Don Griffiths

Don Griffiths was a second lieutenant in the United States Army early in the Second Great War. He commanded a barrel during the Pittsburgh campaign.

Like many second lieutenants, he was quietly led by a senior sergeant until he learned the nuances of commanding troops in combat--in his case, gunner Michael Pound.

Griffiths learned the trade of barrel command well, and proved to be a brave officer who was willing to ride with his head and shoulders out of the cupola and exposed to small-arms fire so that he could have a better view of the situation and of possible targets. While doing this in Ohio in the spring of 1943, he was wounded by aConfederate machine gun.

While recuperating, he recommended that Pound be commissioned a lieutenant and given command of a platoon of Mark III barrels. Many other officers had attempted to promote Pound, including, on numerous occasions, General Irving Morrell. Griffiths however made his recomendation directly to Pound's divisional commander, Brigadier General John Wade. Wade did not give Pound any opportunity to decline the commission.