David A. Smith, PhD, is a senior lecturer in American history at Baylor University and a fleet professor in the U.S. Naval War College's College of Distance Education. He received his undergraduate and master's degrees in U.S. history from Texas State University and his PhD from the University of Missouri. He's written books on American military, cultural, and political history, including A New Force at Sea: George Dewey and the Rise of the American Navy (Naval Institute Press, 2023). He is an avid public speaker and hosts a weekly show on art, culture, and history on KWBU-FM in Waco. He lives with his family in Woodway, Texas.