Smith first became an aviator for the Mexican Army (1915), but in 1917 joined the Army Air Service. In 1919 he found himself able to participate in the Great Transcontinental Air Race. However, on the evening of October 15 his aircraft was destroyed by fire when lanterns being used by mechanics ignited a wing. Smith received permission to continue the race if he could find a replacement aircraft. Prospects seemed dim until Major Carl Andrew Spaatz arrived on October 17. It took only a little pleading before Spaatz agreed to turn over his plane to Smith. Going on to conquer wind and weather, Smith became the first West Coast flier to complete the round trip when he arrived in San Francisco on October 21. In 1936, Smith was appointed to the War Department Board for standardizing airplane design and procurement procedures. Under his guidance from February 1942 to March 1943, Davis-Monthan became the top training base for B-17 and B-24 crews during World War II.
Smith died from injuries suffered when he fell from a horse in the Catalina Foothills, Arizona, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Lowell H. Smith Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona was named after him.
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Last updated on Sunday May 25, 2008 at 18:46:22 PDT (GMT -0700)
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