ison ▁officer ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁heavy ▁cru iser ▁. ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁May , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁H MA S ▁Can ber ra ▁as ▁the ▁observer ▁for ▁aircraft . ▁Smith ▁served ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁cru iser ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁s unk ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sav o ▁Island ▁during ▁the ▁Gu adal can al ▁land ings ▁on ▁ 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁Return ing ▁to ▁Australia ▁once ▁more , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Am ph ib ious ▁Training ▁School , ▁H MA S ▁Ass ault , ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁period ▁prior ▁to ▁being ▁appointed ▁to ▁stand ▁by ▁. ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁acting ▁lieutenant ▁commander ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁in ▁July ▁Smith ▁was ▁appointed ▁Air ▁Staff ▁Officer ▁to ▁, ▁an ▁American ▁built ▁esc ort ▁car rier ▁which ▁was ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁and ▁esc ort ing ▁Russian ▁con vo ys . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁aircraft ▁ab o ard ▁Tra cker ▁managed ▁to ▁assist ▁in ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁two ▁German ▁U - bo ats ▁and ▁shoot ▁down ▁six ▁German ▁long - range ▁plan es . ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁commander ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁posted ▁as ▁the ▁Air ▁Pl anning ▁Officer ▁on ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁Flag ▁Officer , ▁British ▁Ass ault ▁Area ▁for ▁the ▁Norm andy ▁invasion . ▁He ▁was ▁next ▁appointed ▁Air ▁Pl anning ▁Officer ▁on ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁(