Lieutenant General Norman H. Smith, United States Marine Corps (Retired), died on 27 June 2024 at Warren Memorial Hospital in Front Royal, Virginia. He was ninety-one. He was born on 28 March 1933 in Bucyrus, Ohio, the elder son of Marian E. Smith and Harold E. Smith. After graduation from Bucyrus High School, he was awarded a basketball scholarship by the University of Arkansas, where he played varsity basketball for three years, ending as co-captain of the Razorbacks in his senior year.
Upon graduating with a degree in Physical Education, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was selected for Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry in December 1955. 2ndLt Smith began active duty at Camp Pendleton, California, where he was promoted to First Lieutenant and was appointed to his first command as commanding officer of Hotel Company, a rifle company with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, a billet normally filled by a captain.
Between his first command and his retirement on 1 August 1991, LtGen Smith served his country for thirty-six years. He was sent to Vietnam for the first time in 1965 with the Military Assistance Command as Senior Advisor to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 1st Infantry Division of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), operating north of Hue. He returned to Vietnam in 1970 for a second combat tour as Assistant Operations Officer and later as Executive Officer of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. He was shot down twice in helicopters. For his bravery he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” for valor and gold star in lieu of a second Bronze Star.
LtGen Smith attended two military war colleges. In 1972 he graduated with honors from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico, Virginia. In 1975 he graduated with distinction from the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama. Following graduation, he reported to Headquarters Marine Corps for duty in Plans, Policies, and Operations (PP&O) for four years, during which he became the Deputy Director of Plans.
He had four tours of duty with the United States Navy, the first as Executive Officer, Marine Detachment, on board the carrier USS HANCOCK (CV-19) from 1958-1959. His second tour was in 1959-1961 as Guard Officer and then Executive Officer of the Marine Guard Unit responsible for security of nuclear weapons at U.S. Naval Base, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. From 1966 -1969 he was the Marine Officer Instructor of the Naval ROTC Unit at The Ohio State University, during which he also received an M.S. degree in Physiology. Nearly fifty years later his former student midshipmen remembered his leadership when confronted with violent anti-war protestors attempting to interfere with ROTC drilling. LtGen Smith is honored in the NROTC Alumni Society’s Flag Honors Hall of Fame for distinguished service in the Marine Corps. His fourth tour with the Navy was as Fleet Marine Officer on the staff of Commander, Sixth Fleet, on board the flagship, USS PUGET SOUND (AD-38), Gaeta, Italy. While there he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. In June 1982 he was selected to be the Assistant Division Commander of 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force (FMF), Atlantic, Camp Lejeune.
In 1984 he became the first Marine general assigned to a NATO staff as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations at Headquarters Allied Forces North, in Oslo, Norway. In July 1985 he was promoted to the rank of Major General and assigned as Director of Plans and Policies Directorate, USCINCLANT, Norfolk, Virginia. In 1987 he was named the Commanding General, III MEF/Commanding General, 3rd Marine Division, FMF, Pacific and Commander, Marine Corps Bases, Japan. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in May 1989. His last assignment was as Assistant Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, from 1989 until he retired from the Marine Corps in 1991.
In addition to two Bronze Stars, LtGen Smith was awarded, among other decorations, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with gold star in lieu of a second award, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze stars, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal and from Japan the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays.
Following his retirement from the Marine Corps he joined John Hancock Mutual Funds as an Independent Lead Director of Portfolios. He retired from John Hancock in 2005.
In 2012 LtGen Smith became the President/CEO, and later Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Iwo Jima Association of America. From 2013 to 2023 he attended the annual US-Japan Joint Reunion of Honor on Iwo Jima. Committed to reconciliation between the United States and Japan, he spoke many times at the Reunion ceremonies, solemn gatherings at which former adversaries come together to honor the sacrifices of all those who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
He served on the Board of the Marine Corps Association and was active in The Order of Saint Crispin, a Marine Corps infantry officers’ organization whose members are ground combat veterans.
He is survived by his wife, Susan K. Smith and his brother, Thomas H. Smith. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marcia P. Smith. They are survived by their children: Bret P. Smith and M. Lisa Smith and three grandchildren: Alexander C. Smith, Cameron M. Smith, and 1LT Cole M. Smith, United States Army.
Donations in memory of LtGen Smith may be made to:
Iwo Jima Association of America
P.O. Box 680
Quantico, VA 22134
LtGen Smith’s memorial service will be held at 11:00am on Wednesday, 5 March 2025, at the Old Post Chapel, Fort Meyer, Virginia. Burial to follow at Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors.