World War II Honoree

Thomas Carson 'Jimmy' Griffin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE ENTERED SERVICE ON JULY 5, 1939 AS SECOND LIEUTENANT, COAST ARTILLERY, BUT REQUESTED RELIEF FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN 1940 TO ENLIST AS A FLYING CADET. HE WAS RATED AS A BOMBER-NAVIGATOR AND RE-COMMISSIONED ON JULY 1, 1940. HE VOLUNTEERED FOR THE TOP-SECRET ATTACK OF 16 B-25 MEDIUM BOMBERS FROM THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS HORNET, WITH TARGETS IN TOKYO, KOBE, YOKOHAMA, OSAKA, AND NAGOYA, KNOWN AS THE 'DOOLITTLE RAID'. AFTER TRAINING AT EGLIN FIELD AND WAGNER FIELD IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA, HE PROCEEDED TO THE MCCLELLAN FIELD, CALIFORNIA FOR AIRCRAFT MODIFICATIONS AT THE SACRAMENTO AIR DEPOT, FOLLOWED BY A SHORT FINAL FLIGHT TO NAVAL AIR STATION ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA FOR EMBARKATION ABOARD USS HORNET. ON APRIL 18, ALL THE BOMBERS SUCCESSFULLY TOOK OFF FROM THE HORNET, REACHED JAPAN, AND BOMBED THEIR TARGETS. FIFTEEN OF THE PLANES THEN HEADED FOR THEIR RECOVERY AIRFIELD IN CHINA, WHILE ONE CREW CHOSE TO LAND IN RUSSIA. HE FLEW IN PLANE NUMBER NINE. AS DID MOST OF THE OTHER CREWMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MISSION, GRIFFIN BAILED OUT SAFELY OVER CHINA WHEN THEIR BOMBER RAN OUT OF FUEL. HE RETURNED TO SERVICE ON BOMBING RUNS UNTIL HE WAS SHOT DOWN IN NORTH AFRICA IN 1943. HE WAS CAPTURED AND SPENT THE REMAINDER OF THE WAR IN THE GERMAN STALAG LUFT III PRISONER OF WAR CAMP. HIS AWARDS INCLUDE THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, THE AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AND CHINESE ARMY, NAVY, AIR CORPS MEDAL, CLASS A, 1ST GRADE.