Published: July 12, 2008 09:56 pm         

Inspiration to others

Former FBI agent described as a ‘hero’ by friends, family

Twenty-seven years of working in the Federal Bureau of Investigation was just one of many accomplishments Delphi native John Reed Smock has under his belt.

Along with being involved with many historic criminal investigations throughout the United States in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, he ran unopposed as Carroll County Circuit Court judge for six years, served as chairman of the Indiana Alcoholic Beverage Commission and practiced law for 10 years in Delphi.

Smock is celebrating his 100th birthday today in Westminster Village retirement home in West Lafayette. Despite being hard of hearing, family members say Smock is extremely healthy for his age.

Family, friends and coworkers describe Smock as their personal hero and FBI co-workers said without him, the organization wouldn’t be what it is today.



Serving the country

Smock grew up in Delphi and graduated from Delphi High School in 1926. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business and a law degree from Indiana University - Bloomington.

He practiced law for 10 years in Delphi, spending time as a city attorney and serving two terms as prosecuting attorney for Carroll County.

When Smock was 33 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and he wanted to make his country proud by joining the military but was told he was too old.

“It was wartime and every able-bodied young man was in the military or it was like, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” said his daughter, Sandra Grady. “He felt bad that everyone was going. So my dad said, ‘I can serve this country in the FBI.’”

One night while listening to the Walter Winchell radio program, Smock heard an announcement that the FBI needed people with a law background. That began his 27-year career as an FBI agent.

Smock’s assignments with the FBI took him to Buffalo, N.Y., Cleveland, Ohio, Kansas City, Mo., and to Indianapolis and Logansport from 1942-69. He served as a senior resident agent for the FBI branch in Lafayette. At the time, the FBI didn’t have enough agents, so Smock often traveled to cover big events.

Grady remembers the days when her father was in the FBI.

“I went to 11 different grade schools,” she said. “Back in those days, they moved you around often. They didn’t want anyone to know where you lived.”

Grady remembers receiving support from her mom, Margaret, who died in 2002.

“When she heard we had to move again — and we lived in some pretty creepy places — she always made our place look comfy and nice,” Grady said. “... She never complained. They really were in love with each other.”



Important assignments

During the war, Smock’s duties included investigating individuals who applied for government jobs, along with espionage, sabotage and subversive activities.

Smock’s first assignment was in Buffalo when many Italians and Germans continued to remain loyal to their mother countries.

Next he was assigned to the fugitive squad in Cleveland, when the city had connections to the Communist Party.

From 1945-47, Smock worked in Kansas City to help get rid of the notorious Pendergast gang, which was in charge of the city’s government.

Among his bigger cases was capturing one of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted while in the midst of a high-speed vehicle chase in Indianapolis.

Bank robber Clyde Johnson had escaped from a Miami jail and had ended up in Indianapolis, which was where Smock was working at the time. Police departments in California, Georgia, New England, Tennessee and throughout the Midwest were looking for the robber.

“They chased him for awhile in Monument Circle, but they couldn’t shoot because people were around,” Grady recalled.

FBI agents finally caught him and shot at him. Smock said it was the only time he fired a gun as an FBI agent.

Johnson ended up serving 60 years at Alcatraz, Grady said.

Smock and assistant agent Fred Wilt enforced over 150 statutes throughout their years. Many of Smock’s cases included bank robberies, which Grady said “were big at the time.”

Walter Valentine, a former senior resident FBI agent in Lafayette, remembers working with Smock from 1966-69.

“He was part of the generation that helped make the FBI what it was,” he said. “Two of the rocks of the FBI are him and J. Edgar Hoover. Smock was 100 percent for the FBI. Whatever it took to get the job done. He was the kind of agent all FBI agents should be.”

Valentine said Smock was one of his heroes.

“He was someone that everyone looked up to,” he said. “He was a man of considerable ability, but he never used that in any way except the right way. There was no question about his honesty or integrity. He never complained about working extra hours or any of the hardships we had to endure in those days. If we had to work 12 hours or 24 hours in a row, he never changed his attitude.”

According to Hilary Shampine, administrative assistant at the Society of Former FBI agents in Quantico, Va., Smock is one of the oldest former FBI agents in the organization, which has 8,000 members.

Smock, who has been a member of the organization since 1969, is one of four members that will turn 100 this year. Another member will be 101 this year.



Moving on

Upon Smock’s retirement from the FBI, former Indiana Gov. Edgar D. Whitcomb appointed him chairman of the Indiana Alcoholic Beverage Commission where he was charged with enforcing alcohol laws and collecting revenues. For his duties, he received the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash award.

At the request of Carroll County attorneys, Gov. Otis Bowen appointed him Carroll County Circuit Court judge when the death of the incumbent created a vacancy. He served a six-year term as judge.

Delphi lawyer Tom Ives grew up with Smock and remembers when he was appointed as judge.

Ives said they were concerned about satisfying both Republicans and Democrats at the time, and Smock was just the answer.

“I liked him as a lawyer, but knew him as a friend,” Ives said.

After retiring to Lafayette, Smock served for 10 years on the Merit Board of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office.  

David Heath, former Tippecanoe County sheriff, said he looked up to Smock.

“He was an all-around very successful man and always treated everyone with respect,” he said. “It didn’t make any difference where you came from, he respected you as a human being.”

Grady said her dad had respect for everyone in his courtroom.

“One time someone entered the court room with handcuffs and he demanded him come back in without his handcuffs,” Grady said. “As a judge, he really respected anyone that came into his courtroom. It didn’t matter who you were, he always showed respect. You weren’t treated like a bum.”



‘He’s my hero’

Grady said the biggest thing she took away from her father was confidence.

“He told us, ‘You can be anything you want to be,’” she said. “People just didn’t talk like that during those days.”

Grady’s sister Jane Chambers, who died at 36 of Hodgkin’s disease, started flying lessons at 14 and became a pilot at 16. She attended the same flight school as astronaut Neil Armstrong.

“He gave us a ticket to do whatever we wanted to do,” Grady said. Grady lives in St. Louis, and his other daughter, Karen Frey, lives in Woodside, Calif.

Grady said everyone who knows Smock always talks about his honest character.

“He’s the most honest person ever and anyone who knew him could tell you that,” she said.

“He was one of these people that people admired tremendously,” added his granddaughter, Rebecca Hennessy. “Everyone who comes in contact with him professionally and personally looks up to him very much.”

Grady said her father never “strut his stuff,” but was just a humble man.

“You can tell he’s my hero,” she said.

Melissa Soria may be reached at (574) 732-5143 or via e-mail at melissa.soria@pharostribune.com