Odell Griffith

Leon Odell Griffith, Sr was a journalist and publisher who owned The Griffith Agency, a public relations firm, and was an early member of the Gulf Coast Trade Exchange. He had been the US Marine Corps journalist at the Battle of Mt Suribachi in WW2, witnessed the raising of the American flag there, 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 "Strike Force", "Ed Ball: Confusion To The Enemy", and "John Holliday Perry: Florida Press Lord". He was also the publisher of The West Florida Official, a weekly newspaper. Capt Griffith died in late January 1984 at the age of 62 years old.