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File: 120596_aaczf_01.txtOral History Interview 5 June 1991 UNCLASSIFIED Taped with Maj Thomas E. Griffith, POW in Iraq (19 Jan 91 - 3 Mar 91) Conducted by Dr. James C. Hasdorff, Air Force Academy Graduate Association (Contract); with Mr. David L. Rosmer (9AF/HO), and Mr. Frederick D. Claypool (4WG/HO). First transcript by SSgt Robin L. Smalls (4WG/HO) Q. To begin the interview, Major Griffith, I'd like to get a little family background on you. According to your biography, you were born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 7, 1956. What kind of profession is your father in, by the way? A: He's an airline pilot for United Airlines, and has flown in the Air Force in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. So, he was just briefly on active duty and then served in the Air National Guard for about eight years and then got out. Q: How many siblings do you have? A: I have four younger brothers, no sisters. Q: Any of those serve in the service? A: No, and after this probably not. (laughter) No, none of them are in the military at all. Q: How did you get lined up with the Air Force Academy? A: Basically, when I was a little kid, I wanted to fly, and at the time I was graduating from high school the best way to do that was to go to the Air Force Academy. So, that's why I went to the Air Force Academy. Q: Did you get any congressional help with that? A: Well, I was an alternate, and then...I think the way my congressman did it, he just nominated ten guys and let the Academy sort out who was the number one guy. And they said my SAT scores were not quite good enough and asked if I'd like to attend the Academy Preparatory School. I thought about that for a little bit because I'd never considered it, and then I went ahead and went to the Air Force Academy Preparatory School for one year, and then entered with the class of 1979. O: Was that much of an adjustment for you, getting into the Academy life?
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