My friend and mentor Ed Smart, has passed away

Ed checked out on the U-2 and soloed, as per his log book, on 29. November. 1962. He told me that he flew the machine which is now exhibited at the National Air and Space Museum. (Ed.)

Tokyo 2000 - Photo: Per Gram

EDMUND P. SMART
PLATTSBURGH, NY –
Lt. Col., USAF (Ret.) Edmund P. Smart, (83), of Concord Ave., Plattsburgh, NY, died at Albany, NY on February 22, 2018.
He was born in Royal, Oak, MI on September 11th, 1934, the son of the late Edmund and Madeline K. (Pierce) Smart. He married Amanda (Sheffield) Smart on April 13, 1958. He enlisted in the US Air Force during the Korean War on April 3rd, 1953 and was a distinguished graduate of USAF pilot training and commissioned as 2nd Lt. on June 15th, 1955.
He was also an honors graduate of Bellevue University and a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
During his twenty-four-year USAF career, he flew a variety of trainer, fighter, interceptor, bomber, transport, tanker, reconnaissance, executive jet and prop aircraft. During the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam War, he piloted the U-2 “Dragon Lady” high altitude reconnaissance aircraft. In that capacity, he was awarded two Meritorious Service Medals and received the Air Medal eight times. He also held the Joint Services and Air Force Commendation Medal and numerous other military awards.
His military service included postings as Chief, U-2 Operations at the Strategic Reconnaissance Center and to the United Nations/US Forces Korea HQ as well as duty with NATO’s Air South in Naples, Italy. A command-rated single and multi-engine pilot, Ed retired as Commander of the 343rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (RC-135) at Offutt AFB, NE in September 1977.
Following retirement from the Air Force, he was employed by the UK based International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) as the airline pilot representative of 65 nations at the United Nation’s civil aviation affiliate, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal. He sat on the 15-member Air Navigation Commission (ANC) which managed all the development and implementation of the international standards for technical, safety and security provisions for civil aviation worldwide. In this capacity, he was deeply involved in the investigation, conflict resolution and remedial action phases of several civil air transport-related international events such as aircraft hijackings, the shootdowns of KAL007 and the Iranian Airbus as well as the events of the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
Upon his retirement from IFALPA in December 2002, his achievements on behalf of civil aviation were recognized when he was awarded the prestigious Collins Safety Award and the IFALPA Presidential Citation at a ceremony in Auckland, NZ.
Ed is survived by his wife of 59 years, Amanda; their two sons, E. Scott Smart of Woodstock, VT and their two sons E. Connor and Aidan Smart; a son, Eric W. Smart, his wife Barbara of Kila, MT, and their two sons Brian and Samuel Smart; two sisters, Janet Mauck and Ann Smart of Pensacola, FL.
At Ed’s specific request, there will be no calling hours and he will be interred at the Saratoga National Cemetery. The family-only service in Saratoga will be held in May