Ray L. Smith

B.A. ’80 - History

Ray L. Smith is a retired United States Marine Corps Major General. He was born and raised in Carter Nine, Oklahoma, and attended school in Shidler. He attended Oklahoma State University for one year before joining the Marine Corps in 1965, returning to graduate from OSU 15 years later.

Ray went on to earn two master’s degrees: one in naval science from the Naval War College and another in international relations from Salve Regina College in Rhode Island. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Campbell University in North Carolina.

Ray is a highly decorated Marine who has commanded infantry units at all levels, from platoon through division. His awards received for service in combat include the Navy Cross, Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts.

Major General Smith retired from the Marine Corps in 1999 after almost 34 years of service and was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2003, he went to Iraq with the 1st Marine Division and penned an eyewitness account of the march from Kuwait to Baghdad, “The March Up: Taking Baghdad with the 1st Marine Division.”

Ray is the co-founder and chairman of the board of Sandboxx, a communications technology company that provides support and assistance to military members and their families. After traveling the world, he returned to his roots in 2020 and currently lives on a small ranch near Sedan, Kansas. He has three grown sons, a daughter who recently graduated from Purdue Fort Wayne, and four granddaughters.