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Smith, Paul Richard, Col.
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Contact Info
Home Town Derry, NH
Last Address Manchester NH
Date of Passing Feb 09, 2011
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Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
MANCHESTER — Col. Paul Richard Smith, 91, of Derry died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011, at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, after a period of declining health.
Col. Smith was born Aug. 5, 1919, and was a son of the late James H. and Annie F. (Martin) Smith. He was a graduate of Pinkerton High School, and a lifelong resident of Derry.
He served on active duty with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, and with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. Col. Smith began flying right after high school, and joined the Army Air Corps in 1940. As a member of the Air Cadets, he received his pilot rating on March 18, 1942. He later served as an instructor pilot in many airfields in Texas including Randolph Air Force Base. He later served as a combat fighter pilot in Europe during 1944 and 45 (P-47s). He was an air cover pilot during many missions in France including the invasion of Normandy. He would later receive the "Croix de Guerre" (Cross of War) from the French Government.
After World War II, he became one of the first U.S. pilots to fly jet fighters. and was in the second training of P-80 pilots. In 1947, he joined the N.H. Air National Guard, eventually becoming commander of the 133rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron.
Col. Smith served as Air Attaché to Gov. Lane Dwinell in the 1950s and later became Chief of Staff of the N.H. Air Guard and commanded the 157th Air Transport Group. During his long and distinguished career, he was among the earliest pilots to be trained for instrument flight. Prior to his retirement in 1977, Col. Smith flew many different aircraft, including the F-51H, F-94B, F-86L, C-97, C-124, C-130 and KC-135 and retired as a Command Pilot having logged more than 14,000 flight hours.
As a testament to his legacy, Col. Smith and his late brother Myron Smith, inspired seven of their immediate family members to become pilots, in military, commercial and private applications. He made his last flight in 2009 at the age of 90, with his grandson Christopher.
Members of the family include his wife of 65 years, Ruth M. (Farrell) Smith of Derry, two sons and their wives, Paul R., Jr. and Jennifer Smith of Hubbardston, Mass., and Maj. Dale C. and Sharon Smith of Rochester, N.H.,; a daughter and her husband, Debra A. and Col. John Ladieu of Newport News, Va.; and four grandchildren, Amy and Sarah Ladieu, Andrea and Christopher Smith.
Calling hours are Sunday, Feb. 13, from 12 to 3 p.m., at the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St. Derry, N.H., with a funeral service following immediately after at 3 p.m. A spring interment with military honors is planned for the Cemetery on the Hill in Windham.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The National Kidney Foundation , 30 East 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016.
Aircraft/Missile Information
The Boeing Company's model 367-80 was the basic design for the commercial 707 passenger plane as well as the KC-135A Stratotanker. In 1954 the Air Force purchased the first 29 of its future 732-plane fleet. The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, Calif., in June 1957. The last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965.
Of the original KC-135A's, more than 415 have been modified with new CFM-56 engines produced by CFM-International. The re-engined tanker, designated either the KC-135R or KC-135T, can offload 50 percent more fuel, is 25 percent more fuel efficient, costs 25 percent less to operate and is 96 percent quieter than the KC-135A.
Specifications StatsCentral Model Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker Length 136.25 ft | 41.53 m Width 130.84 ft | 39.88 m Height 41.67 ft | 12.70 m Engine(s) 4 x CFM F108 turbofan engines generating 22,000lbs of thrust each. Empty Weight 106,307 lbs | 48,220 kg MTOW 322,503 lbs | 146,285 kg Max Speed 610 mph | 982 km/h | 530 kts Max Range 2,880 miles | 4,635 km Ceiling 41,719 ft | 12,716 m | 7.9 miles Climb Rate 1,290 ft/min (393.2 m/min) Hardpoints 0 Armament None. Accommodations 3