Reid Earl Griffiths
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Object Number - UPL 38884 - Reid E. Griffiths
Shot down 10 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30087 'Shackrat', Killed in Action (KIA).
Connections
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Units served with
![Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378743.jpg.webp?itok=HBB0lqjl)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Shackrat
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 351st Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
8 December 1918 | Reid Earl Griffiths was born on December 8, 1918 in Rigby, Idaho. His parents Brigham and Adrien were born in Utah. His father worked as a home decorator. Reid had two older brother and three older sisters. In 1940, he had completed four years of high school and was working in a grocery store. Reid enlisted in the USAAF in January 1942 as an aviation cadet, and upon completion of his training was assigned to the 351st Bomber Squadron of the 100th Bomber Group, Eighth Air Force in September 1943. 2nd Lt. Griffiths served as a bombardier aboard B-17F Flying Fortress heavy bombers flying out of Thorpe Abbots, England. The 100th BG became known as the “Bloody Hundredth” after suffering heavy combat losses in June thru October 1943 during the strategic bombing campaign of France and Germany. On October 10, 1943 2nd Lt. Griffiths was flying his tenth combat mission aboard B-17F “Shack Rat” when the 100th BG sent 13 aircraft as part of a larger force of 236 bombers to attack the German city of Munster. The Luftwaffe sent up 350 fighters to engage the American force, and flak over the target was intense. Of the 13 B-17s the 100th BG sent out on the raid, only one returned to base. The “Shack Rat” was hit by flak and crashed near Munster, 2nd Lt. Griffiths and seven other crew members were killed in action and two became prisoners of war. Lt. Griffiths was initially buried at Muenchen-Gladbach Cemetery and was later reinterred in Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery in Salt Lake City, Utah. | |
|
Died |
10 October 1943 | ||
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
10 October 1943 |
Revisions
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added an Association to “Thorpe Abbotts”, the home base of the 100th BG.
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
ContributorBobF13
Changes
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1026 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
