Thomas Ferdinand Grigg was born 6 June 1916, to Albert and Rose (Plumer) Grigg on a farm in Floyd Township, near Lawton, Iowa.
Drafted and left Sioux City for Fort Crook, Omaha, Nebraska, 27 May 1942.
Basic training was at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Jefferson
Barracks, Missouri.
Flight training base was Chanute Field, Rantoul, Illinois.
By November, I was in Santa Ana, California. I flew PT - 19 at
Sequoia Field, Visalia, California.
April, 1943 I then flew Bt - 13 to Merced, California.
June, 1943, AT - 17 to Fort Sumner, New Mexico. There I was
commissioned at 2nd Lt. Airforce - Pilot. I received ten days leave, went home to Lawton, and married Georgina Davidson, 8 September 1943, at the Presbyterian Church in Lawton.
September, 1943 took me and a B-17 to Roswell, New Mexico.
November, 1943, took me and my crew to Yuma, Arizona, and a promotion to 1st Lt. Son, Albert George, was born in Army Hospital, 23 October 1944.
June, 1945 took wife and son home to Lawton (because the B- 29 crew and I were leaving the states). Returned to Roswell, New Mexico on a B-29 bomber.
August, 1945 was in Lincoln, Nebraska. Later that month was in Smokey Hill, Salina, Kansas.
September, 1945 brought me and the crew to Mountain Home, Idaho.
President Truman ‘okayed’ for the Bomb to be dropped on Hiroshima. I did not leave the states. Was honorably discharged, 4 October 1945 at the AAF Separation Center in Sioux City. This just a few days before daughter, Nancy Ione was born.
Thomas started farming on his parents farm south of Lawton, The farm was sold so we rented a farm north of Lawton and moved March, 1947. March 1952, we moved his to parents farm just south of the rented farm as his parents retired and moved to Lawton.
Enjoyed singing with a Men’s Quartet, going to rodeos, fishing trips, family gatherings, dancing and card parties. Served on school board, church boards, Legion activities, etc.
Daughter, Marjean, was born on Thomas 34th birthday. Son, Curt F, was born 20 May 1955. We retired and moved to Lawton, February 1982. Looked forward to weekly sales at the Siouxland Auto Auction where Thomas helped.
We took many tours. Later many health problems and entered Indian Hills Care Center, 31 May 1996. Thomas died 2 May 2000, Sioux City, and is buried at Banner Township Cemetery at Lawton
Submitted by his wife, Georgina Grigg
