John Robert McGraw was a retired Brigadier general (United States)

Brigadier general (United States)

A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...

. He was born in Lakemont, Blair County

Blair County, Pennsylvania

-Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...

, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, in 1912, to Howard and Emma McGraw. He graduated as salutatorian from Johnstown Senior High School, and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is a medical school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The School of Medicine is also known as Pitt Med, and is ranked as a “top medical school” by U.S. News & World Report in the publication's categories of research and primary care...

 in 1934 as a doctor of medicine.

Dr. McGraw worked in private practice from 1935 to 1936 in Pennsylvania as a general practitioner and surgeon. In 1937, on his 25th birthday, he entered military service as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. By 1942, within five years of joining the army, first lieutenant McGraw had advanced to the rank of colonel. In 1944, Colonel McGraw was reassigned to the position of Assistant Commandant of the AAF School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field (San Antonio) Texas.

In 1945, Colonel McGraw served in the European Theater of Operations. He then served as a surgeon in the Thirteenth Air Force in the Pacific Theater. After World War II, Colonel McGraw returned to the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field and served as the deputy commandant, and later as commandant.

In 1956, Colonel McGraw served as surgeon at the Headquarters Twelfth Air Force in Ramstein

Ramstein

Ramstein or Rammstein could refer to:In Germany:* Ramstein-Miesenbach, German municipality* Ramstein Air Base, an air base located near that location* Ramstein airshow disaster, an airshow disaster that happened thereIn Entertainment:...

, Germany, and in 1958, he transferred to Wheelus Air Base

Wheelus Air Base

-See also:*List of airports in Libya-External links:*****...

 in Tripoli, Libya. In 1961 Colonel McGraw was reassigned to Offutt Air Force Base

Offutt Air Force Base

Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...

in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.

Upon retirement from the Air Force, General McGraw moved to Miami, Florida where he became the Medical Director for Eastern Air Lines. He died in Miami, Florida in June 1976.