Ray L. Smith

Ray L. Smith
Major General Ray L. Smith
Nickname(s)	E-Tool
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1965-1999
Rank	Major General
Commands held	2nd Battalion, 8th Marines 8th Marine Regiment 3rd Marine Division Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Battles/wars	Vietnam War - Tet Offensive
Awards	Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal - Defense DSM - Navy and Marine Corps DSM Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Purple Heart (3)
Other work	Author

Ray L. Smith is a retired United States Marine Corps major general. Smith is a highly decorated Marine who has commanded infantry units at all levels. His awards received for service in combat during the Vietnam War include the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. MajGen Smith retired from the Marine Corps in 1999 after almost 34 years of service. In 2003, after nearly four years of retirement, Smith went to Iraq with the 1st Marine Division; and penned an eyewitness account of the march from Kuwait to Baghdad — The March Up: Taking Baghdad with the 1st Marine Division.

Smith is a native of Oklahoma. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in Montana in December 1965. He graduated as the Platoon and Series Honorman at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego in 1966. In March 1967, he graduated from Officer Candidates School and from The Basic School in August 1967.

During his first tour in Vietnam, Lt. Smith served as a Platoon (4 months) and Company Commander (9 months) in Alpha 1/1, seeing combat action in Hue, Khe Sanh, the Rockpile, Con Thien, "Dodge City" and south of Da Nang. He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the Tet Offensive.