DOUGLAS E. SMITH, LCDR, USN

Douglas Smith '25

Date of birth: June 12, 1903

Date of death: October 24, 1944

Age: 41

Lucky Bag

From the 1925 Lucky Bag:

Douglas Edwin Smith

New York City, New York

"Doug"

ON Friday, August 13th, after having his path crossed by the ominous black cat, Doug decided to give luck its chance, directed his steps toward a recruiting station, and said "I will." In spite of all omens, we are loathe to believe he acted unwisely because he actually enjoys the cruise underway, revels in sailing, and loves salt air.

In addition to his Nelsonian traits, like England's famous sea lord, his love is divided between the sea and the fair sex. Every leave brings a new decoration for his locker door—brings a new cause for blissful, lovelorn meditations.

Never fearful of the Academic departments, his regulation routine is broken by the boning of Cosmos. Should these prove too passive, Morpheus takes charge at the expense of Bullard and Bowditch. This since his fruitless attempt to cheat the exec department by converting a drill period into an enjoyable siesta! It's too bad that he has lately been tempted to become greasy and obtain stripes!

"Mister! Do you really think I'M from Arizona?"

Class Football (4); Tennis (4, 3, 2, 1); Gymkhana Committee (2, 1).

Douglas Edwin Smith

New York City, New York

"Doug"

ON Friday, August 13th, after having his path crossed by the ominous black cat, Doug decided to give luck its chance, directed his steps toward a recruiting station, and said "I will." In spite of all omens, we are loathe to believe he acted unwisely because he actually enjoys the cruise underway, revels in sailing, and loves salt air.

In addition to his Nelsonian traits, like England's famous sea lord, his love is divided between the sea and the fair sex. Every leave brings a new decoration for his locker door—brings a new cause for blissful, lovelorn meditations.

Never fearful of the Academic departments, his regulation routine is broken by the boning of Cosmos. Should these prove too passive, Morpheus takes charge at the expense of Bullard and Bowditch. This since his fruitless attempt to cheat the exec department by converting a drill period into an enjoyable siesta! It's too bad that he has lately been tempted to become greasy and obtain stripes!

"Mister! Do you really think I'M from Arizona?"

Class Football (4); Tennis (4, 3, 2, 1); Gymkhana Committee (2, 1).

Loss

Douglas was lost when the Japanese "Hell Ship" he was aboard, Arisan Maru, was sunk by an American submarine on October 24, 1944.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Douglas was born in Port Chester, New York.
In 1925, his ship, USS New Mexico, took a cruise to Australia and New Zealand. On October 1925, Frances Louise Stutchbury, who was born in Southampton, England, sailed from Auckland, New Zealand, to Vancouver, British Columbia. She and Douglas married on November, 19, 1925, on board the USS New Mexico.
From the San Pedro News-Pilot, November 20, 1925:

Ensign Marries English Girl in Brilliant Nuptial
All the traditions of a naval nuptial, brought down through the years, were observed in the brilliant naval wedding aboard the dreadnaught New Mexico Thursday night, when a romance which had its inception during the fleet’s recent cruise to the Antipodes culminated in the marriage of Miss Frances Louise Stutchbury of London and Ensign Douglas E. Smith of the New Mexico.
With all her lights ablaze, the gallant ship was in gala dress for the nuptial and a charming setting for the ceremony was arranged on the quarter deck. Miss Stutchbury, a beautiful girl of the English type, wore a gown of white georgette, heavily beaded, and her long veil was caught to her hair by sprigs of orange blossoms. Her maid of honor, Miss Isabel Brumby, daughter of Capt. Brumby was in old rose, and pastel shades were worn by the bridesmaids, who were Mrs. M. C. Muma, Mrs. A. B. Leggett and Misses Helen Karns, Dorothy Baker and Joselyn Baker.
Ensign Harold H. Pickens, a classmate of Ensign Smith, served as best man and the bride was given in marriage by Capt. G. H. Brumby, commander of the New Mexico. Officiating with the Rev. Harry G. M. Austin of Long Beach.
Following the naval custom, the bride and bridegroom came aboard at 5:30 and the band played “Anchors Away,” the naval academy song, which was followed by “Hearts Across the Sea” and “March of the Anzacs,” in honor of the bride. One minute before the hour of six, thirty-two junior officers fell in line, forming an arch of crossed swords through which Miss Stutchbury and Ensign Smith passed from the after gangway to the quarterdeck and the altar, which latter was flanked by sets of stacked arms with fixed bayonets.
A buffet supper in the junior officers’ wardroom followed the wedding and dancing on the quarter deck began at 8:30 o’clock. The bridal couple left at 10:00 o’clock for their honeymoon, a small motor boat carrying them to shore, while the searchlights of the ship were trained on them and the band played until the motor boat became invisible.
In Auckland, New Zealand on a visit to her sister Mrs. Harold Pettit, after a world tour, at the time of the fleet’s visit there, Miss Stutchbury, who had intended to return at once to her home in London was won by the young officer and was persuaded to come to California for her marriage instead.

Their son Barnaby Farrington Smith was born on February, 16, 1927, in Long Beach, California
Douglas’ family sailed often. In January, 1928, they sailed from San Francisco to Honolulu; in May, Auckland to Honolulu; and in July, Honolulu to Vancouver (their home was in Seattle.) Frances was naturalized at Superior Court, San Diego, on December 24, 1928.
Over the next five years, they sailed in October, 1930, Wilmington Cal to Honolulu; and in June, 1931, Auckland to Honolulu. In July, 1932, Douglas, his wife, and son sailed from Auckland, New Zealand, to Honolulu; and in June, 1935, Honolulu to San Francisco with Douglas going to Los Angeles.
In August, 1937, his wife and son sailed from Genoa to New York City. In April, 1940, San Francisco to Honolulu; and in November, Shanghai, China, to Auckland to Honolulu.
The family was in Pearl Harbor during the attack. Douglas’ wife and son sailed to San Francisco in February, 1942.
After Douglas’ death, Frances married John G. Moyer. She died January 23, 1969, at the U. S. Army Tripler General Hospital in Honolulu.
Their son Barnaby died on June 28, 1985, in Hawaii. He was vice president and controller of Davies Marine Agency and chairman of the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce Maritime Committee. He served as president of the Propeller Club and was a retired captain in the Navy reserve and a yachtsman. He served in WWII, was a merchant marine officer, and did active duty during the Korean war.
In 1910, Douglas’ father H. B., Jr., owned a retail hardware store, mother was Maud, and sister Caroline.

His wife was listed as next of kin.

Wartime Service

Before his capture, he was commanding officer of USS Oahu (PR 6) since sometime in 1940. In November 1941, he successfully brought his command — a river gunboat that was never designed for the open ocean — from China to Manila. The ship operated in and around Manila Bay until she was destroyed by artillery fire on May 5, 1942, the day before the fall of Corregidor.

Navy Cross

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander Douglas Elwin Smith (NSN: 0-59535), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the River Gunboat U.S.S. OAHU (PR-6), in combat against the enemy from 7 December 1941 through 2 April 1942, in the Philippine Islands. While exposed to frequent horizontal and dive bombing attacks by enemy Japanese air forces, Lieutenant Commander Smith directed the anti-aircraft batteries of his ship and conducted operations of strategic importance involving hazardous missions such as to bring great credit to his command and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Oahu (PR-6)
General Orders: Commander 16th Naval District: District. 281200 NCR 7859 (April 29, 1942)

Prisoner of War Medal

From Hall of Valor:

Lieutenant Commander Douglas Elwin Smith (NSN: 0-59535), United States Navy, was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on 6 May 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War until his death while in captivity.
General Orders: NARA Database: Records of World War II Prisoners of War, created, 1942 - 1947
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.