Samuel B. Griffith
| Samuel B. Griffith II | |
|---|---|
Samuel B. Griffith
|
|
| Born |
May 31, 1906 Lewistown, Pennsylvania |
| Died | March 27, 1983 (aged 76) Newport, Rhode Island |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Years of service | 1929 – 1956 |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General
|
| Commands held |
1st Raider Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment U.S. Marine Forces, Tsingtao |
| Battles/wars |
Banana Wars *Occupation of Nicaragua World War II *Guadalcanal campaign *Battle of New Georgia |
| Awards |
Navy Cross Distinguished Service Cross Purple Heart |
Brigadier General Samuel B. Griffith II (May 31, 1906 – March 27, 1983), was an officer and commander in the United States Marine Corps. Griffith entered the Marines in 1929 after graduating from the United States Naval Academy. He served in and commanded Marine units in the Pacific theater of World War II and retired from service in 1956. After his retirement, Griffith wrote several books and numerous articles on military history and lectured widely. He died on March 27, 1983 in Rhode Island.
Griffith was born May 31, 1906, in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1929, he accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Prior to World War II, he took part in the Second Nicaraguan Campaign, and served in China, Cuba, and England. From 1935 to 1938, he studied the Chinese language while attached to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where he mastered Chinese.
During World War II, following a period observing British commando training in England and Scotland, he returned to the 1st Marine Division and served as executive officer and later commander of the 1st Marine Raiders Battalion on Guadalcanal, and executive officer of the 1st Raider Regiment in operations on New Georgia. He received the Navy Cross on Guadalcanal in September 1942 for “extreme heroism and courageous devotion to duty” during the fighting near the Matanikau River. During this action, Griffith suffered wounds for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. For his exploits in July in New Georgia, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
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