Welborn Griffith
| Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr. |
| Born |
November 1, 1901 Quanah, Texas |
| Died |
August 16, 1944 (aged 42) France |
| Buried at | Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-James, Normandy, France |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Rank |
 Colonel |
| Battles/wars | World War II † |
| Awards | Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross, French Croix de Guerre |
Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr. (November 10, 1901 - August 16, 1944) was an American soldier who served during World War II in the United States Army. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the Class of 1925.[1]
Griffith is best remembered for helping to save France's Chartres Cathedral, one of the most important monuments of medieval civilization, during World War II. As logistics and liaison officer for XX Corps, Griffith and his driver searched the cathedral, climbing its bell tower. Finding no Germans, he was able to rescind the order to shell the monument. Later that day, he was killed in Lèves,[2] France, a small town just north of Chartres. The people of Lèves,[3] setup a plaque on a building next to the spot where Griffith was killed.[4]