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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)
Aircraft/Missile Information
General characteristics Primary function Medium bomber Power plant Two Wright R-2600-3 engines Thrust 1,600 HP 1,193 kW Wingspan 92 ft 28 m Length 58 ft 6 in 17.9 m Height 18 ft 6 in 5.6 m Weight max. 32,400 lb 14,700 kg Speed max. 282 mph 454 km/h Speed cruising 210 mph 338 km/h Range 1,400 miles 2,253 km Ceiling 31,600 ft 9,632 m Armament 3x 7.62mm M-2 machine guns, 1x 12.7mm M-2 machine gun, 4,000 lb bombs internally Crew Six Cost $133,000 First flight July 1939 Number built 38