John Griffith (aviator)

John Sharpe Griffith
John Sharpe Griffith, 1918
Born	(1898-11-26)November 26, 1898 Seattle, Washington, USA
Died	October 14, 1974(1974-10-14) (aged 75) Riverhead, New York, USA
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	British Army Royal Air Force
Years of service	1917–1921
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	No. 60 Squadron RFC/RAF
Battles/wars	World War I  • Western Front Russian Civil War
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Order of Saint Vladimir (Russia)
Other work	Served as colonel in USAAF in World War II

Lieutenant (later Colonel) John Sharpe Griffith DFC* (November 26, 1898 – October 14, 1974) was an American World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories while serving in the British Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, also serving during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. He returned to service during World War II in the United States Army Air Forces, and finally retired in 1956.

Griffith was born in Seattle, Washington, the son of C. E. Griffith, and was educated at Broadway High School.

In July 1917 Griffith travelled to Vancouver where he enlisted into Royal Flying Corps Canada, learning to fly in Toronto before travelling to England in November. He was posted to No. 60 Squadron RFC in February 1918 to fly a S.E.5a single-seat fighter. Between 9 March and 7 July 1918, he destroyed five enemy aircraft, including one each shared with Art Duncan and George Hegarty. On 18 July, he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, his wounds ending his participation in the war.

In 1919 while serving as part of the North Russian Expeditionary Force Griffith flew 40 patrols in northern Russia against the Bolsheviks, shooting down one of their observation balloons. He finally left the Royal Air Force in 1921.