ service to youth, the Springfield Youth Club named its facility in his honor. He also was a recipient of a Springfield Chamber of Commerce man-of-the-year award and was elected to the Fairfax County Youth Football Hall of Fame.

Colonel Smith, who was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, was a history graduate of Marquette University and received a master’s degree in public administration from American University.

After retiring from the Corps, he also had been active in efforts to reform military health care and health retirement benefits. He had worked with other veterans and with Representative James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.).

Survivors include his wife, Edith, and a son, Stephen, both of Springfield; a daughter, Karen Willis of Philadelphia; two sisters, Janet Smith of Vienna and Joan Gehrke of Gross Pointe, Mich.; and three brothers, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Leo Smith of Omaha, Neb., and retired Army Col. Kenneth Smith and retired Army Col. Daniel Smith, both of Manassas.

SMITH, VINCENT M., LtCol, USMC (Ret.)

On Thursday, September 3, 1998, VINCENT M. SMITH, of Springfield, VA, beloved husband of Edith G. Smith; father of Stephen Smith and Karen and her husband, Chas Willis; grandfather of Kyle Vincent and Kymberly Willis; brother of Janet Smith, Joan Gehrke, Leo, Kenneth and Daniel Smith. Friends may call at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church, 7600 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, and where Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 7:30 p.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery Thursday, 1 p.m., with full military honors. Friends may assemble at the Administration Building at 12:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Springfield Youth Club, P.O. Box 2143, Springfield, VA 22152.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard