Orville Francis Grilliot was born on February 8, 1916, in Newport, Shelby County, Ohio. He was the son of Felix Leo Grilliot and Emma Rose Perin Grilliot. He was married to Margaret Marie Magoto Grilliot.

Orville served in the 340th Bomber Squadron, 97th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner on the B-17G #42-31044 'Her Did' during World War II. On February 14, 1944, at 09:55h, his crew took off from Amendola airfield in Italy for a mission to bomb the Verona marshaling station in Italy. Hit by enemy fighters near the objective with two engines out of order, they diverted to Corsica, France. They were able to shoot down a Me109 fighter, but their pilot was forced to land with four engines out of order around 3:05 PM. Their plane landed at the northeast foot of Calvi Citadel. Six members were able to escape the airplane, but the other three members sank with the airplane as they were already killed during the fighter attack. SSgt Grilliot was one of the survivors. He died on March 15, 2002, at the age of 86, in Kettering, Ohio. He is now buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio.

#42-31044 crew members:
Second Lieutenant Frank G. Chaplick - Pilot (Survived) Second Lieutenant Warder H. Skaggs - CoPilot (Survived) Second Lieutenant Thomas M. Cowell - Navigator (Survived) Second Lieutenant Armand C. Sedgeley - Bombardier (Survived) T/Sgt Robert H. Householder - Radio Operator (Killed in Action) S/Sgt George J. Murphy - Left Waist Gunner (Killed in Action) S/Sgt Tony Duca - Tail Gunner (Killed in Action) T/Sgt Joseph P. Baron - Right Waist Gunner (Survived) T/Sgt Frank E. Bradley - Mechanic (Survived) S/Sgt Orville F. Grilliot - Ball Turret Gunner (Survived)

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net