ROBERT M. SMITH, JR., CAPT, USN
Robert Smith, Jr. '19
Lucky Bag
From the 1919 Lucky Bag:
Robert McLanahan Smith, Jr.
Hagerstown, Maryland
"YEH, but it hasn't anything on Hagerstown. Oh, man, that's a wonderful place—all the roads stop there!" When you hear something like that you can bet it 's Hoke, the greatest home-fan ever, who can tell you anything about who won the pennant in the Hagerstown league. Actually, he'd drop his math book to defend that burg if he were unsat with a 2.0 and he generally is. And when it comes to argufying with Hoke you might as well quit—his methods aren't given in Hamon and Derrick.
Hoke's a real friend in need to the hungry bums who generally wander in the Hall about nine-thirty. You no sooner open the door, than it's "an apple, Joe," or " There's some eats over in that box—go to 'em." Then he leans back with the air of a Carnegie hero, and registers perfect contentment while you are cramming it in.
We hate to double-cross him this way, but some of the rare stunts he commits in that perfectly sober, serious manner are too good to keep. Youngster cruise, as the Old Whiskey was standing into Boston Harbor, Hoke as you'd expect, had to come down with, "Why, where's the Statue of Liberty?" It's a matter of record that this prodigy spent an hour trying to trace the exhaust of the steam whistle.
As a fusser, Hoke is one of these lads who are always itching to try again. After a particularly unsuccessful weekend, you might hear something like this: "Aw, man, but that car raised it two tenths!"
Smith (in Nav): "The elevated pole is the one that would be visible if you could see it."
Honors: Buzzard; Mandolin Club 4, 3, 1; Hop Committee 1; Track Squad 3, 1.
The Class of 1919 was graduated on June 6, 1918 due to World War I. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Robert McLanahan Smith, Jr.
Hagerstown, Maryland
"YEH, but it hasn't anything on Hagerstown. Oh, man, that's a wonderful place—all the roads stop there!" When you hear something like that you can bet it 's Hoke, the greatest home-fan ever, who can tell you anything about who won the pennant in the Hagerstown league. Actually, he'd drop his math book to defend that burg if he were unsat with a 2.0 and he generally is. And when it comes to argufying with Hoke you might as well quit—his methods aren't given in Hamon and Derrick.
Hoke's a real friend in need to the hungry bums who generally wander in the Hall about nine-thirty. You no sooner open the door, than it's "an apple, Joe," or " There's some eats over in that box—go to 'em." Then he leans back with the air of a Carnegie hero, and registers perfect contentment while you are cramming it in.
We hate to double-cross him this way, but some of the rare stunts he commits in that perfectly sober, serious manner are too good to keep. Youngster cruise, as the Old Whiskey was standing into Boston Harbor, Hoke as you'd expect, had to come down with, "Why, where's the Statue of Liberty?" It's a matter of record that this prodigy spent an hour trying to trace the exhaust of the steam whistle.
As a fusser, Hoke is one of these lads who are always itching to try again. After a particularly unsuccessful weekend, you might hear something like this: "Aw, man, but that car raised it two tenths!"
Smith (in Nav): "The elevated pole is the one that would be visible if you could see it."
Honors: Buzzard; Mandolin Club 4, 3, 1; Hop Committee 1; Track Squad 3, 1.
The Class of 1919 was graduated on June 6, 1918 due to World War I. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Loss
Robert was lost on November 11, 1942 when the ship he commanded, USS Joseph Hewes (AP 50), was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in Fedala Roads off French Morocco during the Naval Battle of Casablanca. He had been in command since the ship had completed conversion to a troopship and placed in commission on May 1, 1942.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
At age 3, Robert and his mother were living with his uncle and aunt, J. Pierson and Etta Loose in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Robert married Helen Scott Mason. Their children were: Helen, Mary Landon, and Robert.
His wife was listed as next of kin. Robert has a memory marker in Maryland.
Photographs
History of USS Joseph Hewes (AP 50)
From Naval History and Heritage Command:
Joseph Hewes (AP-50), formerly Excalibur, was built in 1930 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, N.J.; acquired by the Navy 8 January 1942; and commissioned I May 1942, Captain Robert McL. Smith in command. After conversion and fitting out, Joseph Hewes sortied from Hampton Roads 24 October with the Center Attack Group of Admiral Hewitt's Western Naval Task Force en route to French Morocco. She was carrying 80 officers and 1,074 men of the reinforced 3d Division, U.S. Army, plus vehicles and supplies. The transport arrived off Fedala 8 November, by 0705 landed all troops, and then commenced unloading ammunition and supplies. By 11 November Joseph Hewes had completed unloading and had received 30 casualties from the beach. At 1950 she took a torpedo hit in No. 2 hold from U-173. The transport settled by the bow and began filling rapidly with water. Captain Smith endeavored to pick up anchor or slip chain but, as the entire forecastle was under water, this was not possible. He then attempted to beach the ship by backing engines but her propeller was out of the water, so the order was given to abandon ship. Joseph Hewes went down at 2032, taking Captain Smith and several seamen with her. By his coolness, calmness, and his devotion to duty in placing the safety of the crew and ship before his own, he instilled confidence in every officer and member of the crew. The U-113 paid heavily for her victory, for she was sunk 5 days later off Casablanca by American destroyers.
Silver Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Captain Robert McLanahan Smith, Jr. (NSN: 0-34537), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. JOSEPH HEWES (AP-50), when that ship was torpedoed and sunk off Fedala, French Morocco, on 11 November 1942. Captain Smith's remarkable display of command and his exceptional heroism and outstanding devotion to duty at a time when efficient direction and control of the existing situation meant the saving of many lives, were inspirational. The cool, forceful, commanding manner in which he acted and maintained order in an extremely dangerous situation, and the calm inspiring way in which he spoke to his men as he ordered them overboard, gave them confidence, courage and hope. The exemplary conduct of Captain Smith, at the cost of his own life, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Joseph Hewes (AP-50)
Rank: Captain
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
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