World War II Honoree

Joseph H. Griffin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Honored By

William E. Shaklee

Relationship

Friend

A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS WHEN THE WAR BEGAN, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 51ST PURSUIT GROUP, AND LATER TO THE 78TH PURSUIT GROUP. ASSIGNED TO CHINA IN EARLY 1942, HE FLEW FROM LA GUARDIA FIELD IN NEW YORK CITY TO AFRICA, THEN TO CHINA. JUNE 13 HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP 'FLYING TIGERS' AND FLEW SEVERAL MISSIONS. JULY 4 HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 75TH PURSUIT SQUADRON, 23RD PURSUIT GROUP IN CHINA. FLYING A P-40 WARHAWK, HE FLEW 75 COMBAT MISSIONS IN CHINA. BY THEN A CAPTAIN, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS COMMANDER OF THE 393RD FIGHTER SQUADRON, 367TH FIGHTER GROUP, BASED AT HAMILTON FIELD, CALIFORNIA. HE ACTIVATED AND TRAINED THE 393RD AND THE GROUP WAS DEPLOYED TO ENGLAND IN MARCH 1944. THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO THE NINTH AIR FORCE, ENTERING COMBAT IN MAY. HIS UNIT PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF NORMANDY IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF GENERAL GEORGE PATTON, BOMBING AND STRAFING IN FRONT OF THE ADVANCING TANKS. HE BECAME AN ACE AND FLEW A TOTAL OF 75 COMBAT MISSIONS IN EUROPE. HE WAS A MAJOR AT THE TIME OF HIS LAST VICTORY IN THE WAR. HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES SEPTEMBER 14, 1944, WITH A TOTAL OF 150 COMBAT MISSIONS, ATTENDED A CLASS FOR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE OFFICERS AT CHANUTE FIELD, ILLINOIS, AND WAS THERE FOR BOTH V-E DAY AND V-J DAY. HE TRANSFERRED IN OCTOBER 1945 TO THE 85TH FIGHTER WING IN MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND LATER TO A FIGHTER SQUADRON AT FLORIDA BLANCA. THEN HE WAS ASSIGNED AS THE SQUADRON COMMANDER OF THE 74TH FIGHTER SQUADRON ON GUAM, FLYING P-47 FIGHTERS. DECORATIONS: SILVER STAR, LEGION OF MERIT WITH ONE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS WITH ONE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, AIR MEDAL WITH 15 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, AND BELGIUM’S CROIX DE GUERRE.