University of Memphis Athletics
Where Are They Now Wednesday: Haywood Smith
Oct 03, 2018 | Baseball, General
Former Tiger baseball player served in the Marine Corps.
NOTE: This "Where Are They Now"/Haywood Smith feature first appeared in the Tigers Football GameDay program Sept. 22 when Memphis hosted South Alabama on Military/Veterans Appreciation Night.
There are multiple photos in Haywood Smith's Cordova home chronicling the most important role of his military career.
Smith, 88, doesn't hesitate when asked if a framed, Lyndon Baines Johnson autographed photo hanging on his bedroom wall can be inspected at closer range. Smith promptly takes the photo off its hooks and hands it over.
Smith, a baseball player for then-Memphis State in the early 1950s, is extremely proud of a prominent past.
For five years during the LBJ administration, he was an important member of the president's staff. He was the president's assistant armed forces aide for four years before being promoted to the rank of full colonel and one of the most trusted jobs on LBJ's staff: armed forces aide.
Johnson made the announcement of Smith's prestigious role as armed forces aide during the dedication of the Percy Priest Dam near Nashville, a trip Smith had helped arrange. Smith admitted the promotion – during the last year of Johnson's presidency – surprised him because he was a lieutenant colonel at the time. Unbeknownst to him, Johnson had upset military tradition by promoting him through several levels of seniority in the Marine Corps to make him eligible for the role.
Smith, a pilot, said he knew "something was up" when he was asked to sit next to Johnson during the dedication ceremony instead of his customary behind-the-scenes post with the Secret Service.
"So Johnson steps (to the podium) and says 'Before I dedicate this dam I have a very important announcement to make; we have never in the history of the
United States had a Marine work as armed forces aide to the president.'"
Smith remembers thinking he'd likely know who that was because of his career in the Marines. He just didn't know who.
"Johnson said, 'I'm going to promote Haywood to colonel and make him the armed forces aide.' And he did."
Smith took over after Air Force Gen. Jim Cross departed to finish his military career with a tour of Vietnam.
"I worked with (Johnson) for five years," Smith said. "I came out a full colonel."
As armed forces aide, Smith said, among other responsibilities, he "took care of Air Force One and the marine helicopter."
"Anything that had to do with the military had to go through me," Smith said. "And whenever he went anywhere, we carried that 'super-secret football' (equipped with the codes to be activated in case of a nuclear attack).
"The president couldn't move without us. We worked real close with the Secret Service. But the president couldn't go anywhere unless he told me
where he was going."
There are multiple photos in Haywood Smith's Cordova home chronicling the most important role of his military career.
Smith, 88, doesn't hesitate when asked if a framed, Lyndon Baines Johnson autographed photo hanging on his bedroom wall can be inspected at closer range. Smith promptly takes the photo off its hooks and hands it over.
Smith, a baseball player for then-Memphis State in the early 1950s, is extremely proud of a prominent past.
For five years during the LBJ administration, he was an important member of the president's staff. He was the president's assistant armed forces aide for four years before being promoted to the rank of full colonel and one of the most trusted jobs on LBJ's staff: armed forces aide.
Johnson made the announcement of Smith's prestigious role as armed forces aide during the dedication of the Percy Priest Dam near Nashville, a trip Smith had helped arrange. Smith admitted the promotion – during the last year of Johnson's presidency – surprised him because he was a lieutenant colonel at the time. Unbeknownst to him, Johnson had upset military tradition by promoting him through several levels of seniority in the Marine Corps to make him eligible for the role.
Smith, a pilot, said he knew "something was up" when he was asked to sit next to Johnson during the dedication ceremony instead of his customary behind-the-scenes post with the Secret Service.
"So Johnson steps (to the podium) and says 'Before I dedicate this dam I have a very important announcement to make; we have never in the history of the
United States had a Marine work as armed forces aide to the president.'"
Smith remembers thinking he'd likely know who that was because of his career in the Marines. He just didn't know who.
"Johnson said, 'I'm going to promote Haywood to colonel and make him the armed forces aide.' And he did."
Smith took over after Air Force Gen. Jim Cross departed to finish his military career with a tour of Vietnam.
"I worked with (Johnson) for five years," Smith said. "I came out a full colonel."
As armed forces aide, Smith said, among other responsibilities, he "took care of Air Force One and the marine helicopter."
"Anything that had to do with the military had to go through me," Smith said. "And whenever he went anywhere, we carried that 'super-secret football' (equipped with the codes to be activated in case of a nuclear attack).
"The president couldn't move without us. We worked real close with the Secret Service. But the president couldn't go anywhere unless he told me
where he was going."
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