Smith, Pinkham, 1916-1979

Pinkham Smith (b. 1916, Pelham, N.Y.-d. Dec. 30, 1979), U.S. Air Force officer, graduated from ROTC at Princeton University in 1937 and received his commission in the Field Artillery Reserve. He entered the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet in 1938 and completed flying school the following year. Beginning in early 1944 he served as a B-29 pilot with the 20th Bomber Command in the China-Burma-India Theater, becoming assistant chief of tactical operations and flying 140 combat hours before the end of the War. He was selected as one of the officers for Operation Crossroads, the Air Force's atomic test program. From 1949 to 1952, he was assigned to Strategic Air Command HQ as chief of ground training, deputy director of training, and deputy director of personnel. In 1953, General Smith served as director of operations and commander, 5039th Air Base Wing, with the Alaskan Air Command; he later became deputy commander, 10th Air Division. In the late 1950s, he was commander, 22nd Bombardment Wing, and chief of staff, 15th Air Force HQ, both at March Air Force Base. He retired in 1968.