This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Jenn
Staff Sgt. Darrell R. Griffin Jr.
36 years old from Alhambra, California
2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division
March 21, 2007
“He was a really patriotic young man”, said Darrell Griffin Sr. “He said that the people there really needed us and he felt it was the right place to be. He wished we didn’t have to have wars, but since that’s the way mankind is, he felt he was contributing an important part to his country”.
SSgt. Griffin lost his life in Balad, Iraq when his unit came under fire as it was returning to base after conducting security operations in the Iraqi capital.
The eldest son of six children, SSgt. Griffin worked as an EMT before joining the California Army National Guard in 1999. He enlisted in the Army two years later, and in July 2001, was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, in Ft. Lewis, Washington. He served with that unit in Iraq from October 2004 to September 2005.
On his second tour of duty, SSgt. Griffin had been awarded the Bronze Star for valor in 2005 when he was credited with saving the lives of three U.S. and two Iraqi Army soldiers injured during battle in Tal Afar. He had also received the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Parachute Badge, and the Meritorious Unit Citation.
“Griff was the type of man you want to have by your side in a fight,” Maj. Brent Clemmer, his former company commander, wrote from Iraq. “He was the type of squad leader every young soldier wants to have”.
“Darrell was my husband, my Soldier, my gift from God who was also the love of my life and always will be.” Said his wife, Diana. “He was also ‘a Soldier’s Soldier of Strength and Honor’ whose commitment to duty, honor and loyalty will be forever remembered by all who know and love him. The news of his death saddens us deeply and we ask for your prayers in our time of grief. Please also continue to keep our Soldiers in your prayers
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.
With my oldest daughter just graduating from high school and my youngest looking to get her temps in August (she’ll be driving!), I’ve been thinking a lot about when they were little.
I missed quite a bit up until they were 10 and 7 when I was finally able to quit my full time job. But, we’ve had some wonderful times as a family including the forever memorable trip with our friends to Mount Rushmore. (Hint: if you’re traveling long distance with children, travel with friends who also have children. We did and we allowed the kids to choose who they would ride with so there was no bickering or fighting!) Our family then went on to Yellowstone and then on to meet my Dad and step-Mom at Glacier. I cannot recommend enough taking a couple of weeks with your family and seeing some of the most beautiful places in our beloved country!
We’ve also had some tough times like watching first my Mom suffer through cancer and then my Mother-in-law and losing them both in the end. But it taught us to savor each day we have together and to worry less about the little stuff.
Daughter #1 graduates today. I can’t believe how fast the last 18 years have gone!
