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.

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.

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.

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.

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