U.S. Navy · United States 
Raymond Charles Smith Jr.
Raymond Charles "Ray" Smith Jr.
Rear Admiral Upper Half Raymond Charles Smith Jr. served in the U.S. Navy for 35 years and 10 months. Raymond served with the United States Special Operations Command. Raymond served in the Vietnam War and Gulf War. Raymond was 78 years old.
Raymond Charles Smith Jr. was born in San Francisco on 6 July 1943. He enlisted in the Navy in January 1962, went from the Naval Academy Preparatory School to Annapolis, and was commissioned with the Class of 1967.
After a tour in the destroyer USS Floyd B. Parks he completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training with Class 54 and went to Vietnam with Underwater Demolition Team Twelve as a platoon commander. He was wounded there.
He directed SEAL training at Coronado, commanded SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One, and in 1989 took command of Naval Special Warfare Group One, leading the SEAL and Special Boat forces of the Gulf War. He commanded Naval Special Warfare Command from 1992 to 1996, then served as deputy commander of United States Special Operations Command, and was its acting commander from 25 September to 5 November 1997. He retired after thirty-four years.
He died at his home in Coronado, California, on 6 February 2022.
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1997United States Special Operations CommandDirector of Resources; Deputy Commander in Chief; acting Commander in Chief 25 Sep - 5 Nov
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1992–1996Naval Special Warfare CommandCommander
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1989–1991Naval Special Warfare Group OneCommander
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1985–1987SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team OneCommanding Officer
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1981–1983Naval Amphibious Base CoronadoDirector of SEAL training
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1970–1971Underwater Demolition Team TwelvePlatoon commander, Vietnam; operations and executive officer
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1967–1969USS Floyd B. Parks (DD-884)Shipboard officer
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1962–1963U.S. NavyEnlisted; Naval Academy Preparatory School
Branch
Highest rank
Wars
Awards & Decorations
17
For service and achievement
Bronze Star Medal Combat V
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Combat V, three gold stars ×4
Campaign and service medals
National Defense Service Medal two service stars ×3
Vietnam Service Medal four campaign stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal two campaign stars
Foreign awards
Legion of Merit four gold stars ×5
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