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GRIFFITH, ROBERT ELWIN
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Casualty
Record
Name:
GRIFFITH, ROBERT ELWIN
Rank / Branch:
1ST LT. U.S. ARMY
Unit:
4TH INFANTRY DIVISIO
Date of Birth:
1945-09-02
Country
of Loss:
SOUTH VIETNAM
Status:
HOSTILE, SMALL ARMS
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:
GROUND
Awards & Decorations:
SEE BIO
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list by County
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Veteran
Hagiography
ROBERT ELWIN GRIFFITH, FIRST LIEUTENANT, U.S.ARMY, BIG SPRING, HOWARD COUNTY, TEXAS
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Combat Infantryman's Badge, Bronze Star Medal with "V" device, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal.
BIOGRAPHY
Robert Griffith was born in San Antonio, Texas to Mr. Jay Maurice and Mrs. Vivian Earwood Griffith. The family moved to Big Spring and Robert attended Big Spring schools. He was a 1963 graduate of Big Spring High School. After a year of college at Howard College in Big Spring, Robert enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1966. He was selected to attend Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned as 2Lt. Infantry in 1967.
Big Spring High School-1963
He married Linda Diane Duncan of Big Spring on September 10, 1966 before he reported for Officer Candidate School. A son, Wesley Jay was born on March 13, 1968, while Robert was serving as an instructor at the Ranger school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He departed for Vietnam October 19, 1968 as a First Lieutenant. He was assigned as a platoon leader for A Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Division. His company and Regiment were involved in several serious skimishes and battles in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. On March 3, 1969, his company was operating as a part of four other companies in the battalion attempting to root NVA regulars out of the Kontum province. This operation was known as "Wayne Grey." Robert's company was involved in intense fighting when his company in which he was a platoon leader engaged a battalion of PAVN. Robert and at least 12 other member of A Company/3rd Bn/8th Infantry were killed in the fierce battle on March 3, 1969. During the battle A Company was in danger of being overrun, many were wounded and the survivors were able to pull out. In doing so, the 12 dead were left in the field. In a company sweep several days later, after several days of fierce fighting, a reserve company, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry was able to locate the twelve dead. For his action in the battle, Lt. Griffith was awarded a posthumous Bronze Star with "V" device and a purple heart.
Trinity Memorial Park Cemetery, Big Spring, Texas Lt. Robert Griffin was buried in the Trinity Memorial Park Cemetery in Big Spring with full military honors. He was survived by his parents, his wife and his son. His wife remarried and now lives in Levelland.
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