Merle James Smith Jr.

1944 - 2021

New London - Merle James Smith Jr., 76, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, retired, died June 16, 2021, at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Lynda B. Smith, to whom he has been married for 47 years; his children, Merle James Smith III wife Crystal Jones of Jersey City, N.J., Chelsea B. Smith of East Lyme, and Danielle Smith husband Marvin Bothuel II of Silver Spring, Md.; his two grandchildren, Majani Smith and London Jones Smith; his brother, Thomas G. Smith wife Angela; nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

He was born August 11, 1944, in Greenville, S.C., the son of Jacqueline T. Smith, a former English Professor at Howard University and retired Army Colonel Merle James Smith Sr. Merle's early years were spent living in Washington, D.C., Kaiserslautern, Germany, Tokyo, Japan, Albuquerque, N.M., and Aberdeen, Md., as the son of an Army Colonel, in counterintelligence, in charge of Army ordinance specializing in nuclear weapons.

After graduating from Aberdeen High School where he was an excellent student, a star football player and sports editor of the newspaper. Merle won an appointment to all four service academies but chose to accept the appointment to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy July 9, 1962. As a Cadet he played on the only undefeated football team which went to the Tangerine Bowl in 1962. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Engineering, a Commission as Ensign in the U.S. Coast Guard on June 8, 1966. He was the first Black Cadet to graduate from the Coast Guard Academy. Merle served proudly as an active-duty Coast Guard Officer for 13 years retiring from active duty in 1979.

Smith's first assignment out of the Academy was the 311-foot cutter Minnetonka (WHEC-67), on which he served as Communication officer. By 1967, he received command of the Cape Wash (WPB-95310), out of Monterey, Calif., and two years later, he was assigned to serve in Vietnam, becoming one of the first academy graduates to hold a command position in the Vietnam war. There he commanded Point Mast (WPB-82316), and Point Ellis (WPB-82330), and directed more than eighty naval fire support missions in Operation "Market Time". In one Operation "Sea Lords" mission, his cutter accounted for the destruction of ten enemy bunkers, four rocket launchers, thirteen structures, and nineteen sampans. The honors he received for service in Vietnam include the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device, he was also awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese Training Medal 1/C, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal (4 stars), National Defense Service Medal, Expert Pistol Medal, Sharpshooter Rifle Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (Palm), and Vietnamese Civic Action Ribbon (Palm).

Merle became the first African American officer to command a federal vessel in combat, and the first African American sea service officer to receive the Bronze Star Medal. After returning from Vietnam, Smith served several years at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C. During this period, he attended law school at George Washington University, and served as Deputy Chief of the Coast Guard Military Justice Division. In 1975, Smith began teaching law classes becoming the first black officer, active duty or retired, to hold a faculty position as a law professor at the Coast Guard Academy. He was reunited with his friend, Otto Graham, and helped coach the Academy football team as an assistant coach. While a law professor at the Coast Guard Academy, Commander Smith was a 1977 Presidential Inaugural Staff Aide to the Secretary of Housing Urban Development, Patricia Roberts Harris. He was also the class advisor to the class of 1977. After retirement from active duty, Commander Smith joined the Coast Guard Reserves in 1979, and served as Commander of the Coast Guard Reserve, Group Long Island Sound, He then retired after nine years, ending a tenure of 26 years in the Coast Guard, retiring July 1, 1988.

Commander Smith received the USA Hall of Heroes Award in 2007, the Pioneer Award named in his honor in 2012, and he was inducted into the Coast Guard Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.

He had maintained his contact with the Academy by serving a four-year term on the Board of Control of the Alumni Association, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Coast Guard Foundation for twelve years.

When Commander Smith left the active Coast Guard in 1979, he joined the legal staff at Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation, the premier designer and builder of nuclear submarines for the Navy. He assumed the position of Chief Counsel of the legal department, retiring from Electric Boat after 16 years in 1995. Not only did Merle love the Coast Guard, but he loved the community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Coast Guard Foundation, for twelve years leading the National Coast Guard Museum Project. He also served on the Board of Directors of the United Way, The Palmer Bodenwein Benevolent Foundation, Amistad America, and The Garde Arts Theater. He was also inducted into the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and he was a member of the Omega PSI PHI Fraternity.

During his tenure Merle did not consider himself a pioneer. His focus was always to serve his country. In light of his many achievements, he has been a stellar role model for not only the Coast Guard, but for many minority men and woman who have followed in his amazing footsteps. He was a true trailblazer. He represents the highest example of Honor, Duty, Respect and Hope. "Semper Paratus". Family, friends, and colleagues remember Merle as an "Officer and a Gentleman".

In retirement, Merle loved spending time with his family. He took great joy in coaching his son, Merle J. Smith III, in football and admired his tenacity in achieving his dream of becoming an investment banker in New York City. He also loved watching his daughter Chelsea, become an amazing, lovely, caring young woman. His relationship with his daughter Danielle he also treasured. Throughout his married life Merle supported his wife's career and took pride in her accomplishments.

Relatives and friends will be received by Merle's family from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 8, 2021, at the Garde Arts Center, 325 State Street, New London. A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, July 9, 2021, at the Coast Guard Academy Chapel. The memorial service will be live streamed and can be attended through this link: https://uscga.video/cdr-merle-j-smith-funeral. A reception will immediately follow the service at the CDR Merle J. Smith Consolidated Club at the Academy.

Interment with full Military Honors will take place at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his memory to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association, 41 Mohegan Avenue, New London, CT 06320.

Online condolences may be shared on Commander Smith's memorial page at www.byles.com Byles-MacDougall Funeral Home, New London is assisting the family with arrangements.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the staff at Bride Brook Health and Rehabilitation Center, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, Vitas Hospice Care and Vanessa Brown, for all your care and support at this time. Additionally, many thanks to the Coast Guard Academy staff and the Alumni Association for their tremendous help. As Merle was a Vietnam Veteran, we would like to express our gratitude for all the servicemen and woman who proudly serve our country.