Small served as Executive Officer of and as Commanding officer of Fighter Attack Squadron Four Two (
VA-42), Fighter Attack Squadron Six Five (
VA-65), and . As a Flag Officer, he served as Commander
Carrier Division 3, Pacific from 1975 to 1976; and Commander
United States Sixth Fleet. Small was
Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1981 to 1983 and Commander in Chief,
United States Naval Forces Europe/Commander in Chief,
Allied Forces Southern Europe from 1983 to 1985. The Arkansas Aviation Historical Society inducted Small into the
Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1992. He died on December 9, 2016, at the age of 89. ==Decorations and medals==