Gloucester Alumni

Class of 1934

Benjamin Atwood Smith II (March 16, 1916 – September 6, 1991) was a United States Senator from the U.S. State of Massachusetts.

Smith was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts and he graduated from Harvard University where he was a roommate of John F. Kennedy. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy in the Pacific during World War II.
He served as Mayor of Gloucester from 1954 to 1955.

John F. Kennedy resigned from the Senate on December 22, 1960 after being elected President of the United States. Kennedy, who had previously been re-elected to a second term of six years in 1958 advised Governor Foster Furcolo of Massachusetts to appoint Smith to fill the vacated seat "in the interest of promoting party unity". Smith served as Senator until a special election was held at the following biennial elections to Congress in 1962, when he was succeeded by Ted Kennedy, the President's youngest brother, to serve for the remainder of this term of office.

President of Merchants Box Factory, Cape Ann Fisheries, Inc., United Fisheries Co., Gloucester By-Products, Inc., and Gloucester Community Pier Association, Inc.