Commander Robert E. Smith, United States Navy, was born in New York City, New York, on 14 October 1950.  He received his commission as an Ensign in June 1972 through the NROTC program at Dartmouth College.  He then served onboard the USS MARS (AFS-1), homeported in Sasebo, Japan, as the First Division Officer and Navigator.  Upon completion of this initial sea tour, he attended Department Head School in Newport, Rhode Island.  Commander Smith completed Department Head tours as Weapons Officer in USS DOWNES (FF-1070) and as Combat Systems Officer on the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadron Seventeen.  After Completing Prospective Executive Officer (PXO) School in Newport, Rhode Island, he served as Executive Officer in USS CHANDLER (DDG-996), homeported in San Diego, California.

Ashore, Commander Smith has served as an instructor and Assistant Academic Director at Surface Warfare Officer's School Command in Coronado, California and in Washington, D.C., as Aide and Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Personnel/Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, and Training).  More recently, he was assigned to the Current Operations Division on the staff of U.S. Commander, in Chief, Pacific.

Commander Smith took command of WADDELL in April of 1989.  Commander Smith's awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (2 awards), the Navy Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal (2 awards), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Navy Expeditionary Medal.