Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1960 Lucky Bag:

ROBERT CALDWELL SMITH

This true son of the South came to the Brigade via the Citadel, with loads of academic talent in one hand and a high strung ukulele in the other. Bob was always a hard worker when he had to be, but at times his attention would drift toward the irresistible urge to participate in the cops and robbers game conducted by the Executive Department’s gang busters. Maintaining the high reputation of the fourth wing barber shop was a top priority enterprise. Other extracurricular interests centered in the relatively less demanding field of sports: notably fencing, handball, and badminton, and in the magnetic appeal of the modern jazz artists. The future will probably find Bob in the cockpit of one of the Navy’s supersonic hot rods.

Loss

Robert was lost on July 10, 1962 when the F-8U he was piloting crashed at Cecil Field, Florida.

Other Information

From USNA ‘60 Memorial Site¹:

The death of Bob came as a great surprise to all of us and it is with equally great sorrow that we pay our last tribute to our fellow classmate, who was once the life of every gathering. Bob was killed at Cecil Field when his seat failed to eject from his F-8U after a flame out. He is survived by his widow, Beth, whom he married in February. Our classmates in this area very thoughtfully provided a floral arrangement in behalf of the class with the following tribute, which expresses the sentiments of all of us: “It is with great sorrow that we mourn the passing of a true friend and a fine classmate.” Shipmate, September-October 1962

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Robert graduated from Gastonia High School in 1955. He was the Poet Officer on Class Day and was a cheerleader. He completed his first year at The Citadel and won The Chicago Tribune medal for being the outstanding freshman in the Air Force Science course.

Robert was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman Woodrow W. Jones in January 1956.

In December 1962 his wife gave birth to their son, Robert Jr. (Information from February 1963 issue of Shipmate.)

Bob is buried in North Carolina.

Photographs

References