Griffin, Thomas Carson, Maj

Deceased
 
 Service Photo   Service Details
58 kb
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Last Rank
Major
Last Primary AFSC/MOS
1531A-Navigator
Last AFSC Group
Aircrew
Primary Unit
1946-1959, 1531A, Air Force Reserve Command
Service Years
1939 - 1959
Officer srcset=
Major

 Last Photo   Personal Details 

107 kb


Home State
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Year of Birth
1917
 
This Military Service Page was created/owned by SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr. to remember Griffin, Thomas Carson, Maj USAF(Ret).

If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
 
Contact Info
Home Town
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Last Address
Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of Passing
Feb 26, 2013
 
Location of Interment
Hillside Chapel - Cincinnati, Ohio

 Official Badges 

Air Force Retired


 Unofficial Badges 

Cold War Medal Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Gold Medal


 Military Associations and Other Affiliations
Southwestern Ohio ChapterAir Force Memorial (AFM)
  1959, Distinguished Flying Cross Society (DFCS), Southwestern Ohio Chapter (Commander) (Troy, Ohio) - Chap. Page
  2016, Air Force Memorial (AFM) - Assoc. Page


 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:

He was the navigator in crew #9 on the Doolittle Raid.  He flew 1 more combat mission in Asia and later 19 more with the 438th Bomb Sq. in North Africa until he became a POW. His cremains rest at Hillside Chapel, Cincinnati, OH.

His DFC citation:

Awarded for actions during World War II

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Thomas Carson Griffin (ASN: 0-377848), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Navigator of a B-25 Bomber of the 1st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on 18 April 1942. Lieutenant Griffin with 79 other officers and enlisted men volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on himself and the military service.

Action Date: April 18, 1942

Service: Army Air Forces

Rank: First Lieutenant

Company: 1st Special Aviation Project

Division: Doolittle Tokyo Raider Force
Crew #9 (Plane #40-2203, "Whirling Dervish", target Tokyo), 34th Bomb Sq. L-R: Lt. Thomas C. Griffin, navigator; Lt. Harold F. Watson, pilot;  TSgt. Eldred V. Scott, flight engineer/gunnerLt. James M. Parker Jr., copilot;  Sgt. Wayne M. Bissell, bombardier. (U.S. Air Force photo)

   
Other Comments:

Sources:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=105888802
http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=364
http://www.doolittleraider.com/raiders/griffin.htm
http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=30182
http://www.workersforjesus.com/tgriffin.htm
http://triggertimeforum.yuku.com/topic/9314#.T9kXNRfLyKI
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=466&mtch=1&cat=WR26&tf=F&q=thomas+c+griffin&bc=sl&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=70505

   

  1941-1942, AAF MOS 1034, 34th Bombardment Squadron, Medium

First Lieutenant
From Month/Year
June / 1941
To Month/Year
February / 1942
Unit
34th Bombardment Squadron, Medium Unit Page
Rank
First Lieutenant
AFSC/MOS
AAF MOS 1034-Navigator
Base, Station or City
Pendleton Field
State/Country
Oregon
   
 Patch
 34th Bombardment Squadron, Medium Details

34th Bombardment Squadron, Medium
Type
Bomber
 
Parent Unit
Bombardment Units
Strength
Squadron
Created/Owned By
Not Specified
   

Last Updated: Dec 10, 2019
   
   
Yearbook
 
My Photos For This Unit
No Available Photos
23 Members Also There at Same Time
34th Bombardment Squadron, Medium

Barr, George, Capt, (1941-1947) A08 AAF MOS 1034 First Lieutenant
Potter, Henry Alpheous, Col, (1940-1970) A08 AAF MOS 1034 First Lieutenant
Sessler, Howard Albert, Maj, (1940-1945) A08 AAF MOS 1036 Second Lieutenant
Cunningham, Joseph A., Maj Gen, (1938-1972) A23 AAF MOS 1024 Colonel
Farrow, William Glover, 1st Lt, (1940-1942) A23 AAF MOS 1081 First Lieutenant
Gray, Robert Manning, Capt, (1940-1942) A23 AAF MOS 1081 First Lieutenant
Hite, Robert Lowell, Lt Col, (1940-1969) A23 AAF MOS 1081 Second Lieutenant
Parker, James Monroe, Maj, (1940-1974) A23 AAF MOS 1081 Second Lieutenant
Reddy, Kenneth Eugene, 1st Lt, (1940-1942) A23 AAF MOS 1081 Second Lieutenant
Smith, Donald Gregory, Capt, (1940-1942) A23 AAF MOS 1081 Second Lieutenant
Watson, Harold Francis, Lt Col, (1940-1961) A23 AAF MOS 1051 Second Lieutenant
Macklin, Ronald, MSgt, (1941-1945) A01 AAF MOS 747 Master Sergeant
Scott, Eldred Von, Lt Col, (1924-1959) A07 AAF MOS 737 Technical Sergeant
Birch, William Lloyd, 2nd Lt, (1939-1945) A07 AAF MOS 509 Staff Sergeant
Braemer, Fred Anthony, Capt, (1935-1966) A07 AAF MOS 509 Staff Sergeant
Leonard, Paul John, MSgt, (1931-1943) A07 AAF MOS 611 Staff Sergeant
Bissell, Wayne Max, 1st Lt, (1939-1945) A07 AAF MOS 509 Sergeant
Gardner, Melvin J., SSgt, (1939-1942) A07 AAF MOS 737 Sergeant
Spatz, Harold A., Sgt, (1939-1942) A07 AAF MOS 737 Sergeant
DeShazer, Jacob Daniel, SSgt, (1940-1945) A07 AAF MOS 509 Corporal
Saylor, Edward Joseph, Lt Col, (1939-1967) A07 AAF MOS 737 Corporal
Cole, Richard Eugene, Lt Col, (1940-1966) First Lieutenant
Herndon, Nolan Anderson, Maj, (1940-1945) First Lieutenant

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