Manhattan Project by Stephens Greueff
  Little Brown and Company--Boston-Toronto  1967
Chapter 51, Page 346

 Beginning in March 1945, a Chevrolet with Tennessee license plates entered the Y-12 area at Oak Ridge once a week at 10:30 am.  
Though the occupants wore civilian clothes, somehow they looked too strong and physically fit to be scientists.  
Beneath their coats were pistols in shoulder holsters, while other weapons and ammunition were lying on the floor of the sedan.  
At Oak Ridge the men picked up specially-made traveling cases, carefully loaded them into the car, and then drove off in the direction of Knoxville.  
The cargo these security officers were transporting was worth millions of dollars:  The nickel containers inside the cases were filled with uranium-235, 
the bomb material that had taken 3 long years to produce.  At Knoxville the couriers boarded the 12:50 Southland train for Chicago 
and locked themselves into a reserved compartment. The next morning, when the train pulled into the Chicago station, 
other security couriers were waiting for them.  At 10:01 pm, the Santa Fe Chief started its long journey west carrying the new couriers as far as Lamy, 
a small station in the New Mexico desert.  At 2:10 the next afternoon, a Los Alamos car met the train and transported the precious uranium-235 to the lab on the Hill

*****************************************************************
(comment by Roy Grizzell regarding the article written about him) 

One of the couriers referred to above was Captain Roy A. Grizzell, Jr., Commanding Officer of the Security Guard at Oak Ridge. 
I was amused at the reference to the fact that I looked too strong and physically fit to be a scientist.  There are several inaccuracies in the story.  
We did not go to Knoxville to catch the train.  Instead the train made a special stop for us (there were two of us) at a small station about 10 miles 
from Knoxville. We did not turn the uranium over to another set of couriers at Chicago.  We were met at Chicago by two officers assigned to the 
University of Chicago lab.  We took the uranium out there, obtained a signed receipt and then killed time by going into Chicago.  
That night we picked up the uranium at the lab and were driven to the station to catch the midnight train.  It was a long ride out to Santa Fe.  
One of us had to stay in the compartment at all time with the door locked. The only time we left was to go to the dining car for a meal.  
On the Chief, I was escorted to a table by the waiter and sat across a small table from a lady.  She looked me over real carefully and then asked me 
why I was not in the armed forces.  I lied to her and told her that I had been rejected because I was not physically fit.  
She looked me over real carefully again and said, "You look like you are plenty fit to me."  After delivery of the uranium at Los Alamos, 
I spent the night in Santa Fe and caught the Chief back to Chicago and then the L&N to Knoxville.  I bought a scarf or table cover made by 
Indians at Santa Fe that is now covering the top of the TV set in our home at Decatur, GA. 

The material I took out was used to make the first test bomb and the bomb that was dropped on Japan.  I made two trips.
 
 
 

1st Generation

1. Roy Ames Jr. Grizzell, PhD (alias "Roy Ames Jr. Grizzell, PHD") was born March 14, 1918 in Sweetwater, Monroe CO, TN.

Father: 2. Roy Ames Sr. Grizzell was born November 26, 1891 in Vergennes, Jackson Co., IL and died March 16, 1962 in Bainbridge, Decatur, GA.

Mother: Rena Bee Williams was born April 11, 1892 in Sweetwater, Monroe CO, TN and died September 28, 1976 in Decatur, Dekalb CO GA.

?

2nd Generation (Parents)

2. Roy Ames Sr. Grizzell was born November 26, 1891 in Vergennes, Jackson Co., IL and died March 16, 1962 in Bainbridge, Decatur, GA.

Father: 3. Charles Cabrel MD. Grizzell (alias "Charles Cabrel Grizzell, MD.") was born November 3, 1859 in Kenton Co., KY and died January 14, 1916 in Ava, Jackson, IL.

Mother: Ida May Walker was born November 26, 1858 in Desota, Jackson Co., IL and died January 18, 1931 in Bunker-Lansing, FL.

?

3rd Generation (Grandparents)

3. Charles Cabrel MD. Grizzell (alias "Charles Cabrel Grizzell, MD.") was born November 3, 1859 in Kenton Co., KY and died January 14, 1916 in Ava, Jackson, IL.

Father: 4. Andrew Jackson Grizzell was born July 30, 1815 in Kenton Co. KY and died February 16, 1895 in Ava, Jackson Co., IL.

Mother: 5. Catherine Stephens was born May 10, 1820 in Kenton or Campbell Co. KY and died January 14, 1890 in Jackson CO, Ava, Jackson, IL.

?

4th Generation (Great-Grandparents)

4. Andrew Jackson Grizzell was born July 30, 1815 in Kenton Co. KY and died February 16, 1895 in Ava, Jackson Co., IL.

Father: 6. SOLOMON Grizzel was born January 5, 1787 in VA and died February 6, 1858 in Kenton Co., KY.

Mother: NANCY Cogle (alias "NANCY (COWGILL) Cogle") was born January 10, 1792 in Kenton Co., KY and died August 27, 1822 in Kenton Co., KY.

5. Catherine Stephens was born May 10, 1820 in Kenton or Campbell Co. KY and died January 14, 1890 in Jackson CO, Ava, Jackson, IL.

Father: Thomas Jefferson Stephens.

Mother: Harriet Stephens.

?

5th Generation (Great(2)-Grandparents)

6. SOLOMON Grizzel was born January 5, 1787 in VA and died February 6, 1858 in Kenton Co., KY.

Father: 7. WILLIAM (Willie) Grizzel was born January 1, 1754 and died 1815.

Mother: Lucy Deming ?? was born About 1757 in Pittsylvania Co., VA and died 1829 in NC.

?

6th Generation (Great(3)-Grandparents)

7. WILLIAM (Willie) Grizzel was born January 1, 1754 and died 1815.

Father: 8. WILLIAM Sr. Grissel was born Between 1725 and 1733 in Winterpock, Chesterfield Co., VA and died 1806 in Bailey, Nash Co., NC.

Mother: Isabel Massey (alias "Isabel\ Isble\Isbil") was born Between 1733 and 1740 in Chesterfield, VA and died After January 1806 in Nash Co., NC.

?

7th Generation (Great(4)-Grandparents)

8. WILLIAM Sr. Grissel was born Between 1725 and 1733 in Winterpock, Chesterfield Co., VA and died 1806 in Bailey, Nash Co., NC.

Father: JOHN Grissel was born About 1695 in Henrico, Chesterfield Co., VA and died 1740 in Henrico, Chesterfield Co., VA.

Mother: 9. Elizabeth Elam was born 1697 in Chesterfield Co. VA ( or 1695 in Chesterfield CO VA) and died 1758 ( or 1758 ).

?

8th Generation (Great(5)-Grandparents)

9. Elizabeth Elam was born 1697 in Chesterfield Co. VA ( or 1695 in Chesterfield CO VA) and died 1758 ( or 1758 ).

Father: 10. Thomas Elam was born 1664 and died 1696.

Mother: 11. Elizabeth Bevin was born About 1672 ( or About 1674 ).

?

9th Generation (Great(6)-Grandparents)

10. Thomas Elam was born 1664 and died 1696.

Father: Glbert Elam, Sr. was born About 1620 and died 1696.

Mother: 12. Ann Elam was born About 1630.

11. Elizabeth Bevin was born About 1672 ( or About 1674 ).

Father: William Bevin died 1685 in Surry Colony, Virginia.

Mother: 13. Elizabeth Gilliam was born 1650 in Surry Co., Virginia and died February 15, 1714/15 in Surry Co., Virginia.

?

10th Generation (Great(7)-Grandparents)

12. Ann Elam was born About 1630.

Father: Robert Elam.

13. Elizabeth Gilliam was born 1650 in Surry Co., Virginia and died February 15, 1714/15 in Surry Co., Virginia.

Father: John Gilliam was born 1614 in Bristol, Washington, England.

Mother: Margaret Henshaw was born 1624 in Surry Co., Virginia.

?


Written by James O. Grizzell to be presented at the funeral of his friend Roy Grizzell (April 2009)

    Dr. Roy Grizzell

You are attending the funeral of an outstanding, but little recognized World War II hero.

Roy graduated from college, received his ROTC commission, and was immediately called to active duty after Pearl Harbor. He was stationed in Washington D. C. 
There he met and married Virginia. She was very much the by-Roy's-side heroine as his outstanding career progressed.

One of Roy's first high clearance jobs was commander of the military police detachment that provided security for President and Eleanor Roosevelt at their Hyde Park estate 
north of New York on the Hudson River. The Army entered World War II against the Axis Powers in North Africa and plans were first made by top level commanders of allied forces 
at a meeting in North Africa. Roy was part of the U. S. Army detachment that planned and provided the security for the meeting. Not only did the plans have to be protected, 
but that number of high ranking multi-national commanders also had to be totally protected. A monumental task!!

Roy was in charge of the always up at the front line military police detachments in North Africa until the "Desert Fox" (German General Rommel) was defeated near Tunis. 
The Italians also left for their homeland. Next, Sicily was taken and after that Italy was invaded at Salerno Beach north of the Straits of Messina. 
The Salerno Beach landing was particularly difficult and two of the four officers in Roy's MP outfit were killed there. 
After the beach head was established the Allies continued up Italy to north of Naples. There the Germans and Italians held the line. 
Later the Anzio beachhead had to be established north of Naples and by going around the western end of the battle line the Allies in the next several months moved north 
and finally took Rome.

As a Captain, Roy returned to the States around the time Rome fell. He would undoubtedly have been surprised to know what the future had in store for him; 
but no challenge was too large for Roy. His next assignment was Commander of the military detachment responsible for peripheral security of the very large acreage Oak Ridge, TN 
Manhattan Project uranium separation plant.

AND, Roy's next assignment was even more challenging. After enough U-235 had been extracted for an experimental bomb, Roy and one of his Lieutenants carried it (unescorted) 
to Los Alamos, NM. The bomb was successfully tested at Alamogordo, NM.

Roy and his cousin Dr. Joel Grizzell and I thought we were undoubtedly related and we pursued Grizzell genealogy for two decades until recent DNA tests disproved our hypothesis.

Joel and I were also in WWII. Joel in D-day fighting and I as a B-17 pilot flying from No. Africa and Italy. 

"Roy and I are 4th cousins, once removed.  Our lines come together with the brothers Solomon Grizzell (born 1787) and William Grizzell (born 1782) , 
who were the sons of William Grizzell (1754) and Lucy Deming."  Phyllis