Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) James W. (Bill) Griffin, age 93, of Gadsden, Alabama passed away on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. Funeral Services were held for immediate family at Rainbow Memorial Chapel with the Honor Guard in attendance. Entombment is at Rainbow Memorial Garden Mausoleum. The following is his obituary, written by himself as he instructed.
I was born in Altoona, Alabama and moved to Gadsden in 1939, where I attended just about every school including both Emma Sansom and Gadsden High. Everything was going pretty smooth until I got a letter from the draft board which began, “Greetings from the President of the United States.” Two weeks later, I was at Fort Jackson, SC peeling potatoes and trying hard to convince myself that it was only going to be for two years and I could regain my freedom and return to my wife and daughter. I did not know it at this time, but this was the start of probably the best twenty years of my life.
I was then moved to Ft. Gordon, GA, where I completed Basic Training and Military Police School and then shipped to Sandia Base, NM, which was a long way from my loved ones. To be stationed closer to home, I applied for Infantry Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, where I spent, at this time, probably the hardest six months of my life. I worked so hard to finish this course and they told me if I would accept the commission and go to the Airborne School I would be assigned to the newly reorganized 101st Airborne Division and after one year, I would be favorably considered for flight school. After jumping out of perfectly good airplanes for a year and running through just about every briar patch at Ft. Campbell, KY, I applied for flight school and went to fixed wing flight school at Camp Gary, TX. Upon graduation, I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC. After flying fixed wing aircraft for almost a year, I went to Ft. Wjolters, TX for helicopter transition. My next assignment was Fulda, Germany where I completed a three year tour and flew the East/West German border in support of the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment, along with other duties. During this period, I was selected as the pilot to fly The Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, on a tour of the border. When I returned to the states, I completed The Infantry Officers Career course and was reassigned to the 82nd Infantry Battalion. I continued to jump out of perfectly good airplanes and also had to fly (mostly on weekends) to maintain my flying proficiency. Vietnam was looming in my future and when my one year assignment was completed, I received my orders.
The next year was spent with the 118th Assault Helicopter Company at Bien Hoa, Vietnam and this unit, The Thunderbirds, was probably the most respected helicopter unit in Vietnam. After returning to the states I spent the next year at Ft. Rucker, AL, then received orders to attend The Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, KS, which was the most restful and enjoyable of my Army career, but again Vietnam was looming and again I returned.
During this tour, I was selected to command the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company, which was the hardest period of my Army career. The average age of my Company was less than twenty three years and quite a few of them could not have legally bought a beer in the states, yet here they were growing into manhood under extremely hazardous conditions. It would have made their parents proud to see how they matured so rapidly living in this environment and performing a lot better than older men that I have been associated with.
During my military service I earned: The Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze stars, twenty nine Air Medals, The Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and several other service and Vietnamese awards.
I really enjoyed the Army and I learned that you can accomplish almost anything if you work at it hard enough. After retiring from the Army, I returned to Gadsden and built myself a retirement home. I sold it, then built another one, and sold that one too, which led me into the construction business. I more or less fully retired (from making money) and enjoyed woodworking, golf and fishing for the next several years. I have always considered myself to be a good fisherman, golfer and better than average carpenter and house builder. To my credit, I believe that I was one of the best helicopter pilots that ever flew.
Bill is survived by his only child, Denise (Dr. Kenneth) Skelton, Granddaughters, Kendall (Chris) Skelton Welder, and Kimberly Skelton Woodall (Andrew). His 3 great-granddaughters, who he lovingly called his “tadpoles,” Kate Welder, Peyton and Paige Woodall and a host of friends and family who loved his humor, friendship and social media musings. Bill was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 68 years, Violet in 2019. We know they are reunited and jitterbugging the night away.
Special thanks to sitter, Brenda Bussard and everyone who cared for and checked in on Bill. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name may be made to the Humane Society of Etowah County as Bill had a lifetime fondness for dogs. As was his tagline, LATER Bill.
