Ensign Donald "Don" Thomas Griswold, Jr., U.S.N.R.
(1918-1942)

Ens. Don T. Griswold, Jr., born 8 July 1917 in Bryan, Tex. After attending Iowa State, Griswold joined the Naval Aviation Corps. During the Battle of Midway, he was assigned to USS Hornet CV-8 in squadron VS-8 when on June 6, 1942 his SBD-3 Dauntless attacked the Japanese cruiser Mikuma. The combined effort of aircraft from Hornet and USS Enterprise CV-6 sank the cruiser, but Griswold and his radio man, Aviation Radioman 1st Class Kenneth C. Bunch, were shot down and killed during the action. Ens. Griswold was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.



Don's Cadet Card.



Ensign Donald T. Griswold, Jr. seen in 1941.



Portrait of Ensign Donald T. Griswold, Jr. taken on Dec. 11, 1941.



U.S. Navy portrait of Ensign Donald T. Griswold, Jr.



Letter to Lt. Griswold's parents from the navy about the christening of USS Griswold DE-7.
(All photos courtesy of Paul Griswold, nephew of Don Griswold)





Class Overview
Page published Feb. 12, 2012