SMITH, Peter Graham
| Service Number: | O216415 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, 23 May 1938 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 24 November 2024, aged 86 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery & Crematorium, QLD ANZAC 5, 201A |
| Memorials: |
Vietnam War Service
| 13 Oct 1967: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, O216415 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date unknown: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross |
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EX-RAAF Member Death Notification via AFA Fighter Squadrons Branch: Vale Group Captain PG Smith DFC
Electrical Fitter and GD Pilot
Peter Smith’s early working life was as an Electrical Fitter and then a Fighter Pilot.
In 1967, he served with distinction as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam with the USAF 7th Air Force. Pete was awarded a DFC.
Pete and Margaret Robertson, a RAAF nurse who served also in Vietnam, met and married. They have three children – Katrina, Tara and Toby.
Born: 23 May 1938 in Coffs Harbour
Died: 24 November 2024 in Brisbane
After Pete’s early life as an Electrical Fitter and years flying fighters, he became a Joint Warfare specialist. He served in Operational Command in the Joint Warfare Cell to organise and control the participation of RAAF operational units in joint exercises. He also helped write the original series of Joint Service Publications.
In Pete’s words, “after four years as a staff officer, the system decided he had better learn how to be one, so sent him off to the RAAF Staff College at Fairbairn. After this I was out of sync for command of a fighter squadron, so wrote as my preference for next employment, "CO ANY flying squadron."
To his complete amazement, Pete found himself in command of No 38 Caribou Transport Squadron at Richmond.
His "joint warfare" background now worked in a different way, and he was posted to be the RAAF member on the directing staff of the Army Staff College.
Then another joint posting, this time as the joint warfare officer in the Directorate of Air Force Plans. Pete said that he found DefAir soul destroying and not a fit place for a proper airman. Fortunately, his tenure was not long. After nine months, Pete was chosen for the post of Defence Attaché, Kuala Lumpur. Then followed in quick succession an attache’s course, a colloquial Malay course, and off to Kuala Lumpur, arriving mid-1984.
Pete’e observations were that life on the diplomatic cocktail circuit is very comfortable but can be wearing. The Defence Cooperation Program required a huge effort to keep on the rails, and the handover of RAAF Base Butterworth to the Malaysians was not without its problem. For Pete and Margaret, three years in KL sped by and his replacement was posted in, but he didn't have a job to go to. The outgoing CDF visited KL on his farewell calls and during a dinner in his honour asked Pete where he wanted to go. Within a week of his return to Australia, Pete had his preferred posting to be Officer Commanding, Townsville”.
Pete was placed on the retired list on 1 February 1990, after thirty-six years’ service.
Pete then became active in ex-service and charity organizations. He served on the board of management of Brisbane Legacy for eleven years, including two years as President. For four years he was a director of the RSL (Qld) War Veterans Homes and served as President of the North Brisbane branch of the RAAF Association.
Group Captain PG Smith DFC. Lest We Forget