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Columbus, NC— Lt. Colonel Harrison S. Smith US Army (Ret.) ’45, H Co. BS CE, ME CE, passed away on January 15, 2020.

 

Harrison was born on October 30, 1924 in Greenville, SC to the late Dr. Clarke W. and Leila Crenshaw Smith. In his childhood years, Harrison was active in The Boy Scouts of America Troop 0001 and earned Eagle Scout Rank on August 2, 1943, he was considered a NESA life member. After high school, Harrison entered The Citadel in 1941 and was Guidon Corporal in the H Company in 1942-1943 and went to Engineer OCS in 1944. Harrison served in various locations including New Guinea, the Philippines, Panama and South Africa from 1945 to 1948. Lieutenant Smith finished his last two years at The Citadel as a veteran student, graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering in June 1950. He returned to active duty in the Army Engineers in April 1951, completing a competitive tour for Regular Army appointment. As a Regular Army Lieutenant, he served as a Platoon Leader and Company Commander in the 37th Engineer Combat Battalion in Germany. Back in the States, he attended Texas A & M College and received the degree of Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering. In subsequent assignments he completed the Engineer Officer Advanced Course and the Command and General Staff College and was promoted to Major.

 

He served as Port Engineer at Whittier, Alaska and as Area Engineer at Thule, Greenland during the Cuban Missile crises. He was Project Manager for the construction of the “Sturges”, the world’s only floating nuclear power plant and later as a Lieutenant Colonel was Director of the Army Nuclear Power Program. His last active duty assignment was as Executive Officer and Tactical Officer in the Army R.O.T.C office at The Citadel. He retired from the Army in 1968 while at The Citadel. After working for the AVCO Lycoming Company, Ltc. Smith returned to the Citadel to teach in the Civil Engineering Department where he taught for 17 years. He was an Associate Professor Emeritus of The Citadel. He had the unique privilege of experiencing The Citadel as a Cadet, a Veteran Student, a Tactical Officer, and as a Professor, he served under five different Presidents.

 

After retirement Harrison (Smitty) along side his wife Mary Frances also raised Thoroughbred horses on Wadmalaw Island, SC. In 1989, he moved to Polk County, NC and purchased a small farm near Columbus. Harrison authored a book “A Different War” that was published in 2004. It was a “story of what happened to one soldier, what he did, and some of what he felt and thought during the period of the World War II conflict”.

 

In addition to his parents, his first wife Mary Frances Manning predeceased Harrison.

 

Surviving is his wife Danna Killough Smith, his nephew Clark Smith and his niece Diane Smith

 

Per Harrison’s request, no services will be held.

 

An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

 

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory

Tryon, NC