Joe Griffin
Joe was born on the 18th of November 1917 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. He attended the University of Oklahoma for two years prior to joining the Army Air Corps. He graduated from flying school as a Second Lieutenant on the 31st of October 1941, and was assigned to the 16th Pursuit Squadron in the 51st Pursuit Group, and later to the 78th Pursuit Group. On the 13th of June he was attached to the American Volunteer Group in Kunming, China, and flew two combat missions with them.

On the 4th of July 1942 he was assigned to the 75th Pursuit Squadron in the 23rd Pursuit Group in Kunming, China. Flying a P-40 Warhawk, Lieutenant Griffin was credited with his first victory on the 23rd of November 1942 when he downed a Japanese bomber over Kweilin at night. He didn’t score again until the 18th of April 1943 when he downed an Oscar southwest of Kunming. He destroyed another Oscar four days later, 30 miles northwest of Henyang, just before leaving China in June 1943.

Following a two-week rest period, Capt. Griffin was assigned as commander to activate the 393rd Pursuit Squadron, in the 367th Pursuit Group, at Hamilton Field, California. Although they trained in P-39’s, they were equipped with P-38’s when the Group moved to England in March 1944. They were assigned to the 9th Air Force and entered combat in May. Captain Griffin downed a ME-109 near Evreux, France on the 17th of June.

He was promoted to Major on the 22nd of July, and became an Ace on the 14th of August when he shot down two FW-190’s near Evreux. Flying his P-38, named HELLZAPOPPIN, he completed his scoring nine days later with the destruction of a FW-190 over Chastres Airfield in France.

Griffin remained in the Air Force following the war and was promoted to full Colonel on the 6th of April 1955. He retired from military service on January 1970.