Maj. Stephen Terhune Smith Jr. "S.T.S."

 Major Smith served with distinction as an officer in the Connecticut National Guard. He is prominently known for his leadership as the Commanding Officer of the Stamford, CT Armory, overseeing critical local defense forces and training regimens prior to federal deployment. 

During World War I, Major Smith was deployed to Europe with the Coast Artillery Corps (C.A.C.). He served honorably on the front lines in France, commanding artillery positions tasked with defensive operations and heavy barrage maneuvers.

His service sidearm is an original 1914 production Colt M1911 (Serial Number 85890). This early commercial-to-military transitional piece accompanied him throughout his pre-war guard command and overseas deployments in France, standing as a centerpiece of historical preservation in our archive.

Following his distinguished service in World War I, Major Stephen Terhune Smith Jr. applied his military management experience to private industry, ultimately serving as personnel manager at the Underwood Typewriter Company's Bridgeport, Connecticut plant until his 1951 retirement.

His career overlapped with another historic figure in our archive— Major Lemuel R. Custis, After his service as one of the original five Tuskegee Airmen, Custis worked as assistant personnel manager at Underwood's Hartford division before joining the State of Connecticut. Though stationed at different plants, both men led personnel work for the same company in the same postwar years.

After a relatively short but meaningful stint working under Major Smith in the Underwood personnel department, Custis transitioned into state civic service. He moved on to build a long, celebrated career with the State of Connecticut, ultimately rising to become the Chief Examiner of the State Tax Department.