Harry G. Smith

Harry G. Smith has been born April 19, 1937 in Steelton, Pennsylvania, USA. In 1956 he joined the Marine Corps and was sent to Okinawa Japan. It was there were he was introduced to Sensei Tatsuo Shimabukuro, founder of Isshinryu karate. He returned home in 1958 with the rank of 6th dan, awarded by his sensei for his 'fighting abilities'. End of 1959 he opened, together with Marine Staff Sergeant and former Isshinryu classmate Dick Keith, one of the first (Isshinryu) karate dojos in the US open to the public. As CIA operative he took part in the ill-fated operation known today as "Bay of Pigs" in Cuba in 1961. In December 1963 he hosted the 1st Pittsburgh Karate Tournament. 1964 Smith became operational again and joined the famous 5 Commando, known as 'Wild Geese', under the command of Mike Hoare in the former Belgian Congo (Zaire), he reported Hoare's actions to the US. In 1966 Harry Smith reenlisted in the Marine Corps and was sent to Vietnam, where he took part in the 'Phoenix Program'. Returning home he continued operating his karate schools located in Pennsylvania. Early 1980 Smith went to South Africa and joined Mike Hoare again in an attempt to overthrow the government of the Seychelles Islands. The mission failed. Harry G. Smith, now 75 years old, is still active as a karate instructor and he is the most senior Isshinryu karateka in the world. In 1993 Master Angi Uezu, son in law of Isshinryu founder Tatsuo Shimabukuro (deceased in 1975), awarded him as high as he could to 9th dan.