SMITH, RICHARD EUGENE, JR

RIP 16 JANUARY 2026

Name: Richard Eugene Smith, Jr.
Rank/Branch: O4/United States Air Force
Unit: 333rd TFS 355 TFW
Date of Birth: 17 January 1935
Home City of Record: Marks MS
Date of Loss: 25 October 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 210200N 1055200E
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105D, #1168
Missions: 33
Incident No: 0877

Other Personnel in Incident:

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK  from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews. Updated 2026.

REMARKS: 730314 RELEASED BY DRV

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Richard Smith Jr., retired from the United States Air Force after 19 years a
Lt. Colonel. He and Rae reside in Mississippi where he pursues golf, quail
and duck hunting. He was the director for the Golden Triangle Regional
Airport, and current chairman of the Board of AFA. He has previously served
as National President of the Air Force Association.

Smith and his wife have 2 daughters, Kelly and Stacy, and a son, Rick.
Rick is an F-16 instructor at LAFB and flew on the opening day raid on
Bagdad during the Gulf War. They have been blessed with four grandsons.

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Gene's wife Rae died December 23, 2003.  She died peacefully with her
family by her side after a long illness.

http://www.aetc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123403699 Columbus honors former POW Posted 3/14/2014   Updated 3/14/2014   3/14/2014 - Retired Lt. Col. Richard “Gene” Smith, former Vietnam POW speaks with fellow Columbus Air Force Base Wingman Mark Alexander at the Memorial Wall named in Smith’s honor at Columbus AFB on March 14, 2014. Smith was a POW for five and one-half years was recognized during Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 14-06’s graduation ceremony as today marked the 41st anniversary of Smith’s repatriation. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Melissa Dublin)

Former POW recalls his experience Meridian Star   09/19/2015 The POW/MIA empty chair ceremony was performed at Meridian City Hall Friday during ... who was a POW in Vietnam for 5 1/2 years, shared his story.

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