David T. Griggs

David Tressel Griggs is an American geophysist. He served as the second Chief Scientist of the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1952.

Early life
David Griggs was born on 6 October 1911 in Columbus, Ohio. His father was Robert Fiske Griggs, who discovered the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes near Mount Katmai in Alaska. The highest area in this area was officially named Mount Griggs in his honor. Dave successfully persuaded his father to take in on one of his expeditions to this area during the summer of 1930. Six years later, he went mountain climbing in the Caucasus Mountains, located between the Caspian and Black Seas. Unfortunately, he had an accident resulting in compounded fractures in both legs and a dislocated knee. As a result of this injury, he was not physically fit to serve in the military during World War II.

Public service
David Griggs helped form the RAND corporation in 1947. As the Air Force chief scientist from 1951 to 1952, he supported the development of the thermonuclear (or fusion) bomb, with support from other scientists such as Edward Teller and Luis Walter Alvarez. Unfortunately, J. Robert Oppenheimer opposed it. Including testimony from Dave, the Personnel Security Board voted to support the suspension of Oppenheimer’s security clearance in 1954, which caused several physicists to consider Dave as the “Judas who had betrayed their god.”  Further, Dave helped General William Westmoreland through three extended trips to Vietnam in the mid 1960s.

Awards
Dave Griggs, as a civilian non-combatant in a tactical mission over northern Italy during World War II, he was hit by a 20-mm shell from an enemy plane, receiving a Purple Heart - cite page120. For his contributions during the war, President Harry S. Truman presented him a Medal for Merit, the citation reading: "DR. DAVID GRIGGS, For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services as H2X Project Officer in the Eighth Air Force during the period 1 May 1943 to 1 April 1944. Dr. Griggs rendered invaluable service in connection with H2X equipment and instructing personnel to operate this equipment. Through his tireless efforts and outstanding leadership he made a substantial contribution to the heavy bombardment operations performed by the Eighth Air Force. The professional skill and the devotion to duty displayed by Dr. Griggs reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States." He was awarded the Walter H. Bucher Medal of the American Geophysical Union in 1970 and the Arthur L. Day Medal of the Geological Society of America in 1973. Dave was also the recipient of two Air Force Exceptional Service Awards, in 1953 and in 1972.

Death
On 31 December 1974, disregarding a previous heart attack, Dave skied in Snowmass, Colorado with two of his friends, Robert McNamara, former secretary of defense, and Richard Hodgson, a colleague from the MIT Radiation Laboratory. While on the slopes, Dave had another massive heart attack and died. His daughter, Nicola Andron, died a few months later while giving birth to his granddaughter, Hilary. His son, Stephen, took the ashes of Dave and Nicola and buried them with those of his parents on Mount Griggs in Alaska, the mount named after his father, Robert Fiske Griggs.