Eugene Smith Jr.

Eugene Smith Jr., from Birmingham, Alabama, joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. He joined the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) on November 24, 1943. Smith, who was Black, served as a steward's mate first class (STM1). He also had gunnery training and manned a 20mm anti-aircraft gun. On October 29, 1944, Smith was injured during a kamikaze attack. He was transferred off Intrepid to the hospital ship USS Samaritan (AH-10) on November 10, 1944. After leaving the Navy and beginning civilian life, Smith became a purchasing agent for the U.S. Marine Corps. Decades following his service on board Intrepid, Smith received the Navy Cross in 1994 for his bravery during the kamikaze attack. The Museum interviewed Smith for the oral history collection (OHP.105). He died in 2018.