Major General John G. Smith, Jr. was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 3 August 1942. His first duty assignment was as Personnel Officer, 415th Infantry, Camp Adair, Oregon. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Adjutant, 415th Inf, Cp Adair, Oregon; Adjutant, 415th Inf, Cp Carson, Colorado; Adjutant, 415th Inf, European Theater of Operations & Cp San Luis Obispo, CA; Staff, B13 Armd Div, Phoenix; SS Sec, HHD Ariz National Guard, Phoenix; Executive Officer, Arizona National Guard; AG Sec, HHD, Ariz National Guard, Phoenix, USP&FO for Arizona; USPFO, Ariz NG, Phoenix; The Adjutant General, National Guard of Arizona. | His awards and decorations include: National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, WW II Victory Medal, European-African-Middle-Eastern Theater Campaign Medal w/3 Bronze Stars, American Campaign Medal, French Croix de Guerre with Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal.