Odell Griffith

Leon Odell Griffith, Sr. Born in nearby Bagdad, was a journalist at the Pensacola News-Journal, and publisher who owned The Griffith Agency, a public relations firm that was located at 15 West Governemnt St. He was also an early member of the Gulf Coast Trade Exchange. He had been the US Marine Corps journalist at the Battle of Iwo Jima in WW2, 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 the publisher of The West Florida Official, a weekly newspaper. He married Mary Valentine, a schoolteacher. They had four children; Leon Jr, Linda, Phillip, and Andrew. Capt Griffith died in late January 1984 at the age of 62 years old, and was laid to rest at Barrancas National Cemetery at NAS Pensacola.