Hiram E. Smith Jr. served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a Second Lieutenant with the 499th Bomb Squadron, 345th Bomb Group (Medium) during World War II. On March 2, 1945, his plane was severely damaged by enemy anti-aircraft fire while on a combat mission and was last seen descending toward the water off Hoko Island in the Pescadores Islands. He was awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart.