Flathead-Silverbow County MT Archives Obituaries.....Smith, Bruce Martin September 21, 2007 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mt/mtfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Kelly Richardson-Arellano kellarlln@aol.com October 15, 2007, 7:21 pm NY Times:LA Times;Homer,AK http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/01/us/01smith.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin NY Times Bruce Smith, Who Sued Libya in Bombing, Is Dead at 71 By CAROLYN MARSHALL Published: October 1, 2007 Bruce M. Smith, a former Pan Am pilot who lost his wife in the bombing of Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and became a driving force in efforts to thwart terrorists through a reward program for tips and by suing their state sponsors, died in a plane crash on Sept. 21. He was 71. The single-engine plane he was flying crashed near Daytona Beach, Fla., shortly after takeoff from New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport. Airport authorities said he had radioed the control tower to report aircraft problems. A family spokesman said Mr. Smith, who lived in Homer, Alaska, died of multiple injuries while en route to a hospital in a helicopter. Mr. Smith was a senior captain for Pan Am on Dec. 21, 1988, when a bomb later linked to a Libyan agent exploded on Flight 103 over Lockerbie. His wife, Ingrid, was among the 270 people, most Americans, killed in the attack. Mr. Smith soon began a campaign to expand a federal program that offered rewards for information leading to the arrest of terrorist suspects. He persuaded airline trade groups, including the Air Line Pilots Association, to establish a parallel reward program. It now offers more than $4 million for tips that lead to the arrest of terrorists plotting to destroy airliners. Some of that money went to an informant who, seeking a monetary reward, led investigators in 1995 to the capture of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, the mastermind behind the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Mr. Yousef was convicted of plotting to blow up a dozen United States airliners at the time of his arrest. Paul Hudson, who lost a daughter in the Lockerbie bombing and is the executive director of the Aviation Consumer Action Project, an advocacy group for air travelers, called Mr. Smith an “unsung hero in the war on terrorism.” After the bombing of Flight 103, Mr. Smith was the first family member to sue Libya for damages in a federal court in New York. But the court dismissed his suit, ruling that Libya, as a sovereign state, had immunity under existing federal law. Mr. Smith then joined several others in successfully lobbying Congress to amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act so that families of victims could sue state sponsors of terrorism in United States courts. With the law changed, Mr. Smith refiled his suit. Families of the Flight 103 victims also sued Libya, which ultimately accepted responsibility and negotiated a $2.7 billion settlement, most of which has been paid out. Mr. Smith received $8 million, his lawyers said. Born in 1936, Mr. Smith spent his early years in Kalispell, Mont. His family moved to Alaska in the late 1950s and eventually settled in Homer. He attended Stanford University and became a commercial airline pilot in 1966. He worked for Pan Am for 25 years. Because of his career in aviation, friends said, Mr. Smith had a different perspective on the Pan Am attack. While most families of the victims were suing Pan Am, asserting it had been negligent in allowing a bomb to be smuggled on board, he wanted the terrorists and their state sponsors to be held responsible. The families largely opposed that move, because their lawyers feared it would potentially reduce the monetary judgment against Pan Am for the loss of their loved ones. “It was a lonely stance that made him instantly unpopular with most other victim family members,” Mr. Hudson wrote in an e-mail message last week. As Mr. Smith pursued legal action against Libya, “he spent everything he had and went into bankruptcy,” his son Scott said. “He ended up losing his home and living on a boat while the lawsuit progressed, just so he could keep funding it,” the son said. Mark Zaid, one of his lawyers in the Libya lawsuit, said of Mr. Smith: “He persevered for everyone. It was no small contribution to going after Libya. His belief, which remains valid, is that we need to send a message to these terrorist states. If you attack Americans, you will pay, not only diplomatically but also monetarily.” Besides his son Scott, Mr. Smith is survived by his wife, Galyna, of Homer; two other sons, Rodney and Bradley; two daughters, Kristie Smith and Robin Ladue; a sister, Nancy Richardson; two brothers, Bill and Larry; and four grandchildren. http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-smith6oct06,0,5064824.story? coll=la-home-obituaries Obituaries Bruce Smith, 71; fought terrorism after his wife died in Lockerbie disaster He pushed for an increased reward for information, which has aided authorities in the investigation of other incidents.By Valerie J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer October 6, 2007 Bruce Smith, a former Pan Am pilot who became a leading anti-terrorist activist after his wife died in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, has died. He was 71.Smith died Sept. 21 when the single-engine plane he was flying crashed near Daytona Beach, Fla., shortly after takeoff from a municipal airport, said Scott Smith, one of his four sons. Engine failure led to the crash, his family said.In 1988, Smith's wife, Ingrid, was one of 270 people, mainly Americans, killed when a bomb linked to a Libyan agent exploded on Flight 103. Smith used Pan Am's $100,000 insurance payout on his wife's death to push for the development of a federal program that gave cash rewards for tips leading to the arrest of suspected terrorists. "I couldn't stand doing nothing," Smith told The Times in 1995. "So I got the notion that it might be helpful to offer a bigger reward for information."Experts told him it would take at least $3 million to make a difference -- the bounty at the time was a few hundred thousand dollars. Smith prodded Congress to pass legislation that increased the reward to up to $2 million and persuaded airline industry groups to contribute, boosting the fund to $4 million.Paul Hudson, who lost a daughter in the Lockerbie bombing, told The Times on Thursday that "thousands of lives have been saved as a result of major aviation terrorist bombing plots that were foiled" because of the increased reward and additional publicity the fund received.The best-known arrest linked to the fund occurred when an informant helped investigators track down Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, the alleged mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Without Smith's "single-minded beliefs . . . history would be different," said Hudson, executive director of the Aviation Consumer Action Project, an advocacy group.Smith's second major accomplishment was doggedly "pursuing those responsible for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103," Hudson said. Smith was the first family member of a victim to file a lawsuit against Libya in federal court in New York, Hudson said. After the court ruled that Libya, as a sovereign state, had immunity under existing law, Smith successfully lobbied Congress to amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Once families could sue state sponsors of terrorism in U.S. courts, Smith and other families of those who died on Flight 103 sued Libya. The country negotiated a $2.7-billion settlement. Dozens of civil cases have since been brought against terrorism sponsors, Hudson said.Pursuing the legal action against Libya eventually forced Smith into bankruptcy and life on a boat in the Bahamas."When somebody hurt him or his family, that would galvanize him into action," his son said. "If the cause was worthy, he would pursue it to the bitter end."The son of a sheet-metal worker and a homemaker, Smith was born Aug. 6, 1936, in Kalispell, Mont., and moved to Alaska in the 1950s. He studied science and history at Stanford University. He started flying for Pan Am in 1966 and left the airline just before the company's collapse in 1991. He also was a pilot for Delta and had lived in Europe for years but was building a home in Homer, Alaska.In retirement, Smith wrote a Cold War espionage thriller called "Black Sea Monster" (2005) and was working on a book about the Lockerbie bombing. In addition to his son, Scott, Smith is survived by his wife, Galyna; three other sons, Rodney and Bradley Smith and Robin Ladue; daughter Kristie Smith; a sister; two brothers; and four grandchildren. valerie.nelson@latimes.com Brother takes final flight Bill Smith October 3, 2007 On Friday Sept. 21, 2007, I lost a brother. This brother was a pilot, a navigator, an author, a sailor and a major spirit. An inveterate traveler throughout his life, his end came in a small plane with engine failure. A student of history with a lifetime in airplanes, Capt. Bruce Smith met his fate while flying a 1951 Swift. The Swift is a sleek and lovely single-engine tail dragger with aerobatic capabilities. A professional pilot, Bruce had pride in his ability to manage challenging airplanes. In his career, he was pilot in command for the big airline jets. On the final flight, his engine failed shortly after takeoff. This is about the worst time for losing power because you do not have the altitude, speed or time for good choices. To avoid a dense housing neighborhood ahead, he turned sharply to regain the field. Fighting to right a powerless aircraft while lowering the landing gear, he needed a steep pitch to maintain airspeed. Being too low with a fierce sink rate and no time to align with the runway were insurmountable odds. He landed hard in the grass beside the runway and was caromed into a line of trees. Possessing a quick intellect and a yen for life, Bruce hugely enjoyed adventures and his friends. Never backing from a challenge, at the end of 71 years he had so much going on there is no way to sum them here. While charging ahead with projects, he greatly enjoyed cooking and entertaining the guests he would regale with stories from around the world. With a Stanford degree in political science and history, Bruce had a keen sense of history and a sharp memory for details. A stickler for accuracy, he condensed detailed knowledge of flying and sailing into novels by melding history with his observations of foreign lands. He published a cold war tale in both English and Russian. Bruce was no starry-eyed novelist. He had tragic firsthand experience with terrorism when he lost his wife Ingrid in the Pan-Am 103 Lockerbie bombing. This chapter of his life was chronicled in a book about amending the law to enable U.S. citizens to sue terrorist nations. He prevailed against extremely long odds in an often-lonely fight for justice. The fight within Congress was a thrilling high-wire act by itself. His work is given credit for helping capture terrorists and for allowing terrorist victims to gain recompense. While seeking redress for his loss, Bruce spent most of his reserves on lawyers. This left him in genteel poverty, which he spent on a boat in the Bahamas. In typical fashion, this led to enduring a hurricane at sea in a small sailboat, writing a novel, participating in search-and-rescue operations and working with an ocean salvor. A retired airline pilot, he used his low-cost travel options extensively. While traveling for book research, he found a happy relationship and a bride in Kiev. Bruce and Galyna recently placed their 400-year-old house in England for sale, intending the proceeds to finish their home in Homer. Bruce was a man of contrasts. He had a stern, unvarnished view of the world and political affairs, but was a soft touch for family and friends. He had great faith in those close to him and sought to help them. Judging people by the standards he himself lived by did not always work to his benefit. As it happens, some did abuse that faith, but they never dented his spirited optimism. Although Bruce lived in Europe for many years, Alaska was always home. Homer was the obvious choice for retirement, with scenery, family and his good friend, Don Fell. Often mistaken for brothers, Bruce and Don were Pan-Am pilots who flew together in Europe. They spent many pleasurable hours discussing aircraft, life and flying. Last year, they somehow managed to talk their wives into venturing with them to Antarctica. Bruce was seven years my senior and I didn’t see much of him after he left for college, except for brief visits to Alaska over the years to see our parents. These visits became extended when our mother needed assistance. Every six months, he would devote a month or more to helping out in Homer. When Bruce decided to move here, he asked me to supervise building his home. After years of distance, working with him gave me opportunity to reacquaint with my seldom- seen “big” brother. We had both evolved over the years, and put aside differences. I came to understand Bruce as a person with pride in his competence, and who spent time and money helping people. It felt good for me to give support that Bruce could count on for his home-building, for backup during his frequent travels and for life in general. In return, he was a fan and a supporter who was always there to help me. I guess being there, “no-questions–asked” is what a brother should be. Well done, brother. Additional Comments: Son of Gaylord Orrin Smith(1908-1986) & Luella Marie Reimer(1912-2005) formerly of Flathead County. Grandson of Albert Reimer(1878-1975) & Margaret Byrne(1888-1971) and Sinclair Austin Smith(1873-1955) & Nellie May Kelley(1884-1945) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mt/flathead/obits/s/smith6ob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/mtfiles/ File size: 14.1 Kb