Edmund Pike Graves
Edmund Pike Graves (March 13, 1891 – November 22, 1919) was an American aviator, United States Air Force and Polish Air Force officer, the latter as a member of the Kościuszko Squadron.
Early life
He was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States, to Edmund Pike and Mary Warner (Caldwell) Graves. He graduated from Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, Class of 1907, and from Harvard University, Class of 1913.
Military career
World War I
On July 9, 1917 he enlisted as a cadet in the Royal Flying Corps in Canada to avoid a delay in getting into a U.S. flying program. He was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant, R.F.C. on October 29, 1917. Later he was assigned as an instructor in aerial gunnery at Camp Taliaferro, Hicks Field, Fort Worth, Texas. He was one of the first pilots to do elaborate stunts in a Curtiss. In early spring, 1918, he was transferred to the Officers' School of Special Flying at Armour Heights, North Toronto, where he was promoted to 1st lieutenant in May, 1918.
Poland
He was posted overseas and arrived in France on November 5, 1918. After being demobilized in July, 1919, he volunteered for the Kościuszko Squadron for the new state of Poland and flew Albatross aircraft in patrols over the front in the Lwów area.
He was considered an excellent pilot, but known for his risky flying. Merian C. Cooper, another American member of the Kosciuszko Squadron (and later famous film director) described him in his book as follows:
... Lieutenant Graves took off into the sky. I remember it like it was yesterday. He accelerated the aircraft to an insane speed on the ground and then began to make a circle. Circling in this way he was making smaller and smaller circles until the lower wing of his plane was almost touching the ground. After finishing the circle he took off and made the most difficult and the best air show I have ever seen.
Other members of the squadron pointed out his bravado and unnecessary risk associated with his airplane acrobatics, among them their commander, Cedric Fauntleroy. Merian Cooper himself wrote in his book, "He was undeniably the best pilot of us".
Death
On November 22, 1919, the Poles of Lviv celebrated the first anniversary of their occupation. On this occasion, four pilots of the Kosciuszko Squadron participated in an air show. One of them was Edmund Graves. Unfortunately, while performing acrobatics over the city in an Albatros D.III (OEF) fighter, he had an accident: his aircraft lost its right wing during a double roll at 150 feet (46 m). Merian Cooper described it as follows:
Graves was circling over the city, showing off his aviatic art, but was circling too low. Being over Potocki Palace, at an altitude of two hundred feet, he performed so called “doube barrel”. This is one of the most difficult maneuvers acrobatic pilots do. Aircraft was too weak for such performances; right wing of the airplane broke up and fell to the ground. Graves never lost his presence of mind in danger. In the blink of an eye he could still grab a parachute and jump out of the falling machine. However, he was too low - the parachute failed to open and unfortunate Graves fell on his head and was killed instantly.
The funeral of Lieutenant Edmund Graves was held on November 24, 1919, with high honors by the Polish government. The funeral procession was attended by thousands of people. He is buried in Lwów in the Cemetery of the Defenders of Lwów (a part of Lyczakowski Cemetery).
Bibliography
- Merian C.Cooper Faunt-Le-Roy i jego eskadra w Polsce. Polish Edition added to the Polish Edition of the book: Flight of eagles: the story of the American Kościuszko Squadron in the Polish-Russian War 1919-1920 / Robert F. Karolevitz and Ross S. Fenn. Brevet Press, 1974 (Polish Edition: Robert F. Karolevitz i Ross S. Fenn, Dług honorowy. Amerykańscy piloci Eskadry Myśliwskiej im. Tadeusza Kościuszki w wojnie polsko-bolszewickiej 1919-1920. Zapomniani bohaterowie, Andrzej Findeisen – A.M.F. Plus Group Warszawa 2005, tłum. Barbara Radomska, p. 368.)
- Tomasz Goworek, Pierwsze samoloty myśliwskie lotnictwa polskiego, Warszawa 1991, ISBN 83-85001-46-8, p. 28
- Steven Zolla Ten Men from Middlesex The Western Front Association, 22 May 2008, retrieved 4 July 2009
