John Malcolm Smith (April 2, 1922 – June 9, 1981) was an American combat pilot and United States Navy fighter ace during World War II.

[4][5][6] The squadron flew to Torokina Airfield on Bougainville Island on January 24, 1944, to begin combat missions as part of the Allied campaign to neutralize the Japanese fortress at Rabaul, New Guinea.

This established the pattern for the squadron's deployment on Bougainville; escorting bombers conducting daily attacks on targets around Rabaul such as Lanakai, Vunakanau and Tobera Airfields.

He claimed another Zero probably destroyed the following day while covering North American B-25 Mitchell bombers attacking Lakunai.

[4][8][9] VF-17 escorted an anti-shipping mission against vessels in Simpson Harbor on 17 February; Smith spotted a group of a dozen Zeros climbing to attack the bombers and was able to shoot down one in flames.

He saw an isolated Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa en route and damaged it, preferring to continue to the rally point than pursue the Japanese fighter.

He claimed a Zero in confused fighting the following day that saw him and a Japanese pilot misidentify each other over Cape Gazelle; Smith was the first to properly identify his opponent and promptly set it on fire.

The task force steamed back to the Japanese Home Islands four days later and began a new series of air strikes on 25 February, attacking airfields and industrial facilities.

On 23 March Bunker Hill's aircraft attacked airfields and installations in Okinawa and the surrounding area to soften up the defenses for the invasion scheduled for 1 April.

Bunker Hill was crippled by two successful kamikaze attacks a few hours later and was forced to return to the United States for repairs.

He attended Saint Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota after the war, and graduated from Creighton University Law School in 1950.