US Navy Lt. James Bartlett Griffin. An article from the Sep 28, Newmarket Advertiser details the sendoff that many young men received went they went off to fight in the Great War. During the war, he wrote letters home; these were published in the Newmarket Advertiser, and are appended below. After the war he returned to Newmarket and became associated with his father in the Griffin Hardware and Insurance business. He was committed to the town and worked towards its betterment:.
Judge Griffin had been Assistant Justice since Other memberships included: Chateau Thierry Barracks No. Ensign J. John H. Griffin the first of the week. These letters were intended for publication several weeks ago but were crowded out by a press of other matters —EDITOR. We are wearing our white uniforms and feel that we have too much on. The crew are running around in undershirts and trousers and are getting beautifully sunburned. The sun sure does bore in. We had a fairly good trip down, struck heavy weather for a couple of days but nothing very serious.
It made it pretty uncomfortable for the crew, everything battened down, the air sultry, and a good many were sick just from breathing the dead air below decks. The morning we arrived I was on the bridge and it was some sight. We were in fathoms of water just a few miles off the coast and could almost run our nose into the bank anywhere along and not ground until we were on the beach. The country looks and is volcanic.
I understand that just inside the line of hills that frame the short there is very fertile land, covered with sugar plantations, but I have yet to see them. We entered Guantanamo Bay about 7 A. We are puny beside them, a tin-pan mislaid among the silver service. Just before noon we went in swimming and the water was warmer than any I ever swam in before, and oh! So salty. We expected to lie in the bay over the week-end, but pulled hooks at dusk and travelled all night, arriving at Cape Cruz Sunday morning, and anchored in Hungary Bay, just off Guacanayabo, off the southeastern end of the island.
Then we all saw something that I had believed impossible. We anchored in ten fathoms, sixty feet, of water and could see bottom. The water was still as a mill pond and we could see fish swimming around near the bottom. We threw pennies over the side and could follow them almost until they hit. Our propellers looked to be just below the surface, although they are 18 feet down, and we found a piece of hose wrapped around one. Later, in swimming, some of us dived down and sat on the hub of a propeller.
