TERRE HAUTE — Cars filled the streets around 12th and Eagle as Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 972 packed in the guests Wednesday night — friends who gathered to remember U.S. Army Sgt. Dale Griffin.
The crowd had just returned from Highland Lawn Cemetery, where Sgt. Griffin was laid to rest with military honors after his Oct. 27 death in Afghanistan.
Food, fellowship and an open microphone were on hand about 6:30 p.m., the end of a long day which included a Veterans Day parade, funeral procession and memorial services for Griffin, and the active participation of Griffin’s friends and family, including his parents, Gene and Dona Griffin.
Sandy Stewart, a regional coordinator for U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, read from the presentation entered into congressional records on behalf of Griffin’s service.
Darrel Knight, on behalf of the VFW, presented the Griffins with a gold star flag. “A gold star means you have had a loved one killed in combat,” he explained, handing it to Griffin’s mother. Knight, a member of Post 972, lost his step-son, Sgt. Kyle Childress, in 2005 when he became the first Vigo County soldier be killed in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Lt. Bryan Warner had memories to share.
Griffin placed second in the state as a wrestler at Terre Haute South Vigo High School and continued wrestling at the Virginia Military Institute, but Warner knew him as a “behemoth” MMA champ fighting in military tournaments.
Warner said Griffin had been a coach to him, and recalled a mixed martial arts “Pride Fight” against the three-time post champion who was, Warner said, “huge.”
“You guys need to see pictures to know how big this guy was,” Warner said to the crowd. “Okay, I’m saying that because he beat me, but really, he was huge.”
The champ beat Warner, who instructed Griffin to go out and “smack” him on his behalf. And Griffin, entering the ring to comical 1980s dance music, did just that, not only punching the opponent whose height exceeded his by about six inches, but smacking him in the face several times for Warner.
“He was a great guy,” Warner said as others took their turn telling stories.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
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Friends gather at VFW post to remember Sgt. Dale Griffin
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