World War II Honoree

Griffith Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Friends & Family

WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN JULY 1941. 9 MONTHS LATER HE JOINED THE HEROIC LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES H. DOOLITTLE IN THE FIRST WWII BOMBING RAID ON JAPAN. WAS CO-PILOT OF B-25 THAT TOOK OFF FROM THE DECK OF THE CARRIER USS HORNET. BOMBED THE PORT OF KOBE. THE B-25 EVENTUALLY RAN OUT OF FUEL AND CRASH LANDED OFF THE CHINESE COAST. HE AND 4 CREWMEN SAFELY REACHED TANTOU ISLAND AND WERE DELIVERED BY CHINESE TROOPS BACK TO AMERICAN HANDS. FOR HIS EFFORTS HE RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND THE PRESTIGIOUS MILITARY ORDER OF CHINA FROM MADAM CHIANG KAI-SHEK. HE ALSO RECEIVED AN AIR MEDAL. ON JULY 4, 1943 HE FELL INTO ENEMY HANDS. HIS PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN OVER SICILY BY GERMANS. FOR THE NEXT 22 MONTHS HE WAS A PRISONER OF WAR. HE WAS DETAINED AT STALAG LUFT 3 IN EASTERN GERMANY FOR THE BALANCE OF THE WAR.