9 8 ) ▁was ▁a ▁senior ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army . ▁After ▁receiving ▁early ▁training ▁as ▁a ▁pilot ▁from ▁Or ville ▁Wright ▁he ▁served ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁John ▁J . ▁Pers hing ' s ▁army ▁against ▁Pan cho ▁Villa , ▁became ▁decor ated ▁for ▁bra very ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 2 7 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁in ▁combat ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁War ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁At ▁his ▁death ▁Smith ▁was ▁the ▁oldest ▁surv iving ▁general ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Army . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁in ▁Neb r aska , ▁Smith ▁attended ▁Colorado ▁State ▁College ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Colorado ▁National ▁Guard . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁av i ator ▁and ▁was ▁given ▁flying ▁less ons , ▁as ▁a ▁young ▁officer , ▁by ▁Or ville ▁Wright , ▁and ▁his ▁pilot ' s ▁license , ▁signed ▁by ▁Wright , ▁bore ▁the ▁number ▁ 1 3 ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁person ▁to ▁receive ▁one . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁a ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁into ▁the ▁Infantry ▁Branch ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁Army ' s ▁un success ful ▁Mexican ▁P un itive ▁Ex ped ition , ▁whose ▁Command ing ▁General ▁( CG ) ▁was ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁John ▁Pers hing , ▁against ▁Pan cho ▁Villa , ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁American ▁entry ▁into ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁in ▁early ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁Smith ▁was