World War II Honoree

Charles Otis Griffin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hokes Bluff, Alabama

Honored By

VFW Post 10408

STAFF SERGEANT, 9TH ARMY AIR FORCES, EUROPE. ENLISTED AT FT. MCCLELLAN IN ALABAMA IN JULY 1941. AFTER INITIAL TRAINING AS A MECHANIC/GUNNER, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO ENGLAND IN SUPPORT OF AERIAL OPERATIONS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY AND THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE. HE FLEW SIXTY-FIVE COMBAT MISSIONS. HE PARACHUTED FROM HIS SIXTY-SIXTH MISSION WHEN HIS PLANE WAS HIT, AND THOUGH HE SURVIVED THE JUMP AND ITS RESULTANT INJURIES, HE WAS PERMANENTLY DISABLED.