Meritorious Service Cross
- Awarded on: March 23, 2005
- Invested on: May 30, 2005
Rank: Chief Petty Officer Second Class
On August 7, 2003, while escorting HMCS Victoria some 200 nautical miles at sea off the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, HMCS Ottawa experienced a major fire in its engine room. For two hours, in extreme temperatures and with limited visibility, CPO2 Smith personally led and directed the efforts of 20 firefighters, ensuring their safety and welfare and the preservation of vital engineering equipment. CPO2 Smith's leadership and calm decision making in extreme conditions were instrumental in the favourable conclusion of a life-threatening situation. Thanks to his personal efforts, HMCS Ottawa was underway again in a normal engineering mode within a few hours.
