Warbirds Online » Blog Archive » Tuskegee Airman gone west

RADNOR, PA. – Luther H. Smith, 89, a Tuskegee Airman who later worked as an aerospace engineer after his military service, has passed on.

Smith flew 133 combat missions with the 33nd Fighter Group of the U. S. Army Air Force. In 1944, on his final mission he was shot down and captured by German soldiers and became a P.O.W. for the remainder of the war. Captain Smith is credited with destroying two Luftwaffe aircraft in aerial combat and an addition 10 German aircraft on the ground, destroyed during strafing missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, 8 European and Mediterranean Theaters Campaign Ribbons and in 2007, the Congressional Medal OF Honor.

Luther H. Smith was a native of Des Moines, IA and returned there after retiring from the U.S.A.A.F in 1947. In 1950 Captain Smith earned his B.S. Engineering degree from the University of Iowa and went on to spend 37 years with General Electric before retiring in 1988.

Our condolences go out to Captain Smith’s family and friends.

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