LIHU‘E — Former Col. William Judge Smith, United States Marine Corps., a member of the Civil Air Patrol Kaua‘i Composite Squadron, was recently awarded the Federal Aviation Agency’s “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.” CAP Hawai‘i Wing Commander, Col. Roger Caires
LIHU‘E — Former Col. William Judge Smith, United States Marine Corps., a member of the Civil Air Patrol Kaua‘i Composite Squadron, was recently awarded the Federal Aviation Agency’s “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.”
CAP Hawai‘i Wing Commander, Col. Roger Caires represented the FAA in making the presentation to Smith during the Kaua‘i Composite Squadron’s monthly meeting at the Lihu‘e Airport, states a CAP release.
Smith retired on June 30 following a flying career spanning 53 years which started in August, 1959 at the U.S. Naval Air Training Command in Pensacola, Fla.
During his career, Smith flew 27 years on active duty as a Naval Aviator with two combat tours in Vietnam, 11 years as an airline Captain, and the final 15 years with the helicopter industry on Kaua‘i at both the Lihu‘e and Hanapepe airports.
His career included logging in the excess of 30,000 flight hours, ejecting from a disabled F9F fighter jet into the Pacific Ocean and later surviving a CH-53 helicopter crash into Haiphong Harbor, North Vietnam following a tail rotor loss in flight.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Calif., Smith graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor’s degree in English literature. He currently resides in Kalaheo.
The FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recognizes pilots who have contributed to building and maintaining the safest aviation system in the world through practicing and promoting safe flight for a total of 50 years, or more.
The recipient’s name, city, and state, and certificate number are displayed in a prominent place on a “Role of Honor” at the Washington, D.C. Federal Aviation Building as well as published on the FAAS Team, or FAA Safety Team, website for everyone to access.
Smith is the 13th pilot from the State of Hawai‘i to receive this award. Since 2003, only 2070 pilots has received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.
The Civil Air Patrol is the auxiliary of the United States Air Force.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
