Michael Francis Grisafe Jr. was born in Peoria, IL, the second of five siblings. His parents were both educators and his father a professor at Bradley University. Mike attended schools in Peoria until his father accepted a faculty position at California State University, Los Angeles in 1956 and his mother became a teacher with the local school district. Mike attended West Covina High School in a Los Angeles suburb. Mike was an all-around student leading his class academically and as a student government leader. Mike was a Boy Scout and Explorer Scout, earning the prestigious Eagle Scout award. Mike was active and gregarious through his life: quick to smile and fast with an upbeat phrase. He endeared himself to others quickly. He excelled at track and was president of his school’s prestigious California Scholarship Foundation chapter. At West Covina High School, he met his future wife, Michelle “Mikki” Clift. An early goal in high school was to gain admittance to West Point. However, he was only 5 feet, 3-and-three-quarter inches tall, with the West Point minimum height for admission being 5 feet, 4 inches at that time. Mikki related that he worked hard to stretch his height by hanging from doorways and other stretches. He succeeded with his hard work, character and achievement, which was hard to ignore, and gained entry to West Point with the Class of 1966. Classmates report that he often spoke of his height achievement.

Mike excelled at West Point both academically and personally. He finished 20th in his class academically while maintaining a wonderful sense of humor about his height and life. The record in the 1966 yearbook captures his time at West Point: “The Italian Napoleon came to West Point from West Covina. Although ‘Beezer’ is small in stature (6'1" with hands over his head), Mike was one of the most dynamic personalities on the Gray Campus. Mike was serious in his studies, as evidenced by the stars he wore, but always had time for extracurricular fun. With his ability and dedication, and a stool, Mike will always be on top of everything.”

He participated in many activities, including the Russian Language Club, Rocket Society, and Catholic Choir. His capstone honor was selection to the Honor Committee for both his cow and firstie years.

Mike selected Armor as his branch choice before graduation and immediately applied for flight school. His priority after graduation was to return to California to wed his high school love, Mikki, on June 26, 1966. 

After his honeymoon and graduation leave with Mikki, he attended Airborne and Ranger schools, back-to-back, and then joined the 24th Infantry Division’s 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry in Munich, Germany. His first position was as a platoon leader. With the extreme shortage of officers in Germany because of the Vietnam war he quickly became the troop executive officer and then troop commander. With the deployment of the 11th ACR from Germany to Vietnam, Mike’s squadron supported the 2nd ACR for border patrol duties, where he spent extensive time as a camp commander patrolling the inner German border, the demarcation line between West and East Germany. Mikki, who was completing her degree in California, joined him for a part of his tour.

Mike had a strong desire to fly and was accepted for fixed-wing flight training at Fort Rucker, AL and Fort Stewart, GA. There he won his wings as an OV-1 Mohawk pilot. The Mohawk was an armed military observation and attack aircraft, designed for battlefield surveillance and light strike capabilities. Mikki joined Mike when he was returning from Germany for flight school and traveled with him though the journey at Fort Rucker, Fort Benning, GA, and Fort Huachuca, AZ in the increase of basic flying skills to intelligence capability skills while flying. After graduation Mike immediately received orders to Vietnam. A highlight before deploying was spending time with Mikki and his and his new daughter, Jennifer, born December 31, 1968.

He started his tour in Vietnam on February 22, 1969 as a pilot with the 225th Aviation Company in Tuy Hoa Air Base flying the OV-1 Mohawk, which had three models with capabilities requiring increasing pilot skills. Mike’s radio “nickname” was “Critter.” He quickly transitioned to piloting the OV-1C (infrared), which was the most challenging and dangerous mission (infrared missions flew at only 1,500 feet above ground level, at night, among Vietnam mountains with altitudes up to 7,000 feet).

On June 6, 1969 Mike started an infrared mission at 3 am with Specialist 4 Noel Josephs, his aerial sensor specialist, in the Plei Trap Valley in Kontum Province, Vietnam. There was no radio contact, and when they did not return on schedule an extensive search with Army and Air Force planes was launched. After being reported missing in action, the aircraft was spotted on June 13, 1969 just below one of the highest peaks in the central highlands. Their remains were recovered and returned to the States. While declared as an aircraft accident, what happened is a matter of conjecture and no one will ever know. What is known is that they flew extremely low and fast at night in rugged mountains in order to accomplish their mission. Mike had proven, as always, that he was up to the task.

Mike is buried in the Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Roland Heights, CA, along with his parents. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and National Order of Vietnam, Fifth Class. Mike was a happy, mellow guy from California, very completive academically while helping classmates struggling with the Dean. He may have been 5 feet, 4 inches tall, but he was a giant to all who knew him, especially his classmates.

— Howard Kirk and classmates