Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy Department Library

Tags
Related Content
Sources

Adapted from "Captain Griffin Chiles, United States Navy" [biography, dated 20 March 1959] in Modern Biographical Files collection, Navy Department Library.

Topic
  • Communications--Visual –Signals, Radio and Voice
  • Awards and Medals
Document Type
  • Biography
Wars & Conflicts
  • Korean Conflict 1950-1954
  • World War II 1939-1945
File Formats
Location of Archival Materials
  • NHHC-Library

Griffin Chiles

8 December 1904 - [no death date]

Upload PDF Version [159KB]

Griffin Chiles was born on December 8, 1904, in Cleburne, Texas, son of Edward Griffin and Sarah Pierce (Wilhoite) Chiles, both now deceased. He finished High School in Cleburne, graduating in 1921, and during the next ten years was a Railroad employee. In August 1931 he enlisted in the US Naval Reserve, was commissioned Ensign, USNR in 1935, and reported for active duty in January 1942, after more than six years in inactive status with the Naval Communications Reserve in Dallas, Texas. He was promoted to Lieutenant (jg) in April 1942, to Lieutenant in June of that year, and to Lieutenant Commander and Commander in 1943 and 1945, respectively; and following his transfer to the US Navy from the Naval Reserve in 1946, attained the rank of Captain, USN, to date from October 1, 1956.

Called to active duty immediately following the outbreak of World War II in December 1941, he reported in January 1942 to the Fleet Radio Unit, Pacific, at Pearl Harbor, T.H., where he was assigned special duty in Communications and remained throughout the period of hostilities. He returned to the United States in October 1946, and served until September 1948 in similar duty at the Naval Security Station, Washington, DC. During the next three years he was attached to the Officer of the US Naval Attaché, at the American Embassy, London, England, returning to the Naval Security Station, Washington, for a second tour from November 1951 until June 1953.

In August 1953 he reported to the Naval Communications Facility in Yokosuka, Japan, where he remained for two years, and in September 1955 he was assigned duty in the Office of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, DC. While there he had additional duty as Officer in Charge of the Naval Security Group Headquarters Activity, Washington, D.C. Detached in April 1957, he reported a month later as Commander, US Naval Security Group Activity, Karamursel, Turkey, his current assignment.

Captain Chiles has the Ribbon for the Navy Unit Commendation awarded the Naval Communications Intelligence Organizations for service from December 7, 1941 to September 2, 1945, and in addition has the Naval Reserve medal (for ten years’ service in the US Naval Reserve); the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal; and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation Badge.

END

Published: Thu Mar 11 09:30:00 EST 2021