Odell Griffith

Leon Odell Griffith, Sr. was a journalist at the Pensacola News-Journal, and a publisher who owned The Griffith Agency, a public relations firm that was located at 15 West Government St. He had also been an early member of the Gulf Coast Trade Exchange.

Born in Crestview on April 21, 1921 and raised in nearby Bagdad, he had served as the US Marine Corps journalist at the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II, witnessed the raising of the American flag at Mt Suribachi, and left the Marine Corps after 16 years at the rank of Captain. He authored five books, including "A Long Time Since Morning" and "Seed In The Wind", both of which were published by Random House, also "The Longest Strike", "Ed Ball: Confusion To The Enemy", and "John Holliday Perry: Florida Press Lord". He was also a columnist and publisher of The West Florida Official, a weekly newspaper, and active in the local presidential election campaign of Jimmy Carter.

He married Mary C Valentine, a Florida schoolteacher. They had four children; Leon Odell Jr, Linda Ann, Phillip Hansford, and George Andrew Griffith.

Capt Griffith died on January 23, 1984 at the age of 62 years, and was laid to rest at Barrancas National Cemetery at NAS Pensacola.