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Local figure

John P. Graff

John Packard Graff served two years at the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School in Chapel Hill from March 27, 1942, latterly as its commanding officer, and turned the command over to Lieutenant Commander James P. Raugh at a regimental review on April 8, 1944. A retired naval officer, he was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1896.

Source: Cloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill): April 8, 1944, p. 1

1 work about John P. Graff is indexed here.

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Life and Orange County connections

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 20 dated events in the chronology →

  1. The Navy opens the first Pre-Flight School offices in Swain Hall Two Navy supply officers, Lt. Comdr. B. H. Micou and Ensign E. E. Mack, arrived in Chapel Hill and set up temporary offices for the coming Pre-Flight School in Swain Hall, hiring a local stenographer before leaving to order supplies. The executive officer, John P. Graff, arrived two days later, and the school's small staff worked out of Swain Hall until early May. People: John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), September 19, 1942, p. 1
  2. Navy Pre-Flight band holds open house at the community center for Black residents The Navy Pre-Flight School band, made up of Black men enlisted in North Carolina, showed white residents of Chapel Hill and Carrboro through its quarters in the Negro Community Center, which the Navy had finished and enlarged in lieu of rent. The Weekly reported that the building would become the social and recreational center for Black residents of both towns after the war. People: Harold D. Meyer, John P. GraffThe Chapel Hill Weekly, November 13, 1942, p. 1
  3. A regimental review in Kenan Stadium honors Commander Kessing as he leaves for the Pacific With Admiral Halsey asking for him in the southwest Pacific, Commander O. O. Kessing was ordered to sea duty, and the Pre-Flight School held a regimental review in his honor in Kenan Stadium. Lieutenant Commander John P. Graff succeeded him in command. People: R. B. House, John P. GraffSearch the index · Chapel Hill Weekly: "Kessing to Leave Here because He Is Wanted on Battle Front" (November 27, 1942), p. 1
  4. Chapel Hill builds up a community blood bank with Pre-Flight donors Townspeople and Pre-Flight School personnel began giving blood for a community blood bank in Chapel Hill, kept for local emergencies under Dr. J. B. Bullitt, with technicians from Watts Hospital in Durham and Lt. Comdr. Clark E. Brown of the Pre-Flight medical staff drawing blood weekly at the university infirmary. Commander Kessing and Lt. Comdr. Graff led the Navy donors on November 12. At least 500 donors were needed to start the bank. People: James Bell Bullitt, Oliver Owen Kessing, John P. GraffSearch the index · Cloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), November 14, 1942, p. 2 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, November 6, 1942, p. 1; Chapel Hill Weekly, December 11, 1942, p. 1
  5. James P. Raugh becomes executive officer of the Pre-Flight School When Commander O. O. Kessing left for sea duty and Lt. Comdr. John P. Graff was named commanding officer, Lieut. James P. Raugh, the school's regimental commander, was moved up to executive officer, and Lieut. Lloyd R. Sauer took over the regiment. People: Oliver Owen Kessing, John P. GraffSearch the index · DigitalNC: Cloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), November 28, 1942, p. 1
  6. John P. Graff takes command of the Navy Pre-Flight School When Commander O. O. Kessing was ordered to sea in November 1942, his executive officer John P. Graff was named to succeed him in command; a regimental review in Kenan Stadium honored Kessing on November 26, and the Weekly reported Graff's promotion to commander in the first week of December. Graff, recalled from retirement, had been the first line officer to arrive in the spring of 1942. People: Oliver Owen Kessing, John P. GraffFrancis Laverne Johnson, With the Cloudbusters at the United States Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill (1943), scan p. 8 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, November 27, 1942, p. 1; Chapel Hill Weekly, December 11, 1942, p. 1
  7. Pre-Flight School personnel pledge $38,811 in war bonds on Pearl Harbor Day On the first anniversary of Pearl Harbor, 63 percent of the school's officers, V-5 instructors, cadets, crew and civilian employees pledged $38,811 in war bonds and stamps, part of a Sixth Naval District drive. The V-5 instructors led with 95 percent taking part, and the 12th Battalion pledged the most, $10,530. People: John P. GraffSearch the index · Cloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), December 12, 1942, p. 1
  8. William C. Coker lends fourteen acres on the Raleigh Road for a Pre-Flight victory garden Dr. William C. Coker of the university faculty lent the Navy a fourteen-acre tract on the Raleigh Road near the school for the duration, and Commander Graff approved a victory garden to be worked by cadets on the labor crew. The labor engineering staff under Ensign Warren H. Chivers was to run it with advice from the university's federal farming project of the Soil Conservation Service, and the vegetables were meant for the cadets' mess. People: William Chambers Coker, John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), January 23, 1943, p. 1
  9. Governor Broughton and the General Assembly tour the Pre-Flight School Governor J. Melville Broughton, the Council of State and about 140 members of the General Assembly came from Raleigh by bus as an honorary 20th Battalion, watched cadets on the obstacle course and at football, boxing, wrestling, swimming and other sports, saw hand-to-hand combat and mass drills in Woollen Gymnasium and dined with the school. On February 24 the legislature passed a joint resolution thanking Commander Graff and Orange County's representative, John W. Umstead Jr., who arranged the visit. People: J. Melville Broughton, Josephus Daniels, James P. Raugh, John W. Umstead Jr., John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), February 20, 1943, p. 1
  10. Chapel Hill Legion post receives a plaque for its members serving in both world wars At the American Legion divisional meeting in Chapel Hill, D. M. Horner gave the Chapel Hill post a plaque naming its present and past members who served in the First World War and were again on active duty. L. J. Phipps presented it and H. A. Whitfield accepted. People: Luther James Phipps, Herman G. Baity, Henry A. Whitfield, John P. GraffThe Chapel Hill Weekly, April 2, 1943, p. 6
  11. Pre-Flight cadets put out a forest fire near Horace Williams Airport A forest and brush fire spread over about a square mile and a half near the Chapel Hill airport on the evening of April 5, 1943, threatening university property where equipment was stored, two farmhouses and perhaps the hangars. Commander Graff called out the duty battalion, the 18th, and cadets with shovels, rakes and axes under Lt. (jg) Warren H. Chivers had it under control within two hours. Capt. W. S. Popham, the senior officer present, commended them. People: John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), April 10, 1943, p. 1
  12. The Pre-Flight School marks its first anniversary with a review in Kenan Stadium The school celebrated the first anniversary of its commissioning with a regimental review in Kenan Stadium. Commander Graff gave the Silver Star to Cadet Anthony E. Kujawinski for gallantry in combat, and Dean Francis F. Bradshaw brought the university's greetings. People: Francis Foster Bradshaw, John P. GraffFrancis Laverne Johnson, With the Cloudbusters at the United States Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill (1943), scan p. 34 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, May 21, 1943, p. 1
Show all 20 dated events
  1. Chapel Hill Red Cross Grey Ladies are capped for service at the Navy Pre-Flight hospital Twelve women of the Chapel Hill Red Cross Grey Ladies hospital unit and recreation corps received caps and certificates after 24 hours of probationary duty at the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight Hospital. Commander John P. Graff thanked them for serving the cadets, and Russell Grumman, the town's Red Cross chairman, presented the certificates. People: John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), July 3, 1943, p. 4 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, July 2, 1943, p. 1
  2. Chapel Hill aldermen let camera, bicycle and book shops open on Sunday afternoons At the request of Pre-Flight commander John P. Graff and Dean of Men Roland B. Parker, the board amended the Sunday ordinance for the duration so photograph studios, camera shops, bicycle-rental shops and bookshops could open from 1 to 6 p.m. for about 2,000 cadets free only on weekends. A substitute adding morning hours lost; the Weekly reported that the Merchants Association had opposed any change. People: John P. GraffThe Chapel Hill Weekly, July 16, 1943, p. 1
  3. Assistant Navy Secretary Artemus L. Gates addresses Pre-Flight graduates in Kenan Stadium Artemus L. Gates, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, flew to Chapel Hill on his first visit and gave the main address to the graduating 27th Battalion in Kenan Stadium, then reviewed the regiment of cadets. Captain William S. Popham of the university's Naval Training Unit stood with him on the reviewing line. People: John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), August 21, 1943, p. 1
  4. Tar Heel Boys' State delegates take a week of Pre-Flight training About 145 high school seniors at the fifth annual Tar Heel Boys' State, run by the American Legion with the Institute of Government, were housed at the Pre-Flight School for the week. They spent mornings in sessions on the campus and afternoons in drill, hand-to-hand fighting, boxing, wrestling, swimming and the obstacle course, closing at the Carolina Inn. People: James P. Raugh, John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), August 28, 1943, p. 3
  5. Commander Graff institutes the Commanding Officer's Trophy at the Pre-Flight School On the first anniversary of taking command, John P. Graff created the Commanding Officer's Trophy, a plaque in Navy Hall carrying the name of the outstanding cadet of each battalion, chosen with the heads of the military, academic and athletic departments and made retroactive to the First Battalion. He asked that the University keep the plaque in its archives when the school closed.Search the index · Cloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill): November 27, 1943, p. 1
  6. British Ambassador Lord Halifax reviews 3,500 cadets and students in Kenan Stadium Lord Halifax, the British Ambassador, came to Chapel Hill with Governor J. Melville Broughton and reviewed a combined parade of about 3,500 Pre-Flight cadets and Naval ROTC, V-12 and Army ASTP students in Kenan Stadium, then spoke to the units. University officials and the heads of the Army and Navy units greeted him. People: J. Melville Broughton, R. B. House, John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), December 4, 1943, p. 1
  7. The Pre-Flight School gives Christmas parties for Chapel Hill schoolchildren The Pre-Flight School gave Christmas parties for the community's elementary schoolchildren aged 6 to 12, separate by race: white children on December 27 in Navy Hall and Black children on December 28 at the Navy band's quarters in Carrboro. Each party had a tree or Santa, ice cream, cookies, fruit and gifts for every child. People: John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), January 1, 1944, p. 1
  8. Commander Graff hands the Pre-Flight School to Lieut. Comdr. James P. Raugh at a Kenan Stadium review Before about 4,000 people in Kenan Stadium, Commander John P. Graff gave up command of the Pre-Flight School to his executive officer, Lieut. Comdr. James P. Raugh, and left for duty overseas. University president Frank P. Graham gave the main address and a scroll from the state and university, Governor Broughton and Josephus Daniels spoke, and Graham said 13,000 cadets had entered the school. People: Frank Porter Graham, J. Melville Broughton, Josephus Daniels, R. B. House, James P. Raugh, John P. GraffCloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), April 15, 1944, p. 1

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Commander John P. Graff at desk, 10 August 1942: Scan 1

1942

Commander John P. Graff at his desk at the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School in Chapel Hill, 10 August 1942. Sheet film negative from Series 1, General Scenes, 1942 to 1945.

Included because: Its title names this person.

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