Clarence 'Del' Smith
Born: Aug. 13, 1920
Died: Dec. 9, 2006
Remembered for: Served as pilot of California One, the governor's official
state airplane; received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal as Army
Air Corps pilot in World War II; appointed assistant adjutant general of the
California National Guard
Survived by: Wife, June Smith of Roseville; son, John D. Smith of Port
Angeles, Wash.; and one granddaughter
Memorial services: None
Obituary: Clarence 'Del' Smith kept governors airborne
By Robert D. Dávila - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Wednesday, December 13, 2006
He died of natural causes in Roseville, said his son, John Smith.
The elder Mr. Smith joined the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying
C-47 cargo planes carrying troops to Europe and Africa.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal and joined
the California Air National Guard as a captain when the war ended.
"He loved to fly, and the only way he could keep flying was to join the
Guard," his son said.
Mr. Smith was at Van Nuys Airport near Los Angeles one day when Gov. Earl
Warren approached and said he needed a flight back to Sacramento. He flew
Warren's state plane, a former C-47, and became the governor's personal pilot.
Formally known as California One, the aircraft also was dubbed "The
Grizzly" for a California bear painted on the nose. Converted for civilian
use in 1947, the plane was upgraded to include Naugahyde walls, a lounge, bunk
beds, an oven, refrigerator and a small bar, the Riverside Press Enterprise
reported in 2004.
Mr. Smith piloted the plane on government business and political fundraisers
in California and nearby states, his son said. Most trips were uneventful,
except for a lightning bolt that hit the plane on one flight carrying Warren
over Southern California.
"It really shook the people up on board, but nobody was hurt,"
John Smith said.
Mr. Smith also flew for Govs. Goodwin Knight and Edmund G. "Pat"
Brown. He stopped flying before Ronald Reagan was elected governor and returned
the aircraft to military use. The plane is being restored as California One at
March Field Air Museum in Riverside.
"We're bringing it back to the way it was when it made history,"
museum Executive Director Patricia Korzec said.
Mr. Smith remained in the California Guard and was appointed assistant
adjutant general in 1965. As the No. 2 official, he briefly oversaw the
deployment of Guard members in Los Angeles during the 1965 Watts riots while
the adjutant general returned from out of state. He retired as a brigadier
general in 1968.
He was born in 1920 and raised in Los Angeles. He briefly attended community
college before joining the Army Air Corps at the start of World War II, his son
said.
He was a sports car buff and early member of the Sacramento Sports Car Club
who drove foreign speedsters, including MGs, an Austin Healey and a Porsche. He
also enjoyed flying radio-controlled planes, playing golf and traveling to
England and Hawaii.
"He was just a really nice guy who loved airplanes and the freedom of
flying," his son said. "Whether it was a janitor or an officer, he
was friendly with everyone."
Obituary courtesy of: The Sacramento Bee
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