Terrence Collinson Graves

TERRENCE COLLINSON GRAVES (1945 ~ 1968). Medal of Honor Recipient Terrence C. Graves was born on July 6, 1945, in Corpus Christi, Texas, to Leslie C. and Marjorie Graves. He lived in New York City before attending high school at Edmeston Central High School in Edmeston, New York. After graduating from high school in 1963, Graves attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. At Miami University, Graves played varsity baseball and served as student commander of the school's Navy ROTC.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967 and entered the Marine Corps, earning a commission as Second Lieutenant because of his work in the ROTC. Graves completed his training at the Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, in November, 1967, and arrived in Vietnam in December, 1967.

Graves was assigned to Third Company, Third Reconnaissance Battalion, Third Marine Division as a platoon commander. While on a long-range patrol in the Quang Tri Province on February 16, 1968, his platoon came into contact with a small group of enemy soldiers. The two groups engaged in a brief exchange of fire, and when several Marines went to search the area after the fighting stopped, the entire platoon was suddenly attacked by a numerically superior enemy force. Graves radioed for air support, including a helicopter gunship, and directed artillery fire on enemy positions. He attended to the wounded and searched the area of the earlier engagement with another soldier. There he found several enemy soldiers, and launched an attack against them. Graves then began moving his platoon toward a landing zone for helicopter extraction.

On the way, Graves and two other Marines were wounded by enemy fire. He refused medical attention and continued directing artillery and air strikes on the radio. Graves led the platoon to another landing zone where a helicopter landed and took on most of his men. He realized that one of his wounded soldiers had not made it to the helicopter, directed the helicopter to take off, and with another Marine, went to protect the wounded soldier. Though low on ammunition, Graves and the other Marine held off the enemy while a second helicopter prepared to land. They boarded the helicopter, but by this time the enemy fire was so intense the helicopter crashed soon after take off. There were no survivors. Graves was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his leadership of the platoon throughout that day.

Graves was survived by his parents, sister, brother, and fiancee Cynthia Beam, all of which were present at the presentation of his Medal of Honor by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew on December 2, 1969, at the White House.

In 2001, a monument was erected in his memory on Main Street in Groton, New York, the residence of his family at his time of death. Graves is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Hamilton, New York.

Bibliography: "Above and Beyond: The Medal of Honor in Texas," Capitol Visitors Center, State Preservation Board of Texas. Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association, University of Texas, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/GG/fgrrq.html, June 14, 2006. "Terrence C. Graves," First Battalion Third Marines website, http://1stbattalion3rdmarines.com/recon-folder/Terrence%20C_%20Graves.htm, April 26, 2006. "Terrence C. Graves," on file at Miami University Alumni Affairs. "Who's Who in Marine Corps History," United States Marine Corps History Division, http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/hd/Historical/Whos_Who/Graves_TC.htm, April 26, 2006.