ELLEGOOD V. GRIFFIN, JR., LT, USNR
Ellegood Griffin, Jr. '50
Lucky Bag
From the 1950 Lucky Bag:
ELLEGOOD VAUGHAN GRIFFIN, JR.
New Bern, North Carolina
Prior to his enrollment for the fall term at Navy Tech, Griff attended The Citadel long enough to acquire an acute distaste for infantry drill, but not long enough to develop his bobbing gait into anything faintly resembling a military stride. At the Academy New Bern's contribution to Red Mikedom spent the majority of his free time in the handball courts. The rest of his leisure hours were employed in playing bad golf, reading good novels, and dreaming up practical jokes. His college training enabled him to stand well in academics and help those of his classmates who had more trouble with the books than he did. His serious side and ambition should enable him to enjoy a successful career in Naval aviation.
ELLEGOOD VAUGHAN GRIFFIN, JR.
New Bern, North Carolina
Prior to his enrollment for the fall term at Navy Tech, Griff attended The Citadel long enough to acquire an acute distaste for infantry drill, but not long enough to develop his bobbing gait into anything faintly resembling a military stride. At the Academy New Bern's contribution to Red Mikedom spent the majority of his free time in the handball courts. The rest of his leisure hours were employed in playing bad golf, reading good novels, and dreaming up practical jokes. His college training enabled him to stand well in academics and help those of his classmates who had more trouble with the books than he did. His serious side and ambition should enable him to enjoy a successful career in Naval aviation.
Loss
ELlegood was lost on April 5, 1959 when the plane he was piloting "exploded on a landing approach to Patuxent River NAS." The other three men aboard were also killed.
Other Information
From the now-defunct website USNA 1950:
Griff served aboard USS Boxer (CV-21). Following flight training he joined VF-54 at NAS, Miramar, CA. He was with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Three at the Naval Air Facility, Elizabeth City, NC, as a pilot, legal officer and assistant personnel officer in 1954-1956. He instructed Plebe math in 1957. He was released from active duty and joined the Clevite Corp., Washington, DC. He was an active member of the Naval Reserve Unit at Anacostia, and was killed when his plane exploded on a landing approach to Patuxent River NAS.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
At age 9, Ellegood's poem was published in The News and Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina, of April 13, 1938:
The Clipper Ship
A ship so mighty, a ship so strong,
A ship so slender, a ship so long,
The clipper is truly the ship of ships,
As it sways, as it rocks and as it dips.It sails to islands in the ocean blue
And brings back tales for me and you,
It brings back cargoes of spices and tea,
Nutmeg and coffee from over the sea.In his youth, he went by the name Vaughan and graduated from New Bern High School in 1945. All Wisdom’s armory this man can wield.” Freshman Class, Secretary; Home Room President; Junior Class, Vice President; Home Room, Vice President; Senior Superlative “Wittiest Boy.” Class Prophecy: Vaughan is in charge of the bank of Monte Carlo.
He studied at The Citadel and then was nominated to the Naval Academy by Congressman Graham A. Barden of the Third North Carolina district.
Ellegood married the former Anne Borden Nicholson on June 16, 1956, at the Richlands Methodist Church in North Carolina. Their daughter was Lisa.
He was survived by his wife and his daughter, who was only 18 months old at the time of his loss. (Family information via email on October 14, 2017.) He is buried in North Carolina.
Photographs
"Wittiest." From his high school yearbook
From his high school yearbook
Memorial
He has a memorial plaque in Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at Section 27, Row 9, Seat 13:
LT E. VAUGHN GRIFFIN JR., '50
1928 - 1959
BY HIS FRIENDS OF CLEVITE CORP.
& VICKERS-ARMSTRONG
Related Articles
Donald Kobey '50 was also a member of the 7th Company.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
