Fleming Park Griffith
First Lieutenant Fleming P. Griffith was a Marine dive-bomber pilot who flew with VMSB-151.
He was killed in an operational accident near Wallis Island on 12 January 1944
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-23017
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
September 16, 1921
at Berea, KY
Parents
Fleming Butner Griffith
Maude B. (Park) Griffith
Education
Irvine High School (1939)
Maryville College (ex-1943)
Occupation & Employer
College Student
Service Life
Entered Service
March 23, 1942 (enlisted)
May 7, 1943 (commission)
Home Of Record
100 Seward Avenue, #7B
Detroit, MI
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. Fleming Griffith
Military Specialty
Pilot
Assistant Flight Officer
Primary Unit
VMSB-151
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Fleming Griffith enlisted in the Navy Reserve during his junior year of college; he earned his wings and Marine Corps commission at Naval Air Training Center Pensacola. As a newly qualified dive bomber pilot, Griffith deployed to the Pacific as a member of VMSB-151, part of the 4th Marine Base Defense Air Wing stationed at Wallis Island. Duty in the Central Pacific was mostly routine patrols – but could still be dangerous, as Park could attest. His classmate, 2Lt. Clinton M. Harbison, Jr., died in a crash at sea in September 1943.
On 14 January 19344, Griffith took off for a routine flight over Wallis Island in a “Dauntless” scout bomber, SBD-5 #29092. PFC Guy Clapper, Jr., a nineteen-year-old radioman/gunner, rode in the rear seat. At approximately 1100 hours, Griffith put the plane into a normal dive. For reasons that will never be known, the SBD failed to pull out and “crashed into the sea, exploded, burned & sank” four miles from shore.
Rescue teams were quickly dispatched to the scene, but could find no trace of Griffith or Clapper. Both Marines were declared dead in the accident.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of father, Mr. Fleming B. Griffith.
The Griffiths moved to Detroit in the early 1940s.
Location Of Loss
Griffith and Clapper crashed at sea somewhere near Wallis Island.
