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Colonel Malcolm Everett Smith Jr.

Colonel Malcolm Everett Smith Jr., United States Marine Corps (Ret.), a long-time resident of James Island, South Carolina, husband of the late June B. Smith, entered eternal rest on Aug. 19, 2024. His funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Rodenberg Chapel in Franke at Seaside, 1885 Rifle Range Road., Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Interment with military honors will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in Beaufort National Cemetery. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel. Malcolm, son of the late Malcolm Everett Smith and Leone Beach Smith, was born in Old Saybrook on Dec. 7, 1936. He had two older sisters, the late Nancy L. Crump and her late husband, Harold, of Wallingford, and Beverly S. McMahon and husband, Robert of Old Saybrook.

He entered Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania, in 1951. During his plebe year, his classmates called him “Doc,” which has stayed with him throughout his life. He was a member of the Cadet Newspaper staff, chapel vestry, and varsity baseball and was a member of the Anthony Wayne Legion Guard. During his senior year, he was first sergeant of C Company and was a member of plebe detail. After graduation in 1954, he enrolled at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. He majored in political science. While there, he played varsity baseball, was secretary to the Connecticut/New York Citadel Club, a member of the ’58 Summerall Guards, a member of the Honor Committee, and was cadet captain fourth battalion executive officer.

Following graduation in 1958, he enlisted in the 23rd Officer Candidate Class United States Marine Corps. Commissioned a second lieutenant on Dec. 6, 1958, he would serve his country for 30 years. As an infantry officer, his feet touched the soil of 38 states, 4 continents, and 19 foreign countries. He was selected to command two infantry battalions/battalion landing teams, the 1st Battalion 2nd Marines/BLT, 1/2 in 1972 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines (Magnificent Bastards) BLT 2/4 in 1980 at Camp Schwab, Okinawa. During the Vietnam War, 1965-’71, he served on the staff of Commander in Chief, Pacific in the Joint Intelligence Division, who engaged in the Air War in North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. In 1967-’68, while in Vietnam, he was promoted to major, and commanded a company in First Shore Party Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and later served on the staff 3rd Marine Amphibious Force in Danang, coordinating the Arc Light Program, B-52 strikes, for 1st Corps. His next assignment was to the staff of Commander Amphibious Group One/Commander Task Force 76, as the Assistant Intelligence Officer. During these two years, they were involved in six amphibious operations in the Republic of Vietnam. He was Commanding Officer for Recruiting Station Hartford, Connecticut, 1973-’76, during the time of transitioning to the all-volunteer military. In June 1977, he was selected to lead the team of 14 recruiters to install systematic recruiting as the Marine Corps recruiting system nationwide in all six districts and 47 recruiting stations. He went on to serve as operations officer and deputy director, 12th Marine Corps Recruiting District, Treasure Island, San Francisco, where he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. After commanding the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines in Okinawa, he was promoted to colonel and received orders to Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. He served in the recruiting branch as head of the recruiting operations branch and, later, as the deputy director, personnel procurement, for which he was awarded his second Meritorious Service Award. His final assignment on active duty was serving as Commanding Officer of the Naval Science Department, Navy and Marine ROTC, at The Citadel from 1984 to ’88.

During his career, he became a Master Mason in 1986 in memory of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. His military education included Army Intelligence School, Fort Holabird, in Baltimore, Maryland, and Marine Corps Command & Staff College, Quantico, Virginia. After retiring in 1988, he went to work for The Citadel Foundation as director Alumni Annual Fund. In January 1990, he was appointed chief of staff for The Citadel. He served in various administrative positions for the next 10 years. Later, he worked part-time for Hyams Garden Center for nine years. He was a member of Grace Cathedral Church and, later, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. In 2013, he published his memoir The Making of a Marine, The Life of Doc Smith, about love of country, family, friends, duty, and the Brotherhood of Marines. It was also a storybook love affair that lasted 50 years with his late wife, June.

A devoted father and grandfather, three daughters survive him: Leslie B. Sommerdyke and husband Stephen of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; Deanna L. Schweickhardt and husband Alan of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; Melissa E. Atwater and husband Chad of James Island, South Carolina; and six grandchildren, Luke, Lilly, Abby, Molly, Katie, and Ashley.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Citadel Foundation, Class of 1958, or Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia. A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at https://jhenrystuhr.com.