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Henry Theodore Northcott Graves
HENRY THEODORE NORTHCOTT GRAVES, corporation official,
Shawnee, Luray, Virginia. Born November
10,1922, in Luray, Virginia, he is the son of
Henry Walton and Katherine (Northcott)
Graves of English descent. He is a descendent
of fourteen Sureties to Magna Carta Barons.
Mr. Graves attended Lawrenceville School;
the University of Miami, Miami, Florida; and
received the B.S. degree from the University
of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Mr. Graves enlisted in the Army Air Corps
as an aviation cadet candidate in January,
1942. He received basic military training at
Miami Beach, Florida; aviation cadet classification at Nashville, Tennessee; received additional military/college training at Western
Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Attended Aviation Cadet School at Maxwell
Field, Montgomery, Alabama; took primary
flight training at Clarksdale, Mississippi;
basic flight training at Greenville, Mississippi
in advance training and received his wings at
Jackson, Mississippi. He had transition to
P-40 Fighters at Dothan, Alabama. The transition from P-40's to P-47's was at Eglin
Field, Florida. He was then assigned to the
training command and served as trainee/
instructor at Seymour Johnson, Richmond,
Millville, New Jersey and Shaw Field. He
received honorable discharge with the rank
of lieutenant at Shaw in October, 1945.
On November 29, 1944, he was married
to Rebecca Beall Jackson of Bennettsville,
South Carolina, and they are the parents of
seven children: Rebecca Beall (Hudson),
Henry Theodore Northcott, II, Katherine
Murchison (Fichtler), Elizabeth Duvall, Cornelia Walton, John Howard Hershey, and
James Roderick Oughton.
Mr. Graves was an architectural draftsman
from 1946 to 1947; in 1949 he became
associated with the Luray Caverns Corpora-
tion as Assistant Manager, in 1952 he
became Vice President and General Manager
of this corporation, and has served as President since 1961. In 1957 he became President of the Car and Carriage Caravan, Incorporated; President of Luray Service
Company, Incorporated, 1962; President of
Carillon Properties, Incorporated, 1965;
President of Luray Manufacturing-and Distributing Company, Incorporated, 1963;
and Owner of Historic Stoner's Store, 1973.
In 1976 as President, he officially opened
the Caverns Country Club, and in 1978 he
cut the ribbon for the first section of building
lots at Oh Shenandoah. In 1979 the Federal
Communications Commission granted him
an operating license for a new FM Radio
Station, WLCC 106.3 KMZ, at Luray, Virginia.
Mr. Graves is a past president of the
Virginia Travel Council; a member of the
Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, and in
1976 was commissioned by the Governor of
Virginia to Chairman the Advisory Committee on Outdoor Advertising in Sight of Public
Highways. In 1978, the Governor appointed
Mr. Graves a member of the board of The
Virginia Department of Conservation and
Economic Development. He is also currently
an appointed member of the Virginia Caves
Commission.
Mr. Graves is a member of the Woodrow
Wilson Foundation; the Luray Park Board;
past member of the Advisory Board, New
Market Battlefield Memorial; and a member
of the Page Heritage Association.
Mr. Graves is a member of the Board of
Directors, Page Valley National Bank, Luray; a member of the National Press Club; and
a life member of the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots
Association. He is also a member of Kappa
Sigma Fraternity.
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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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John Abbotts
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P-47 transition followed at Pocatello, Idaho and Greenville, Texas after which he was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in England. When the news of his arrival reached Berlin, Hitler retired to his bunker with his cyanide capsule and revolver. Eva found the news equally depressing.
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Asa A. Adair
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He returned to the States in August of 1944 after participating in the invasion "D" Day. He flew P-63's, P-51's, F-80's, T-33's, F-84's, T-38's, P-47's in numerous assignments during the following twenty years in in, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe before retiring after twenty-six years of Active Duty.
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Edward B. Addison
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The 507th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47N's, won the Presidential Unit Citation for destroying 32 Japanese aircraft in the air on one mission to Seoul, Korea. The average flying time for raids to Korea and Japan would be 7 to 9 hours flying time. In a total of 31 months, the 507th not only provided top cover for B-29's, but also
dive-bombed, napalm-bombed and flew low-level on strafing missions.
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Levon B. Agha-Zarian
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It is rumored that he, took his primary training on a flying rug. He flew Spits, briefly, in England, but as the, war moved to the East, he was sent to India as a Sgt. Pilot and first saw action from Ceylon, flying the Curtiss P.36, the Brewster Buffalo, and the Hurricane. At this point he might have opted for the rug! This was at the time of the fall of Singapore and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse.
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George N. Ahles
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Posted to A-20 light bomber squadron Barksdale Field, Louisiana. . Group moved to Hunter Air Base Savannah, Georgia. Qualified for Pilot training November 1940. Entered Aviation Cadets January 1942. Presented wings November 1942 class of 42-J. Married Mary Louise while in Advanced Pilot Training at Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama, September 1942.
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Roy J. Aldritt
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Shortly after the group moved to France he ran into some unseen flak and was forced to make a nylon descent behind the lines; some evasion and a lot of luck had him back with his unit
in 24 hours.
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Eugene J. Amaral
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After graduation from Stonington High School he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in December 1942 and was called to active duty in March, 1943. He received his wings and commission at Spence Field, Georgia as a member of the Class of 43-C.
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Talmadge L. Ambrose
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Flew 84 missions thru VE Day, was downed by 22mm ground fire over Siefried Line. He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft, 9 known confirmed in air and on
ground, including 4 FW 190-D's in one afternoon over Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, 17 man, Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, Pacific Theatre and European Theatre Meda1s with 5 Battle
Stars and Unit Citation Medal.
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John C. Anderson
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After P-47 transition he was assigned to the 406th Fighter Group, 512th Fighter Squadron. (E.T
.0.) He flew 56 missions through January, 1945 destroying supply routes, bridges, and railroads; he also flew close support missions with the ground forces, with attacks on tanks, artillery and enemy positions.
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William Anderson
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It was not always flak,two ME-109's beat the hell out of me one day. The central controller called me and said "Basher-Red Leader do you have contact Bandits," I replied, "I sure do, I'll bring them over the field in 3 minutes, they're chasing me home." Got all the usual medals including two Belgium and two French but one I'm most proud of is the Silver Star -it is the greatest.
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