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Lieutenant Colonel Gary Francis Smith served the Army Retirement Services for 24 years. Gary served in the Vietnam War and the Cold War, and during the years of Gulf War. Gary was 55 years old.
How He Died
Manner
Homicide
Cause
Multiple traumatic injuries
Place
Virginia
Biography
Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army, retired - Chief of Army Retirement Services.
He was commissioned from ROTC at Creighton in January 1968 and commanded a company of the 560th Signal Battalion at Vicenza. In 1970 he was a communications officer with the 546th Infantry and assistant S-3 and S-4 of the 523rd Signal Battalion, 23rd Infantry Division, at Chu Lai in Vietnam.
He was aide-de-camp and training officer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, executive officer and adjutant at the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, an equal opportunity officer with the Military District of Washington, and G-1 and adjutant general of the Allied Forces Central Europe Reserve Corps at Maastricht. He came back to Washington in 1984 to the alcohol and drug policy branch at Army headquarters, and in 1988 was deputy chief of staff for personnel, administration and logistics at the Community and Family Support Center.
From 1989 until his retirement in October 1991 he ran retired and veterans' affairs and then the Army Family Support Directorate, and he had held his last post - looking after the Army's retirees - since January 1992.
He holds the Soldier's Medal, which is given for heroism not involving an enemy.
He was commissioned from ROTC at Creighton in January 1968 and commanded a company of the 560th Signal Battalion at Vicenza. In 1970 he was a communications officer with the 546th Infantry and assistant S-3 and S-4 of the 523rd Signal Battalion, 23rd Infantry Division, at Chu Lai in Vietnam.
He was aide-de-camp and training officer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, executive officer and adjutant at the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, an equal opportunity officer with the Military District of Washington, and G-1 and adjutant general of the Allied Forces Central Europe Reserve Corps at Maastricht. He came back to Washington in 1984 to the alcohol and drug policy branch at Army headquarters, and in 1988 was deputy chief of staff for personnel, administration and logistics at the Community and Family Support Center.
From 1989 until his retirement in October 1991 he ran retired and veterans' affairs and then the Army Family Support Directorate, and he had held his last post - looking after the Army's retirees - since January 1992.
He holds the Soldier's Medal, which is given for heroism not involving an enemy.
Survivors
His wife Ann and their four daughters.
Keepsakes
Shared stone
Shared stone
Shared stone
Shared stone
Shared stone
Shared stone
Service Record
Conflicts
For service and achievement
Bronze Star Medal one oak leaf cluster ×2
Meritorious Service Medal three oak leaf clusters ×4
Army Commendation Medal one oak leaf cluster ×2
Memorials
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Line 1945
Also Remembered
September 11, 2001 — The Pentagon
Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Section
64
Grave
5089
In Our Keeping
Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krcpgse7djrqt5fr2x5vf58f
Record added
August 8, 2026
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Last updated
September 30, 2026
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Shadow Box
Gary Francis Smith
Lieutenant Colonel
U.S. Army
1968 - 1991
Army Retirement Services

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