David Ellis Griffin

LIEUTENANT COLONEL DAVID ELLIS GRIFFIN
U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1959
Cadet Squadron: CS-09

David Ellis Griffin was born in Texas. Driven by a distinct patriotic calling and a fascination with the blossoming age of aerospace and technical military advancements, he secured an appointment to the newly established United States Air Force Academy. Arriving at the temporary campus before the move to Colorado Springs, David became a proud member of the "First Class"—the historic USAFA Class of 1959.

As a cadet in Cadet Squadron 9 (CS-09), David focused his efforts intensely on the demanding scientific and military curriculum. His early years at the Academy, captured in early editions of the Polaris yearbook, forged a strong foundation in leadership and engineering that would define the rest of his career. He graduated on June 3, 1959, commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

MILITARY CAREER AND TECHNICAL SPECIALTIES
Unlike many of his peers who pursued pilot training, Lt. Col. Griffin’s analytical acumen led him directly into the highly critical and secretive realm of Cold War nuclear operations and missile engineering.

Upon graduation, he was sent to the Nuclear Weapons Officer School at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado. By 1960, he was deployed overseas to Büchel Air Base in West Germany, serving as a Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Officer with the 306th Munitions Maintenance Squadron. Operating on the front lines of NATO's deterrent force, David ensured the operational readiness of strategic components during some of the most tense years of the Cold War.

Recognizing his sharp technical capacity, the Air Force sent him to the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1963. He graduated in 1964 with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. This advanced training prepared him for consecutive high-impact engineering roles, beginning as a Nuclear Weapons Systems Analyst and Project Engineer at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory (AFWL) at Kirtland Air Force Base.

By the late 1960s, David transitioned fully into the development of America's Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) shield. He joined the Minuteman System Program Office at Norton Air Force Base, followed by an elite staff assignment at Headquarters USAF in Washington, D.C., where he worked with IBM Systems and penned historical and technical commentary for Aerospace History magazine (notably publishing a major illustrative feature in the Fall 1974 issue). He capped off his 25-year military career back at Norton Air Force Base, serving as the Chief of Reentry and Deputy Director of the Engineering Systems Division Directory within the ICBM Program Office for the Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO). He retired from active duty in 1984.

CIVILIAN CAREER AND LEGACY
Following his retirement from the Air Force, David’s specialized expertise in missile guidance, reentry systems, and aerospace engineering made him an invaluable asset to the private defense sector. He spent more than two decades guiding major defense programs that shaped modern aerospace.

His corporate journey began as a Systems Requirements Manager for General Electric in Philadelphia. He then moved west to San Diego, California, to serve as a Program Director for McDonnell Douglas Technical Services. In 1991, he joined Martin Marietta in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and ultimately spent his final career decade (1995 to 2006) as a Program Manager and Senior Systems Engineer for Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space in Sunnyvale, California.

Today, David remains a valued member of the USAFA Class of 1959 legacy. Over the years, he has remained actively connected to his classmates and dedicated to the Academy’s future, frequently supporting Association of Graduates (AOG) philanthropy initiatives to ensure the historic impact of the "First Class" continues to inspire generations of future airmen and guardians.

EDUCATION, AWARDS, AND SERVICE HISTORY

EDUCATION
• B.S., Military Science – United States Air Force Academy (Class of 1959)
• Nuclear Weapons Officer Course – Lowry AFB, CO (1960)
• M.S., Electrical Engineering – Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (1964)

MEDALS AND AWARDS
Award/Decoration Leaves/Devices
Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster (2 Awards)
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster (2 Awards)
National Defense Service Medal Standard Ribbon
Air Force Longevity Service Award with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters

SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS
Years Duty / Assignment Location
1955 – 1959 Cadet, Cadet Squadron 9 United States Air Force Academy
1959 – 1960 Student, Nuclear Weapons Officer Training Nuclear Weapons Officer School, Lowry AFB, CO
1960 – 1963 Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Officer 306th Munitions Maintenance Sq., Büchel AB, West Germany
1963 – 1964 AFIT Student (M.S. Electrical Engineering) Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
1964 – 1968 Nuclear Weapons Systems Analyst / Project Engineer Air Force Weapons Laboratory (AFWL), Kirtland AFB, NM
1968 – 1971 Systems Engineer / Program Manager Minuteman System Program Office, Norton AFB, CA
1971 – 1975 Staff Officer / Systems Specialist IBM Systems, Headquarters USAF, Washington, D.C.
1975 – 1980 Chief of Reentry & Deputy Director, Eng. Systems Div. ICBM Program Office, SAMSO, Norton AFB, CA
1980 – 1987 Systems Requirements Manager General Electric, Philadelphia, PA
1987 – 1991 Program Director McDonnell Douglas Technical Inc., San Diego, CA
1991 – 1995 Program Director Martin Marietta, King of Prussia, PA
1995 – 2006 Program Manager & Systems Engineer Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space, Sunnyvale, CA