In late 1970, he returned to Camp Pendleton for duty on an Interrogation Team for four months and was then assigned to 2/5 until he was sent to the John F. Kennedy School of Special Warfare at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
His citation reads:[3] The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Ray Louis Smith (MCSN: 0-102290), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism during the period 30 March to 1 April 1972 while serving as advisor to a Vietnamese Command group numbering approximately 250 Vietnamese Marines located on a small hilltop outpost in the Republic of Vietnam.
When adverse weather conditions precluded further close air support, he attempted to lead the group, now reduced to only 28 Vietnamese Marines, to the safety of friendly lines.
An enemy soldier opened fire upon the Marines at the precise moment that they had balked when encountering an outer defensive ring of barbed wire.
Swiftly, the remaining Marines moved over the crushed wire, stepping on Captain Smith's prostrate body, until all had passed safely through the barrier.
On 4 February 1968, while participating in Operation HUE CITY, Second Lieutenant Smith's unit was assigned the mission of attacking and seizing a school complex occupied by an estimated battalion of North Vietnamese Army Regulars.
Knocked to the ground on numerous occasions by the concussion from nearby explosions, he quickly regained his footing and continued to lead his most heavily engaged units.
Observing the intense enemy mortar and anti-tank rocket fire and realizing the seriousness of the situation, First Lieutenant Smith unhesitatingly led his men across 100 meters of fire-swept terrain to the beleaguered unit's positions.
Although painfully wounded, First Lieutenant Smith fearlessly moved about the hazardous area shouting words of encouragement to his men and skillfully directing their fire against the North Vietnamese soldiers.
With complete disregard for his own safety, he calmly coordinated the evacuation of casualties while resolutely leading his Marines in driving the enemy from the perimeter and subsequently re-establishing the battalion's defensive integrity.
By his courage, aggressive leadership and steadfast devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, First Lieutenant Smith upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.After this tour Captain Smith was assigned as a student at the Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia and then, from 1973 to 1976, as a company XO, SPC and tactics instructor at The Basic School.
He has served on the Jacksonville USO Executive Council, and the Board of Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce 2000–2001 He was also inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame and received the Downeast NCOA Mack McKinney Award.
[5] Smith is a founder and currently serves as Chairman of Sandboxx, a company dedicated to providing communication and life style management tools for military members and their families.
[citation needed] General Smith's personal decorations include: This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.