Navy Office of Community Outreach
SAN DIEGO – A 1996 Ballard High School graduate and Seattle, Washington, native is serving aboard the WWII namesake warship, USS Spruance.
Cmdr. Matthew Smidt is an executive officer aboard the San Diego based ship, a guided missile destroyer. As an executive officer, Smidt is responsible to the captain for the day-to-day operation, maintenance and readiness of the ship. He ensures the ship is ready for tasking of the commanding officer. He is also responsible for the manning and training of sailors, making sure they are mission ready to perform their jobs effectively.
More than 300 Sailors serve aboard the ship, and their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
Smidt has carried lessons learned from his hometown into his military service.
“I grew up in a very diverse school and came to learn a lot of different backgrounds and cultures,” he said. "I really value diversity in people and the paths they take. This mindset follows me in my day-to-day job, valuing the strength that comes from diversity."
Destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. They are about 510 feet long and can be armed with tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, variants of the SM missile family, advanced gun systems and close-in gun systems. Destroyers are deployed globally and can operate independently, as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, or amphibious readiness groups.
Spruance is armed with long range missiles intended for air defense to counter threats to friendly forces posed by manned aircraft, anti-ship, cruise and ballistic missiles.
It was commissioned in 2011 and named after Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. He was a key naval commander during WWII, leading U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: Battle of Midway and Battle of the Philippine Sea. He later served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines.
At Midway, Spruance scored the first major victory for the United States over Japan; generally considered to be the turning point of the war in the Pacific.
“USS Spruance is responsible for 22 mission areas, with 350 people onboard each Sailor actively supports multiple missions, said Cmdr. Joshua Menzel, commanding officer of Spruance. “As a member of the Pacific Fleet, the crew of USS SPRUANCE patrol the same waters and trains to perform the same missions as the Sailors Admiral Spruance commanded during WWII.”
Smidt has military ties with family members who have previously served and is honored to carry on the family tradition.
“My grandfather served in the Navy during World War II and also the Korean War, which he also served as an executive officer aboard a ship,” he said. “He had a major influence in me and my career. I'm proud to know that my grandfather who I still look up to, shares that experience with me. It’s nice to know that he and I both served as executive officers on ships in Japan, in our own generations. I believe I'm carrying on the family tradition.”
Smidt’s proudest accomplishment is watching his sailors grow personally and professionally.
“I'm proud when I see my sailors overcome adversity," said Smidt. "I see these individuals rise to the occasion on many different levels. Everything we've been able to accomplish as a ship, I attribute to the sailors who have stepped up."
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Smidt and other Spruance sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
“Serving in the Navy means making a difference for our entire country in a tangible way,” said Smidt. "I'm proud that what we do has an impact in the world in a positive way."