More on Sam Griffith
December 20, 2011 at 12:28 pm Tina Hay 3 comments
Maj. Sam Griffith ’97, killed in Afghanistan Dec. 14, 2011
Yesterday I heard from Maj. Erik Orient ’99, a Penn State Naval ROTC instructor who knew Sam Griffith ’97, the Marine officer killed in Afghanistan last Wednesday.
Erik sent along a note from the pilot who flew Griffith’s body from an airport near where he was killed to Kandahar, the first stop on Griffith’s final journey back to the U.S. A memorial service was held for Griffith yesterday in Virginia Beach.
The letter, written last week, was so touching that I thought I’d post it in its entirety here. The name of the pilot is unknown.
I carried a hero yesterday and was honored to do it, although I wish I never had to. The Marine had been killed in action.
I was flying near one of the airports we operate near when I recieved a call on the radio that we would become a Hero Flight and needed to divert to pick him up. We landed and I knew that he would not be transferred to my aircraft for about two hours, yet I could see there were already Marines waiting at the edge of the flightline. As I walked over I was hit by the fact that I knew several of them. It is amazing how small the Marine Corps is when you see people you know in places you do not expect. It was good to see them but we all wished it was under different circumstances.
They gave me the paperwork for the Marine I would be carrying. I did not know him, but I was able to get a sense of who he was as I spoke with his friends and Marines he worked with. They said he was a solid guy, one who would not get rattled when situations became extremely stressful. They said his positve personality influenced everyone around him.
They told me he has a wife and two children. His son turns 6 today. I can’t began to describe how bad it feels to know that this man has been killed yet his family is unaware and most likely planning for the next day’s celebration.
We got the aircraft ready for the transfer of remains. The ambulance with the casket waited nearby. We could see people start to form up in the distance and my crew got into position at the tail of the aircraft. We were not facing the entire gathering as they marched over since we were at attention. Then they began to form ranks across from us, and more were falling in behind us as well. There were around 400 people there to pay their respects and to say goodbye to their friend. There was his immediate team, other Marines he worked with, and British and Afghan soldiers as well. After the chaplain said a prayer, an honor guard carried the casket through our ranks and onto the aircraft. We saluted as one and turned to face the casket as it passed by. The detail lowered the flag-covered casket to the deck of our plane and then departed.
My crew and I stood to the side as the men he worked with walked onto the aircraft to pay their last respects before he began his journey home. After they were done we started the aircraft and brought him back to Kandahar. There were more Marines on hand to honor him as we transferred the casket to mortuary affairs and then they departed.
As we finished doing the paperwork for the flight, it dawned on me that not only was his son’s birthday today but it is only 10 days until Christmas.
He left this morning on an another aircraft and is probably arriving home around now.
I can pray for his family and hope they know that he was shown the utmost respect as he begins the trip home. I pray that he is at peace. I pray that I never have to do that flight again.
Maj Samuel M. Griffith, Killed in Action, Afghanistan, 14 Dec 2011
You can watch a short video clip about Griffith from a Florida television station here.
A final note: Orient told me that two other Penn State NROTC grads whom Sam knew were also killed in the line of duty: Brandan McCombie ’98 was killed in a training accident off the coast of Puerto Rico on Sept. 10, 2002, and Todd Siebert ’99 was killed in action in Iraq on Feb. 16th, 2007. Says Orient: “All three were good men and fine officers.”
Entry filed under: Penn State alumni. Tags: Afghanistan war, Brandan McCombie, Iraq war, Penn State NROTC, Sam Griffth, Todd Siebert.
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1. Alan | December 21, 2011 at 10:14 am
This is very sad and deeply touching. My thoughts and prayers will be with Maj. Griffith’s family and all in the military, especially those who have lost family and friends and especially this time of year.
2. Jo Lantz Prostko '75 GNAS | December 21, 2011 at 12:45 pm
May peace with justice come to our weary world.
3. dave | January 17, 2012 at 2:07 am
Very touching and thank you for sharing your Hero Flight. I myself am a retired USAF pilot, and son of an AF pilot killed in Vietnam. Maj Griffith’s family has suffered a tragedy that very few of you can imagine. My hope is that all our soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen return home safely.