"That was a rough day; overall, it lasted approximately two hours," Smith recalled.
After receiving the Bronze Star and other medals for his illustrious service to his country, Smith has stayed active.
He was recently invited to take part in the commissioning of the USS New Mexico nuclear submarine because he served as a member of the former battleship with the same name.
At age 94, he's also a citizen crime fighter in Brookhaven, taking part in a Citizens Police Academy Pennsylvania backed by the State Police and Brookhaven Police Department. It is a program whereby participants get demonstrations on law enforcement techniques and ride along with the officers on patrol.
"George is a great guy. I think he keeps me straight, he comes back year after year," Chief John Eller of the Brookhaven Police Department said.
The Citizens Police Academy, which began in 1997, has produced many citizen crime fighters over the years, but what makes George Smith special, aside from being 94 years old and a World War II Pearl Harbor survivor, is that this is the twelfth time he has graduated from this course.
"It's very interesting and another thing, it helps keep me active and new things come up every year as far as crime prevention and public safety," Smith said.
His family says he just keeps on ticking like the Energizer Bunny.
What advice does he have to live a ripe, youthful age like him?
"Main thing at my age is stay active because if you sit around in an armchair or recliner, you're not gonna last very long," Smith said.
He added, you need a sense of humor, too.
