LTC William Paden Griffin, US Army (Ret.)

LTC William Paden Griffin, US Army (Ret.), 93, of Columbia, passed away on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 6, 1928, he was the son of the late William Misklea and Anna Coletta Paden Griffin. Bill was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Columbia. Bill was the loving husband of 69 years to Mary Alice Wadsworth Griffin. He was a proud veteran and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after serving 23 years in the United States Army. He entered the Army in 1947 and served in Korea, Japan and Hawaii, attaining the rank of sergeant before being selected for Officer Candidate School in 1952. Upon graduation, he attended Airborne, Ranger and Special Forces school and was subsequently assigned to the 77th Special Forces Group at Ft Benning. He was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg from 1954 to 1956. In 1956 he went to flight school in Texas. From 1956-1959 he was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group in Bad Tolz, Germany, where he was the only Army aviator. He returned to Texas for follow on flight training and was subsequently assigned to Ft Rucker Al. He was sent to Korea as the Detachment Commander for the Aviation Flight Detachment for the Korean Military Advisory Group (KMAG) from 1962-1963. Upon return from Korea, he was assigned to Ft. Monmouth, NJ working with the Signal Corps from 1963-66. He volunteered for duty in Vietnam and was the company commander of the 281st Assault Helicopter Company, amassing over 1800 hours of combat flight time. The 281st was the precursor to the Army’s Special Operations Aviation Regiment, The Night Stalkers. On his return from Vietnam in 1967, he was assigned to Ft Rucker as the Chief of the Tactics Department. His final assignment was as the advisor to SC National Guard in Columbia, where he retired in 1970. Upon his retirement, he was rated in over 30 different aircraft. After obtaining his MBA from the University of South Carolina, He served as an adjunct professor at Benedict College. Bill was an avid golfer, a voracious reader and liked to work in his yard. He was loved and admired by his wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, family and friends. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughters, Carol Dianne Pearson (Jim) and Angela Susanne Darby (Bates); grandchildren, Sean Pearson (Adrienne), and Nicki Pearson (Kris); Kristen Darby, Morgan Darby Hendges (Kevin), Griffin Darby (Meghan), great grandchildren, Tripp Pearson and Davis Pearson; and sister, Barbara Hennessey. Along with his parents, he is preceded in death by brother, James L. Griffin. The rosary for LTC Griffin will be held at 6 o’clock on Monday, July 11th, at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia, SC. Family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 5 o’clock. A graveside service will be held at 9 o’clock on Tuesday, July 12th, at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, SC. To donate online, please visit https://rmhcofcolumbia.org/MakeaDonation/

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LTC William Paden Griffin, US Army (Ret.)

October 6, 1928 - July 6, 2022