James Thomas Smith Rear Admiral James Thomas Smith ( November 1 , 1908 – June 28 , 1990 ) was an officer of the United States Navy during World War II . Early years . Smith was born in Howell , Tennessee , to James Hillary Brewer and Mary Elizabeth ( Pickle ) Smith . Following graduation from Lincoln County High School and a year at Bryson Junior College , he entered the United States Naval Academy in 1927 , graduating in the class of 1931 . He married Margaret ( Peggy ) Glasgow of Long Beach , California , in August 1932 . Pre war years . After a successful solo at the end of elimination flight training at NAS North Island in San Diego Bay , Smith ' s first assignment afloat was in the battleship , and between 1933 and 1938 he had consecutive duty in the destroyer s , , , ( on the China Station ) , and . He next had instruction in general line at the Naval Postgraduate School in Annapolis , Maryland , and in September 1939 joined the destroyer as Executive Officer . World War II . Transferred to the in February 1941 , he was serving as Engineering Officer of that destroyer , based at Pearl Harbor , when the Japan ese attacked the Naval Base there on December 7 , 1941 . Throughout the most part of World War II , he had duty in destroyers , serving as Executive and Commanding Officer of the ( May 1942 - December 1943 ) and in command of the ( May 1944 - April 1945 ) , which he commissioned . During the war in the Pacific he participated in action off Bougainville Island , the Battle of the Coral Sea , attack and occupation of Salamaua - Lae , and in action at Finschhafen , Araw , Manila , Hong Kong , Saigon , Formosa , Okinawa , Tokyo , and Iwo Jima . For his outstanding service during the war he was awarded the Silver Star , the Bronze Star with Combat " V " , the Purple Heart , and a Letter of Commendation with Ribbon . Post war years . In May 1945 Smith was assigned to Reserve Officer Promotions in the Bureau of Naval Personnel , Navy Department , and for a year , June 1947 - May 1948 , was a student ( Senior Course ) at the Naval War College , Newport , Rhode Island . After an assignment on the staff of the Commander First Fleet , he reported in June 1950 as Executive Officer of the Department of Marine Engineering at the Naval Academy . From July 1952 until September 1953 he commanded the attack transport , operating in the Korean area during the hostilities there , and during August and September 1953 served additionally as Senior Officer Present Afloat at Inchon , Korea . He was head of the Joint and Combined Operation Section , Amphibious Warfare Branch , Office of the Chief of Naval Operations , Navy Department in 1953 and 1954 , after which he was in command of the Naval Receiving Station , San Diego , California . From November 1957 to retirement in January 1958 he was Assistant Chief of Staff for Administration to the Commandant of the Fourteenth Naval District with headquarters in Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . Retirement . Upon retirement , Admiral Smith traveled , worked at Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts , pursued hobbies such as leatherwork and photography , and played golf . He eventually settled in Alpine , California , near San Diego where he died . He and his wife Peggy , who died in 1995 , are buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego .