Flagler County Veteran of the Week: Ernest W. Smith III

Chief Petty Officer Smith is a combat veteran of Desert Storm and the Global War on Terror having earned the Combat Action Ribbon.


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  • | 7:10 a.m. August 22, 2024
Ernest Smith served in the Navy from 1987 to 2011. Courtesy photo
Ernest Smith served in the Navy from 1987 to 2011. Courtesy photo
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  • Branch of Military: U.S. Navy
  • Dates of Service: 1987-2011
  • Rank / Occupation: Chief Petty Officer / Boatswains Mate
  • Hometown: Sandwich, Massachusetts 
Chief Petty Officer Ernest W. Smith III. Courtesy photo

Ernest Smith retired from the Navy after 24 years of faithful service. He is a combat veteran of Desert Storm and the Global War on Terror having earned the Combat Action Ribbon serving over 17 cumulative years at sea.

His Naval career began in 1987 as an undesignated Seaman aboard USS McInerney, upon which, on the gun line, he fought Iraqi shore installations of Silkworm anti-ship missiles contributing to the liberation of Failaka Island and Kuwait City.

Other notable tours of his career included Recruit Division Commander at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois; Bo'sun (deck boss) on the U.S.S. Constitution; and Chief of the Boat in Patrol Coastal Crew KILO, Little Creek, Virginia.

For his honorable service, he is the recipient of three Navy / Marine Corps Commendation Medals, five Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medals and many other awards and decorations for his combat service in Southwest Asia in the defense of the nation. He and his wife Korita and daughter Autumn settled in Palm Coast in 2021.

Need help with Veterans Services?

For information about support organizations and resources available to veterans, call 386-313-4014.

 

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