Obituary of Clinton George Graff, Jr.

Clinton George “Clint” Graff, Jr., age 91 of Hoschton, GA died December 19, 2017. Mr. Graff has been cremated and a celebration of life will be held later. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association. Mr. Graff was preceded in death by his parents, Clinton George Graff, Sr. and Ruth Marie Dunlap Graff; sister, Elizabeth Marie Kubina. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Mae Rigel Graff; daughters, Sandra Lynn Phillips (Gary), GA, Diane Lee Kilgore (Kenneth), GA; grandchildren, Tamera Rae O’Connor (John), GA, Michelle Lee O’Connor (Dave), CA, Brian Michael Ashmead, GA, Jeremy Alan Gumz (Kerri), FL; great grandchildren, Jordyn Pearson, Miranda O’Connor, Nicholas Ashmead, Emily Ashmead, Aydan O’Connor, Cade O’Connor, Benjamin Gumz; sister in-law, Joann Ryan (John); nephew and nieces, Eugene Kubina (Dona), Kathie Batson, Karen McDonald (John), Lori McCabe (Wayne), Leslie Nottingham (Ferrell), Nancy Foy (Larry). Mr. Graff was born in Warren, OH. He was a veteran of the US Navy where he served 34 years and retired as a Lieutenant. He then retired from Corky McMillian Realty after ten years of service. Mr. Graff loved his family, his country and golf. Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel 770-945-6924 Share memories of Clint at hamiltonmillchapel.com

Clinton Graff, Jr. Military Autobiography:

Enlisted USNR 20 April 1944 for DOW and 6 MO. Reported to Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, ILL. 1 May 1944. Following six weeks of training and ten days of boot leave; I was transferred to NATTC Jacksonville, FL. For training as an aviation electrician. Upon completion of this training I was assigned to the Overhaul and Repair Department at NAS Norfolk, VA. After the war ended I was released from active duty and reenlisted in the Inactive Reserve in 1946 for a period of four years. In 1948 the Navy formed an active reserve unit in my hometown of Warren, OH. I transferred from the inactive to active reserve and began weekly training classes and annual two week cruises with pay. When the Korean War came along in 1950 I received orders to report to the Philadelphia Receiving Station for assignment on 15 November 1950. What was to have been a 22-month tour turned into 28 years?

My first assignment was to a new command in Pensacola, FL. The Navy at this time reopened Ellison Field and Commissioned the first Helicopter Training Unit (HTU-1). During my tour in HTU-1 I was advanced to AE-2 and reenlisted for a period of 6 years in the regular Navy, in 1952. This then brought on orders to sea duty and assignment to Patrol Squadron 28 (VP-28) at NAS Barbers Point Hawaii. While in VP-28 I was advanced to AE-1 and trained to become an air crewman flying in the P2V-5 patrol aircraft. During this time the squadron made two deployments, 1953 to Kodiak, Alaska and 1954 to Iwakuni, Japan. In 1955 I transferred to FAETUPAC at NAS San Diego for Instructor Duty. In 1957 I returned to NATTC Jacksonville, FL (AE B school) for advanced training. In 1958 I was advanced to AEC and assigned to Helicopter Utility Squadron One (HU-1) located at NAS Imperial Beach, Ca. During this tour I spent 11 months on detached duty at the Pacific Missile Range (PMR) in Hawaii. Our job was to recover items that were being sent into space and to hopefully reenter without burning up. Unfortunately this program lasted approximately one year before they recovered the first one. This, to me, was worth the time and effort spent as it helped make our space travel what it is to day. In 1960 I was reassigned to CNAP as assistant to the Electrical and Instrument Officer. In 1964 I moved to HS-8 where I was assigned as maintenance office supervisor and annalist. In 1966 I was selected for advancement to Warrant Officer. In 1967 on board the USS Bennington I was sworn in as WO-1. After six weeks of Officers indoctrination in Pensacola, FL I reported to HS-1 Key West, FL. In 1969 I was selected for CWO-2 and transferred to HS-2 at NAS Imperial Beach, CA. In 1974 I transferred, as a LT., to VC-3 at NAS North Island where I completed 34 ½ years of Naval Service and retired on 1 November 1978.