On Sept. 3, West Los Angeles Veterans Home resident John Wesley Smith, Jr., had the thrill of a lifetime when he was named Los Angeles Dodgers “Servicemember of the Game.” A lifelong Dodger fan and sports enthusiast, Smith became very emotional when he was given the great news.
“I am very honored,” he said.
Smith, the father of two, Ken and Deborah, was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964-1968 as a Staff Sergeant. He served as a research scientist at the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Field in San Antonio, Texas. His main duties involved medical research for the United State Air Force Aerospace Program.
“While working at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., I heard President John F. Kennedy say, ‘Ask not what your Country can do for you, ask what you can do for your Country,’” Smith said when asked why he enlisted in the military. “So I enlisted in the United States Air Force.”
After his military service, he became a lawyer and even practiced before the California Supreme Court.
“The most gratifying moment for me is right now, having this honor bestowed upon me by the Los Angeles Dodgers,” Smith added. “If it were not for my military service, I would not be receiving this honor.”
Smith said he is a huge Dodgers fan and his favorite player is Jackie Robinson, who he met years ago at a convention in Washington, DC in an elevator. He said he wishes he had gotten his autograph and photo.
“I am so proud of my contributions to the United States Air Force Aerospace Program and my Country,” Smith said. “If it were not for that, I would be receiving this great honor. Go Dodgers!”
“The Veterans Home of California—West Los Angeles congratulates Mr. Smith for being named Los Angeles Dodgers’ Servicemember of the Game,” Skilled Nursing Facility Administrator at the Home Nancy Bien said. “We are delighted that one of our very own has been bestowed with this recognition. Mr. Smith is a perfect example of the thousands of Veterans who reside in California and who have served our Country so bravely. He is an inspiration to us all.”
Smith has been a resident of the beautiful California Veterans Home for four years. For additional information on the Veterans Home of California – West Los Angeles, people can call (424) 832-8219.
