Soldier Honored: Samuel M. Griffith

Major Samuel M. Griffith, 36, of Virginia Beach, Va., was assigned to the 4^th Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Marine Forces Reserve at West Palm Beach, Fla., and served during Operation Enduring Freedom. On December 14, 2011, Maj. Griffith was killed while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Maj. Griffith attended Penn State University and was a member of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. Upon graduation in 1997, he was commissioned into the Marine Corps and in 2000 earned his wings. He flew F/A-18D’s and instructed Forward Air Controllers (FAC). Maj. Griffith’s awards include the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal, among many others for his service and sacrifice.

Maj. Griffith loved his family, his faith, and his country; his passion was to serve. He also had a passion for Ford Mustangs, especially his prized restored 1968 Fastback. “He went out protecting his men,” his brother said. “In his death and everything he was to me – the hero he was to me, the role model he was to me, the big brother he was to me – he really was the inspiration for me to join the military.”

Both of Maj. Griffith’s sons are Folds of Honor Scholarship recipients.