World War II Honoree

John Dixon Griggs

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Honored By

Edward W. Samuell, Jr.

Relationship

Friend

ON NOVEMBER 23, 1942, WITH PERMISSION OF HIS PARENTS, HE (AT THE TIME A STUDENT AT SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY (SMU) IN DALLAS, TEXAS) VOLUNTEERED FOR THE U.S. MARINE CORPS AT AGE 17. HE ENTERED THE CORPS FROM DALLAS, TEXAS. AFTER GOING THROUGH BOOT CAMP, HE WAS SENT TO THE PACIFIC. AS A MEMBER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CITED 2ND MARINE DIVISION, HE FOUGHT IN THE BRITISH GILBERT ISLANDS AND MARIANA ISLANDS CAMPAIGNS FROM MARCH 12, 1943 TO DECEMBER 16, 1944. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLES OF TARAWA, SAIPAN AND TINIAN. DURING THE 35 DAYS OF FIGHTING, HE FOUGHT ACROSS THE MORE THAN 25 MILES OF RUGGED MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY OF BOTH SAIPAN AND TINIAN. AS A MEMBER OF AN ASSAULT ENGINEER FLAME THROWER AND DEMOLITIONS PLATOON, HE MADE THE D-DAY LANDING, JUNE 15, 1943 ON SAIPAN. HE, ALONG WITH THE FLAME THROWER PLATOON, ADVANCED INLAND FROM THE BEACHHEAD THROUGH HEAVY MACHINE GUN FIRE AFTER ESCAPING DEATH ON THE BEACH WHEN HIS AMPHIBIOUS TRACTOR IN WHICH HE WAS RIDING WAS HIT BY JAPANESE ANTI-TANK SHELLS. HE AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS PLATOON ON SAIPAN WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF OVER 200 ENEMY EMPLACEMENTS, EACH OF WHICH CONTAINED FROM ONE TO 100 ENEMY TROOPS. AT ONE EMPLACEMENT THE PLATOON ACCOUNTED FOR 67 DEAD JAPANESE. AFTER RETURNING FROM THE PACIFIC ON DECEMBER 16, 1944 HE ENTERED THE NAVY V-12 PROGRAM AT COLORADO COLLEGE, COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. BEFORE HE COULD COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, THE WAR ENDED AND HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE MARINE CORPS ON 9 NOVEMBER 1945. HIS COMBAT SERVICE LEFT HIM WITH A DISABILITY, WHICH REQUIRED HIM TO INTERRUPT HIS POSTWAR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AT SMU AND SPEND SEVERAL YEARS IN VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL IN KERRVILLE, TEXAS.