Groton’s Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient

On Saturday, July 11, participants in the 12th annual Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway of Valor Tribute Ride made their traditional stop in Groton to pay tribute at the Graves Memorial on Main Street.

The highly polished black granite memorial, imported from South Africa, is engraved and etched with a photo of U.S. Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient, 2nd Lt. Terrence (Terry) Graves, who heroically gave his life to save wounded comrades on Feb. 16,1968, just two months after his arrival in South Vietnam.

The 22-year-old Graves was leading an eight-man reconnaissance team deep into the DMZ (demilitarized zone) when they encountered a force of enemy troops and engaged in a fierce firefight.

Without concern for his own safety, Graves directed his team’s fire against the enemy, cared for those wounded, called for a helicopter to remove them all and began moving the team to an accessible landing area.

This small but brave team took heavy small arms and machine gun fire, wounding Graves and several of his men. Even while wounded himself, Graves continued to communicate with the rescue chopper and guided it to the location.

When Graves and some of his team boarded the helicopter, he realized that one of his wounded men had not made it aboard and jumped out to find him. The helicopter was under fire from the enemy and Graves signaled the pilot to lift off for the protection of those on board.

Graves and two remaining soldiers on his team continued to exchange heavy fire with the enemy until a second chopper was able to land long enough for the three to climb aboard, but as they lifted off, enemy fire brought them down in a crash, killing all on board.

On Dec. 2, 1969, Terry’s parents, the late Leslie (Les) and Marjorie Graves, were presented with our country’s highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor, to posthumously recognize their son’s bravery, but it was not until July 7, 2001 that Terry was memorialized here in Groton.

As told by Frank Heine, commander of the Groton VFW, it all started when his friends, Jim Greenman, retired Marine, and the late Doug Goodsell, retired Army, were having a discussion in Goodsell’s garage in the summer of 2000.

During their conversation, Goodsell told Greenman that Groton had a Medal of Honor recipient, to which he replied, “Baloney. If that were true, there would be a monument or something.”

Not long thereafter, Goodsell told Heine about the conversation, formed a committee to do something to honor Terry and asked Heine to be its chairman.

Heine called the first meeting in October 2000, and from there, he and Gary Watrous, treasurer, the late Alice (Lal) Lockwood, secretary, Greenman, Goodsell, Kris Sims, Fred Ott Sr. and Rick LaFrance, who baked cookies for all their meetings, met weekly for 30 weeks to plan what turned out to be the most greatly attended event in Groton’s history.

The committee hired Clayton Mabry of Marchell Monuments to design the monument and then began fundraising efforts to pay for that and the dedication event they ended up deciding they wanted to hold.

They set a goal to raise about $20,000, but after sending out thousands of direct mail solicitations, they ended up raising $50,000 from 554 donors located in 18 states and 67 communities in New York state. As it turned out, only $35,000 was spent, so the committee awarded the remainder to Groton High School for scholarships that are still being awarded today.

When the dedication day arrived, over 1,500 people were in attendance. Route 38 was closed from Old Stage to Peruville Road to eliminate vehicular traffic. Chairs were rented to accommodate the guests, though many stood on sidewalks and rooftops.

The Second Marine Division Band came from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to perform a one-hour concert prior to the ceremony, after which Steve Gobel, president of the First National Bank of Groton, acted as emcee for what was a poignant and moving afternoon filled with flag ceremonies, wreath presentations, remarks by local and state dignitaries, representatives of the Marine Corps and Terry’s father, Les.

The Marine Corps band played the National Anthem at the beginning of the ceremony and “Taps” at the conclusion while a Marine Corps Honor Guard conducted a 21-gun salute from the roof of Main Street Pizzeria, after which AH-1 “Cobra” gunship and OH-58 “Warrior” helicopters made an impressive flyover.

The band concluded the event playing “The Marine’s Hymn,” and everyone was invited to follow them as they marched down Main Street to the American Legion for an additional concert and refreshments.

Terry graduated from Edmeston High School, but many will remember that Les moved his family to Groton when he became the superintendent of schools in 1963, a position he held for 20 years.

Terry attended college in Ohio but spent his summers and breaks in Groton. That was when Gary Watrous got to know him, as Watrous and Terry’s younger brother, Rick, had become best friends.

Watrous fondly expounded upon what an incredible athlete Terry was and that he was even invited to the Cincinnati Reds’ training camp in his freshman year of college, but he had already decided he wanted to be a Marine.

“Although Terry was five years older than Rick and me, he always took time to spend with us,” Watrous said. “He would shoot hoops, play football or catch with a baseball and would always ask us how we were doing in school.”

Watrous added more about his memory of Terry.

“Terry reminded me of a senator or a president with the way he carried himself, so charismatic,” Watrous said. “He was a leader from day one, someone you would never forget. I would have followed him anywhere.”

For anyone who has not taken the time to see the Graves Memorial, or even if you have, do take the time to look and read the official citation and brief biography engraved on that impressive shiny tribute to a true hometown hero.

Groton on the Inside appears weekly. Submit news ideas to Linda Competillo, lmc10@cornell.edu or 607-227-4922.

In brief:

Pool is open

The Groton Memorial Park swimming pool has opened for the summer. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. daily, seven days a week, with adult or lap swim from 11:30 a.m. to noon daily.

Only registered users will be permitted in the pool area and proof of Groton town or village residency will be required. To register, visit grotonny.org/groton-memorial-pool.

All patrons in your party must be approved users and all will be required to sign in when entering the pool area. Social distancing is required in and out of the water. A face covering is required to enter the facility for all patrons over the age of two. A face covering is not required while in the water.

The pool is on a limited time schedule and has a maximum occupancy. Visits will be limited to one hour per person.

After one hour, those who have been inside for the longest time may be required to vacate to allow others who have been waiting to enter and enjoy the water.

This will allow a maximum number of patrons to be able to enjoy our community pool. Due to this, there may be a waiting period for entrance into the pool.

Library board meetings

The Groton Public Library Board of Trustee meetings have been changed to the second Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom.

All meetings are open to the public and all must contact director@grotonpubliclibrary.org to obtain the link for each month’s meeting.