Captain Fidel T. Smith was born and
raised in southern Colorado in the San Luis Valley.
He attended the University of New Mexico from 1959 to 1965 where
he received a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering
in June 1965.
Captain Smith joined the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey
in 1965. His first assignment was aboard the Ship PATHFINDER
conducting hydrographic surveys in Hawaii and Cook Inlet, Alaska;
his second assignment was the worldwide satellite triangulation
program, 1967 through June 1970. His third assignment (1970
and 1971) was conducting hydrographic surveys in south east
Alaska aboard the NOAA Ship DAVIDSON; his fourth assignment
was aboard the Ship OCEANOGRAPHER conducting oceanographic and
geophysical surveys in the China Sea and the western Pacific.
From 1973 through 1975, he was assigned to the hydrographic
survey party (launch 1257, etc.) on the east coast. In 1976
and 1977 he was the Executive Officer on the Ship FAIRWEATHER
conducting hydrographic surveys in Alaska and southern California.
In 1978 through 1981 he was Chief of Operations in the Office
of Marine Operations and during 1982 and 1983 he was the Executive
Officer on the Ship SURVEYOR conducting EEZ surveys and marine
mammal surveys in the Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy,
and during 1985 and 1986 he was the Commanding Officer on the
Ship MT. MITCHELL conducting hydrographic surveys in Honduras,
off Cape Cod, Gulf of Mexico and Icy Straits, Alaska. In 1987
through February 1988 he was Deputy Director, Atlantic Marine
Center and from July 1989 until retirement he was in the Photogrammetry
Section.
RETIREMENT LUNCHEON HAND-OUT, 1/24/1992
