Hudie Elder Graves was born at El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas on August 11, 1915. His given name was Hugh, but he went by Hudie. His parents were Jefferson Deed 'Dedie' Graves (11 Mar 1887 – 1963) and Alto Alice (Church) Graves (1894 – Sep 1946), who were born in Arkansas. His parents married at Union County, Arkansas on October 21, 1909. His father was a farmer. He had a sister, Evelyn Graves (9 May 1918 – May 1991), and a brother, Cleo Jefferson 'Pete' Graves (22 Oct 1920 – 24 Oct 2009).

His wife was Vera Mae (Cabaniss) Graves (later Nolen) (17 Mar 1918 – 3 Jul 1988). They married at Union County, Arkansas on June 13, 1939, and had at least one child, Elder Wayne Graves (2 Oct 1944 – 8 Mar 2002). Hudie Graves' home of record was 1012 Marsh Avenue, El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, his wife's address in 1944.

He registered for the draft at El Dorado, Arkansas on October 16, 1940. He later enlisted and completed Army Air Forces flight engineer and aerial gunnery training. He was then assigned to the heavy bomber crew Lt Edgar L. Fuller in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. This Group completed B-24 crew training at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico, and deployed to England in March 1944. The Fuller crew flew B-24 42-52609 from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

By August 1944 the 487th Bomb Group transitioned to flying the B-17 'Flying Fortress'; and by September 1944 S/Sgt Graves was assigned as ball turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Harold E. Oesch in the 836th Bomb Squadron.

On September 30, 1944, the 487th Bomb Group took off from Lavenham Airfield to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Bielefeld, Germany. The Oesch crew flew B-17G 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' on this mission. S/Sgt Graves and seven of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft collided with another aircraft just after bombs away over Bielefeld. Apparently Lt Oesch, flying in the number 7 position of the Low Squadron, was caught in prop wash turbulence during the descending turn away from the target. His aircraft flipped over on its back and collided with B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle', piloted by Lt Raymond F. Jackson, who was flying in the number 9 position. (Note: This is based on an eyewitness account, and differs from the report in MACR 9423.) 'Liberty Belle' lost its outboard starboard wing, and both ships went down. Lt Zalneraitis, bombardier on the Oesch crew, was able to parachute safely and survived as a prisoner of war. Seven members of the Jackson crew were killed; two survived.

After the war his remains were reinterred at Netherlands American Cemtery in Margraten, The Netherlands.

B-17G 43-38154 crew:
• Oesch, Harold E – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Furr, Wilburn E – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Miller Jr, Henry J – 1/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Zalneraitis, Vitold A – 1/Lt – Bombardier – POW
• Volavka, Melo – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Stanley, Martin E – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Graves, Hudie E – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Green, Willard A – S/Sgt – Tail Gunner – KIA
• Focht, William J – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – KIA

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov