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Contact Info
Home Town Chicago, Illinois
Last Address El Cajon, California
Date of Passing Aug 14, 1998
Location of Interment Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (VA) - San Diego, California
Wall/Plot Coordinates Section CBD, Row 1, Site 463
He was the pilot of the 15th B-25 to take off from the USS Hornet on the Doolittle Raid. He later flew missions in North Africa and was shot down and made a POW.
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) Griffith Paul Williams (ASN: 0-421336), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Co-Pilot 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 Williams 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.
Crew No. 15 (Plane #40-2267, "TNT", target Nagoya): 89th Recon Sq. L-R: Lt. Howard A. Sessler, navigator/bombardier; Lt. Donald G. Smith, pilot; Lt. Thomas R. White, flight surgeon/gunner; Lt. Griffith P. Williams, copilot; Sgt. Edward J. Saylor, flight engineer/gunner. (U.S. Air Force photo)
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Tunisia Campaign (1942-43)
From Month/Year
November / 1942
To Month/Year
May / 1943
Description (Tunisia Campaign 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943) Having gained Algeria, the Allies quickly turned eastward, hoping to take Tunis and Bizerte before the Germans could send reinforcements into Tunisia. But the drive broke down short of the goal. In February 1943, after Rommel had been driven into Tunisia, the Axis took the offensive and pushed through Kasserine Pass before being stopped. With Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces in the battle, the Allies drove the enemy back into a pocket around Bizerte and Tunis, where Axis forces surrendered in May. Thus Tunisia became available for launching an attack on Sicily as a preliminary to an assault on Italy.
