Charles Donald Griffin Speeches, 1963-1968: Finding Aid

Biography of Charles Donald Griffin

Admiral Charles Donald Griffin, U.S. Navy, was Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe, from March 1965 until relieved of active duty, pending his retirement, effective February 1, 1968. Prior to that assignment, he had served from June 26, 1963 as Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR) and as U.S. Commander, Eastern Atlantic (USCOMEASTLANT), with headquarters in central London on Grosvenor Square. As such, he had command of all United States naval forces and activities afloat and ashore in the European and North African areas, including the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea.

Although he was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 12 January 1906, Admiral Griffin was raised in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Central High School in Washington in 1923 and the same year entered the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He graduated in 1927 and was commissioned an Ensign. In 1930 he won his wings as a naval aviator and received orders as scouting aircraft pilot on board U.S.S. Chester, a heavy cruiser. During his tour of duty he was commended by the Secretary of the Navy for excellence in gunnery.

Subsequent service included extensive staff duty ashore and afloat in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, and in Washington. In major assignments at sea, Admiral Griffin commanded the aircraft carriers U.S.S. Croatan (CVE-25) and U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34), Carrier Division Four and the U.S. Seventh Fleet. He also served on the Joint War Plans Committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Director of the Navy's Strategic Plans Division, and as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Operations and Readiness.

Admiral Griffin received a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1937 and also graduated from the Naval War College in 1951. He was active in the Episcopal Church and served as a vestryman at St. Albans Episcopal Church in Washington. His hobbies included reading, golf, and photography. In earlier years, he was a member of the Navy's Leech Cup Tennis Team.

Admiral Griffin was married to Camilla Yvonne Ganteaume, who died in 1963. Their children include Linda Louise, wife of Major Harry Collins II, USMC, and Charles Donald Griffin, Jr. USN, a 1962 graduate of the Naval Academy and submariner. In November 1964, Admiral Griffin married Mrs. Marion Hopkins Schaefer of Washington, D.C., a widow. Mrs. Schaefer had one daughter, Mrs. Richard J. Lewis. Admiral Charles Donald Griffin died on June 26, 1996.

Description of Contents

The Charles Donald Griffin Speeches span from October 1963 through January 1968, and comprise 0.21 linear feet of documentation. The speeches were delivered while Griffin was serving as Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe and as Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe, his final assignment before retiring from the U.S. Navy. The theme of many of the speeches is the history and significance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the continuing threat of Communism, and the evolving role of seapower.

Arrangement

The Charles D. Griffin Speeches are organized chronologically.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

The Charles Donald Griffin Speeches are the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Unknown.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

The following additional materials pertaining to Admiral Charles Donald Griffin are available at Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library: materials pertaining to Griffin's time as a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy may be found in his Personnel Jack and Alumni Jacket; photographs of Griffin addressing midshipmen of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Naval Academy are available in the Transitional Picture File; and a transcript of Griffin's oral history, The Reminiscences of Admiral Charles Donald Griffin, U.S. Navy (Retired).

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Charles Donald Griffin Speeches, MS 313

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Mary R. Catalfamo in 1996. Finding aid written by Mary R. Catalfamo in 1996 and revised by David D'Onofrio in January 2014. Speeches dating from 1963 and 1964 were processed by David D'Onofrio in October 2017.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Allied Forces Southern Europe
• Griffin, Charles Donald, 1906-
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts
• Speeches (documents)