John Pike Grady
Encyclopedia
John Pike Grady was born November 12, 1925 in Rochester, New York to Stanley and Kate (Pike) Grady. He died in Eastport, Maine
September 3, 2008 at age 82.
and was a veteran of World War II. John served with the 505 Aerial Bombardment Group flying B-29s from North Field, Tinian Island. Located in the Mariana Islands, North Field launched operations against the Japanese Home Islands in 1944 and 1945. The airfield was also based the 509th Composite Group which flew the two Atomic Bomb missions against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, which led to the unconditional surrender of Imperial Japan on September 2, 1945, and the end of the Pacific War.
in Goddard College, Vermont and the Black Mountain College
in North Carolina. Upon completing college, John returned to Eastport, the city he loved, when he heard the Eastport Sentinel was folding. In 1953, John briefly owned and operated a local newspaper with his banner headline "Up at the count of 9". Afterwards, he served as a consultant to The Quoddy Tides.
(VFW) in Eastport. Also, John was a charter member of the Main Street Program called "Eastport For Pride". He was active in the community and was an inspiration for a generation of the Eastport youth.
Eastport, Maine
Eastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
September 3, 2008 at age 82.
World War II Airman
John attended local Eastport schools and graduated from Shead Memorial High School in 1943. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
and was a veteran of World War II. John served with the 505 Aerial Bombardment Group flying B-29s from North Field, Tinian Island. Located in the Mariana Islands, North Field launched operations against the Japanese Home Islands in 1944 and 1945. The airfield was also based the 509th Composite Group which flew the two Atomic Bomb missions against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, which led to the unconditional surrender of Imperial Japan on September 2, 1945, and the end of the Pacific War.
Journalist
After the war, John attended college using the Montgomery G.I. Bill. He studied print at the University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
in Goddard College, Vermont and the Black Mountain College
Black Mountain College
Black Mountain College, a school founded in 1933 in Black Mountain, North Carolina, was a new kind of college in the United States in which the study of art was seen to be central to a liberal arts education, and in which John Dewey's principles of education played a major role...
in North Carolina. Upon completing college, John returned to Eastport, the city he loved, when he heard the Eastport Sentinel was folding. In 1953, John briefly owned and operated a local newspaper with his banner headline "Up at the count of 9". Afterwards, he served as a consultant to The Quoddy Tides.
Local Celebrity
During Eastport's annual 4 July festival, John Grady wore yellow fisherman's gear and carried a trident. John was a strong advocate for projects like the Marine Trades Center, a division of the Washington County Vocational Institute built at Deep Cove, that improved Eastport. He was a life-long member of Ralph A. Ray Post No. 558 Veterans of Foreign WarsVeterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
(VFW) in Eastport. Also, John was a charter member of the Main Street Program called "Eastport For Pride". He was active in the community and was an inspiration for a generation of the Eastport youth.