Willard Smith was born on July 22, 1840, in Olean, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on August 19, 1862, in Brooklyn, New York, and served aboard the sloop-of-war USS Brooklyn during the U.S. Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor on December 31, 1864, for action aboard the USS Brooklyn during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864. Sgt Smith was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps on August 19, 1866, and died on March 26, 1918. He was buried at the Elm Lawn Cemetery in Tonawanda, New York.

His Medal of Honor Citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. BROOKLYN during action against rebel forts and gunboats, and with the ram TENNESSEE in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire continued to fall, Corporal Smith fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious 2-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram TENNESSEE.