of Little Rock, AR

December 21, 1944 - March 12, 2023

Retired US Army Brigadier General Robert "Bob" F. Griffin, MD, FACS of Little Rock, Arkansas died peacefully on March 12, 2023 with his beloved family by his side. He was 78 years old.

Bob Griffin was born into an army family and grew up on army bases in Korea, Libya, Italy, Iceland and the United States. He was an Eagle Scout, a graduate of University High School in Fayetteville, Arkansas and a 1967 graduate of the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York. Bob was commissioned into the infantry, attended Ranger School and deployed to Vietnam with the 11th Infantry Brigade from Hawaii. On August 25, 1968, Lieutenant Griffin's platoon led a company-level assault on an enemy bunker line near Tam Ky, Vietnam. They attacked into a hailstorm of enemy fire and were soon pinned down. All the officers were killed or wounded when one of Bob's squad leaders, Staff Sergeant Nicky D. Bacon, a fellow Arkansan, rallied the survivors and led them to capture the bunker line. Although he was ordered to withdraw for air strikes, Sergeant Bacon refused to pull back without evacuating his platoon leader and other wounded soldiers. Badly wounded Lieutenant Griffin barely survived to receive the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. Nick Bacon was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism. Following a long recovery, Bob transferred from the infantry to attend Emory University School of Medicine, after which he was rebranched in the Medical Corps and completed a general surgery residency. Bob obtained certification from the American Board of Surgery and became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

After an initial Medical Corps assignment in Panama, Bob met Captain Ann Erickson, US Army Nurse Corps, at Fort Ord, California and they were married in 1980. They soon moved to Germany for nearly a decade of assignments. Bob served as the Division Surgeon in the 8th Infantry Division, commanded the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Medical Battalion and commanded the army's hospital in Nuremberg. Upon completing the Army War College, he deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm as the VII Corps Surgeon and 332nd Medical Brigade deputy commander. In returning from his second war, Bob served as the USMA Surgeon, commanded Keller Army Hospital at West Point, served as the Forces Command (FORSCOM) Surgeon and was promoted to brigadier general in 1995.

As a general officer, Bob served in the US Army's Health Services Command at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and then as the commanding general of the Eisenhower Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia and the army's Southeast Regional Medical Command. After 32 years of service in the army, Bob and Ann retired to Waterbury Center, Vermont, where Bob was the senior medical director of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont. In 2011, Bob accepted an executive position with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield as senior vice president and chief medical officer in Little Rock. Bob retired in 2017. Bob cherished his family time along the way, especially fond of bicycle rides, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, youth soccer coaching and the Boy Scouts of America.

Bob's aptly titled 2019 autobiography, "Raised to Serve, Selected to Lead", detailed a life of service and leadership that Bob led from childhood. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star Medal, four Legion of Merit Medals, two Bronze Star Medals, the Air Medal, the Purple Heart Medal and numerous campaign medals. He was also awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Senior Flight Surgeon Badge and Ranger Tab. General Griffin was a soldier's soldier, who passed up Pentagon assignments to serve overseas in the field with his beloved soldiers. Doctor Griffin was a healer and surgeon, whose service first orientation, positively affected the outcomes of his patients and the efficiency of the hospitals he managed. As a father and husband, Bob raised hard-working good citizens and set an example for all who knew him. It might be said that Bob Griffin was born into a military family, lived in a military family and left this world from a military family.

Bob Griffin was predeceased by his parents, Colonel Linwood Griffin II and Zelda Griffin and brothers, Linwood Griffin III and Jack Griffin. He is survived by his sister, Sherry Alborn of Indiana; his wife, Ann Griffin of Little Rock; his son, Daniel (Darlene) Griffin of Florida; daughter, US Air Force Major Carolyn (Michael) Carmody of Maryland; daughter, Dr. Laura (US Space Force Lieutenant Colonel Marion Major) Carter of Virginia and son, Dr. Thomas (Dr. Sarah) Griffin (both US Army Majors) of Vermont; his nine grandchildren and his many nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held at the Roller-Chenal Funeral Home in Little Rock from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (CDT) on Thursday, March 16, 2023. A memorial service will be held at the St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Little Rock on Friday, March 17, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. (CDT). General Griffin will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United Service Organizations (USO), the Fisher House Foundation or the American Legion Post 59, P.O. Box 417 Waterbury, Vermont, 05676.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Chenal Funeral Home
13801 Chenal Parkway
Little Rock, AR  72211
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com