Willie Edmond Graves was born on September 13, 1918, in Copiah County, Mississippi. He was the son of Edmond Feldon Graves and Lillie Mae Massey Graves. He was married to Edna Earle Ray.

Graves graduated from Hazlehurst High School in 1936 and attended Copiah-Lincoln Junior College for a short time, entering the United States Marine Corps in March 1937. After serving about a year in Hawaii, he received an honorable discharge due to the illness of his mother. Being held as a Reserve, he was called back into active service on January 19, 1941. He was sent to Iceland in July 1941 and served there for nine months. On Feb 13, 1943, he was sent to the Southwest Pacific area where he served until his death. He participated in the Battle of Bougainville, Guam, and other island battles.

At the time of his death, he was serving in the 2nd Battalion, 21st Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as a Sergeant. He was Killed in Action on July 22, 1944, during the Battle for Guam.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com