About the Speaker: Lieutenant Colonel Grant Williams, USMC (Ret.)

LtCol. Grant Williams was born in 1967 on Camp Pendleton, California, and commissioned in 1989 after graduating from the University of San Diego. Designated a Naval Aviator in 1992, he flew the CH-46E “Sea Knight” with HMM-268 and HMM-364, deploying in support of Operations Restore Hope (Somalia) and Southern Watch (Kuwait). In the Marine Corps Reserve, he served with HMM-764 and later as a NATO Combat Search and Rescue coordinator in the Balkans during Operations Deliberate Forge, Noble Anvil, and Allied Force, playing a key role in two high-profile pilot rescues. LtCol. Williams was a commercial airline pilot during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and was recalled to active duty for multiple deployments in Operations Iraqi Freedom I & II.

In his civilian career, LtCol. Williams led large-scale real estate developments before becoming Chief Operating Officer of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in 2024. He and his wife, Lisa, reside in Laguna Beach, California, with their two daughters.