Ernest Smith was born on a struggling little farm outside Florence, South Dakota in 1918 to Lester and Mabel Smith. He was the oldest of three children.

In 1938 he joined the United States Marines and served aboard the aircraft carrier Enterprise. He participated in several decisive battles in the Pacific during World War II including the Battle of Midway, Guadalcanal, and the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo.

In August of 1945, his division became the first American unit to occupy Japan when they marched into the town of Yokosuka.

In 1950 he participated in the amphibious landing at Inchon, Korea and the march to Seoul.

He was a member of the famous First Marine Division. During the Korean War this group was ambushed by the Chinese Army in an area known as the Chosen Reservoir. Surrounded and outnumbered by 10 to 1, The First Marines fought their way to the Korean coast and evacuation taking heavy casualties. Nighttime temperatures during this ordeal plunged to 40 below zero and many marines suffered and died from the brutal cold.

Ernest had peace time assignments in Virginia, New York, Colorado and he had two tours of duty with the 6th fleet in the Mediterranean while serving aboard the aircraft carrier Randolph.

In 1959 Ernest Smith retired to Chillicothe, Ohio where he worked for the prison system. In 1966 he was transferred to Lompoc where he worked at the Federal Correctional Institution until he retired in 1980.

He loved his family and recreations such as hiking and camping. Other activities he enjoyed were carpentry, playing poker, and making silver jewelry.

He and his wife, Phyllis, were married for 63 years and were both active members of the Lompoc Methodist Church and enjoyed participating in church activities.

The visitation will be on Thursday, August 16, from 4-7 pm at the Starbuck-Lind Mortuary. The funeral service will be on Friday, August 17, at 2 pm at the First United Methodist Church, 925 North F Street in Lompoc. Interment with military honors will follow in the Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery.