JAMES B. MCCRAVY, JR., LTCOL, USAF
James McCravy, Jr. '53
Lucky Bag
From the 1953 Lucky Bag:
JAMES BOYD McCRAVY, JR.
Warrenton, Virginia
Mac hails from Warrenton, Virginia, coming to the Academy via Bullis Prep. Easy-going, he was well known (and justly) for his good-naturedness and casual outlook on life. His distinguished humor turned not a few dull parties into riots. Early plebe year Mac transferred his talents to Hubbard Hall, where he applied himself to a stroke oar and proved to be a valuable asset to the Navy crews. During the off-season he participated in company squash and football. After graduation Mac plans to enter Naval Aviation.
JAMES BOYD McCRAVY, JR.
Warrenton, Virginia
Mac hails from Warrenton, Virginia, coming to the Academy via Bullis Prep. Easy-going, he was well known (and justly) for his good-naturedness and casual outlook on life. His distinguished humor turned not a few dull parties into riots. Early plebe year Mac transferred his talents to Hubbard Hall, where he applied himself to a stroke oar and proved to be a valuable asset to the Navy crews. During the off-season he participated in company squash and football. After graduation Mac plans to enter Naval Aviation.
Shipmate
From the November 1972 issue of Shipmate':
LCol. James Boyd McCravy, USAF, was killed in a plane crash near Albuquerque, N.M., on 27 June.
A native of Washington, D. C, he attended Bullis School there and was a 1953 graduate of the Naval Academy. His career included duty as a flight instructor in San Angelo, Tx., and service with the Strategic Air Command. In 1968 he was assigned to the Air Force's "Hurricane Hunters" at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. He had recently returned from a one-year tour in Southeast Asia.
Col. McCravy, who earned an MBA degree from George Washington University in 1966, had the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
Among his survivors are his widow, Geraldine, 2402A 24th Loop, Kirtland AFB, NM 87116; a daughter, Mary Elizabeth; two sons, Michael and Eddie; his mother, Mrs. Mary W. McCravy of Washington, D. C; and a sister.
He is buried in Texas; he was survived by his wife, Geraldine, and their children Eddie, Mike, and Mary.
Loss
James was piloting a WB-57F aircraft out of Kirtland AFB, New Mexico when the "aircraft entered a Mach tuck, pitching the nose downward. The circumstance was exacerbated by wing flutter from the airflow over the wings, and the high-altitude aircraft came apart at 50,000 feet over the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque." His co-pilot was also lost.
The original investigation report said the manufacturer needed to provide more technical information, but the ultimate decision was that pilot error was the cause.
Distinguished Flying Cross
The Brownwood (Texas) Bulletin reported on January 23, 1972 that James was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for action in Vietnam as aircraft commander of a EB-66 Destroyer reconnaissance aircraft.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
