Doreen Griffith, the widow of Capt
Alexander J. Griffith, asked me for any information that would strengthen her
claims for any Veterans Administration benefits for which her husband’s service
in Vietnam made her eligible.
Capt Griffith served was assigned to the 84th Military Airlift Squadron at
Travis AB from 1961 to 1965 as a navigator in the C-133 Cargomaster
transport. He passed away on 20 Oct 2012. I was assigned to the 84th
from May 69 to Jun 71. I have prepared copies of my own flight log book for my
time during which I flew into Vietnam 17 times. Capt Griffith’s log book would
have appeared very similar to mine.
The
C-133 flew into Vietnam many times between its first mission in 1962 until the
airplane was replaced by the C-5 Galaxy in 1971. Undoubtedly, every aircrew
member assigned to the three C-133 squadrons was on the ground in Vietnam many
times. Indeed, this is the case with every Military Airlift Command crew member
during those years, including Capt Griffith.
MAC
crew flew on flight orders prepared by their squadron. Typically, the orders
contained wording similar to this, “Proceed to Clark AB thence further as
directed.” This wording was used because the squadron did not know in advance
when or where crew members would actually land at a base in Vietnam.
Also
included is a copy of the pertinent chapter in my history of the Douglas C-133
showing definitively that the C-133 was on the ground in Vietnam many times.
I
urge favorable consideration of Mrs Griffith’s claims. Her husband is only one
of thousands of MAC air crew who were actually present in Vietnam many times
but were never assigned to a unit in country.
