Col Edward A. Smyth USMC

It is with deepest sadness to announce that Col Edward A. Smyth, USMC-Ret, age 81, passed away on October 17, 2025 at his home in Glenwood, Maryland. "Ted" Smyth was a loving and loyal husband for 60 years to his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Paquin Smyth; the proud father of four children: Brian (with spouse Crystal Duncan Smyth of Charlotte, NC) , Beth (with spouse Jeff Nowak of Huntingtown, MD), Sean (with partner Janice Mamary of Mountain View, CA) and Erin (with spouse Jeff Tunkel of Mt Airy, MD); and the proud grandfather of eight grandchildren: Ryan, Scarlett, Patrick, Brendan, Joe, Roman, Duncan and Hank.

Ted was born on April 11, 1944 in Quincy, Massachusetts to the late Edward and Ellen Smyth. He was the younger brother of the late Rosemary Bartholomew and the late Teresa Pearson. Ted was a 1961 graduate of Archbishop Williams High School in Quincy and a 1966 graduate of the US Naval Academy (with Honors) in Annapolis, Maryland. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in June 1966, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps and began a distinguished and decorated military career for the next 30 years. He served his country in two tours to Vietnam in the war there between 1967 and 1971. During his first tour in Vietnam, his artillery battery fought tenaciously during the crucial siege of Khe Sahn in early 1968. After Vietnam, he earned a Masters degree in Operations Research at the US Naval Post Graduate School and another Masters degree in History at Old Dominion University. He then taught Operations Analysis at the Naval Academy from 1975 to 1978 as an assistant professor. He also served as head coach for the Academy's rugby team.

In August 1978, Ted began service as an officer at the 10th Marine Regiment in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, first as the Regimental Operations and Training officer, then as a Battalion Executive Officer. Beginning in August 1980 he served 12 months as an Operations Analyst for the Combined Forces Command in Seoul, South Korea. He then served four years as a chief instructor at the Field Artillery school in Ft Sill, Oklahoma. In July 1985, he returned to 10th Marines in Camp Lejeune, serving first as a Battalion Commander, then as Regimental Executive Officer, and finally as Regimental Commanding Officer. It was during his service as CO of 10th Marines when he achieved the rank of Colonel.

After his command tour, Ted became the Professor of Naval Science and CO of the Naval ROTC unit at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, and then served as Director of the Marine Corps' Studies and Analysis Division in Quantico, Virginia.

Upon his retirement from the Marine Corps in 1995, Ted launched a second career at the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, where he served in various roles as a research fellow. He supervised numerous projects and studies of weapons systems for the Pentagon and authored many books and papers during his 21 years at the lab. It was also during this time when Ted served as President of the Military Operations Research Society.

He retired to his home in Glenwood in 2016. He enjoyed many travel excursions with his wife and extended family and friends. Throughout his long and distinguished career as an officer, scholar and gentleman, Ted exhibited the highest ideals of service and integrity to his family, to his country and to his faith. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Col Ted Smyth will be interred at the US Naval Academy columbarium. A private funeral service will be held at the US Naval Academy chapel. The family requests that memorials be made to the Howard Heroes Fund at https://www.howardheroesfund.org/