- SURNAME
Griffin
- FORENAME
Lonnie James
- UNIT
1st Marine Parachute Battalion
- RANK
Private First Class
- NUMBER
414677
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
Bougainville, 29th November 1943
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
resided McGehee, Arkansas
born 23.04.1925 Lake Village, Chicot County, Arkansas, USA
father Lonnie Franklin Griffin (1899-1967)
mother Helen H. Griffin (1903-2002)
30.06.1942 entered service
29.06.1945 discharged
12.07.1945 draft card McGehee County, Arkansas
resided Ann Arbor, Michigan
resided Redwood City, California
employed as cement mason
1984 retired to Incline Village then Reno, Nevada
3 sons
died 10.04.2009 (Aged 81) Reno, Washoe County, Nevada, USA
Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Fernley, Lyon County, Nevada, USA
CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Lonnie J. Griffin (MCSN: 414677), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with First Marine Parachute Battalion in action against numerically superior enemy Japanese forces near Koi-ari, Bougainville, Solomon Islands on 29 November 1943. Although severely wounded while his platoon was under heavy enemy machine-gun, rifle and mortar fire, Private First Class Griffin voluntarily returned to his post on the front line immediately after receiving medical attention and remained in the hazardous position throughout many hours of continuous, intense fighting. His valiant conduct and unselfish devotion to duty under extremely difficult conditions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
WEB LINKS:
• https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-36598/FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40407653/lonnie-james-griffin
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