Hindsight 20-20: An Autobiography

By Richard Graves

Richard Graves learned early in life how to follow the direction given to him. It was faith and trust in Jesus Christ. His heart was entered and life was given grace for present and future. What a beautiful life in good and hard times. From a country boy to a senior aerospace engineer to a mental disability from Agent Orange in the military. This autobiography gives some of Richard's everyday experiences, hoping to help others in their life, leading them to the eternal heavenly world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886169607

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Hindsight 20-20

An Autobiography

Richard Graves

ISBN 979-8-88616-959-1 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88616-960-7 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Richard Graves

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Preface

Book Notes

Chapter 1

Some Memories

Chapter 2

USAF Memories

Chapter 3

Start Again

Chapter 4

New Path

Chapter 5

Growth

Chapter 6

Systems Engineer

Chapter 7

The Goal

Chapter 8

Next Decade

Chapter 9

Living AO (Agent Orange)

Chapter 10

Biography

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

RME Memories

Chapter 13

Some Quick Problem Solving

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

What I Learned in My Life

Chapter 17

Bessmay

Chapter 18

My High and Low

Chapter 19

R. C. Graves

Chapter 20

Eglin Herbicide Memories

Chapter 21

Synopsis and Medical History

About the Author

Pillar and Jets HH 901/902

Hubble Space Telescope WFC3/UVIS

Preface

In the last few years, I have wondered about my life. What was I here to do and why? I didn't go to college, just went in what seemed like a random direction. Looking back, it shows I have been guided, and it was the best life I could have designed. In high school, I wanted to be an engineer, as my strength was in drafting, math, and physics. When I graduated, I went to a three-month Divers Training Academy and became a commercial construction diver to see the world. In a short time, my number came up for the military draft, so I joined the US Air Force. I got married in Florida. Rita and I then had a son in Idaho. I was honorably discharged there and went on to a totally guided path by something I couldn't see. It took me places I couldn't ever dream of. This book is my life, from the beginning. Thank God for the path He showed me. I hope others take the path that is unknown, and let Him enter your heart and show you the way.

I cannot thank all who were in my life and the impacts they gave me. A few will be mentioned like Robert Charles L, Billy Guy O, Robert H, Larry H… I hope the others forgive me if they aren't listed. However, I thank all from the bottom of my heart, for without everyone in my life I wouldn't be writing this book. All of this is from my memory in the last two years, so forgive me if I don't get everything correct. I know He is guiding me in writing this.

Obviously, God is number one on my list, followed by my family. My mother and dad directed my early time. Rita, my wife, the next fifty years. Our country is next. It has given me the freedom to worship as I wish and to live a life not controlled by them, but chosen by me.

The front cover is a tiny part of the last Ball Aerospace program I worked on. It was a proposal to repair the spherical aberration in the primary mirror of the NASA Hubble Space Telescope. The name was COSTAR. Ball won the contract, and its result was perfection. We have learned more about the universe; it has stretched our minds. It helps us see His work beyond our comprehension. As we continue to explore, it will teach us to become the keeper of His creations.

Book Notes

Book Note 1

As I was entering this world, the eight Air Force was starting deep bomber runs into Germany. The concern everywhere was WWII, as the US was fighting in two directions to maintain democracy. Fighting east in Europe, and west in the Pacific.

My life was in a safe place, no battles here, because of the sacrifice given by our military personnel. Many would not see home again, except from heaven, looking down and smiling at what they had given us.

I remembered living in a house across the street from the Gulf Service Station in Buna, Texas. I was about three years old. The Gulf Station was also the Trailways Bus Stop. The one person I considered my brother was my first cousin, Eugene Crawford. He was one year older than me. His mother, Marie Crawford, was my mother's sister and owned a beauty shop the next block down the street. It was summer and hot. My dad, the school principal here in Buna, invited Eugene and me to go to the drug store and get an ice cream. Boy that was the perfect thing. We walked down and then crossed the street, got our ice cream and started back across the street. Eugene passed out, falling onto the street, dropping his ice cream. My dad quickly picked him up, ran back off the street, and asked me if we had been doing anything. I told him Eugene had drunk some of the stuff we found in the back floorboard of the car, a 1940 Ford. He looked at the bottle, put Eugene in the car, and drove fast to Silsbee to the emergency room. They pumped out his stomach. It was rat poison. I was left at home with mom. She asked me if I drank any of that. I said yes… I was then taken to the Silsbee to the emergency room and had my stomach pumped. What a time to remember… LOL.

Eugene and I are still living and see each other many times a year.

Book Note 2

After living in Buna downtown, we moved to a bigger house about 1.6 miles northwest of US 96 on FM 1004. Our Grandmother Williams could keep Eugene and me in the daytime. I remember several things there. The first was that not far away was a small sawmill. I learned what they did and watched them working. On April 16, 1947, during the day, our house started to shake. The wooden windows rattled. Didn't know what that was until the next day. It was the ship explosion, loaded with fertilizer, docked in the Port of Texas City, ninety-three miles away. That explosion was one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in world history. It killed between four hundred and six hundred and injured four thousand people. It caused a fifteen-foot tidal wave.

I will never forget that even though I was just under four years old. Eugene and I were always looking and exploring everything. We were to the edge of a yearling pine tree forest and spotted what we called an armadillo tail, as it was coiled up. We had never seen an armadillo but were told they were coming up from Mexico. He, Eugene, would dare me to touch it. I would and it moved. I would dare him to touch it. Then he would and it would jump. We went back to the house to bring Grandma out to see what we found. She went ballistic and beat it to death with her walking stick. It was a coiled cottonmouth moccasin. The Lord protected us for sure. That was one of our learning days to be a kid.

My dad got a new job, not far away in Bessmay, Texas. It was about two miles north of Buna and was a Kirby Lumber Company mill town. He would be the school superintendent.

Book Note 3

The town of Bessmay was founded in 1901. Named after Kirby's only child. The construction began in 1902 and was completed in 1903. Its powerhouse contained two steam engines for a total of 1,400 HP, generating three hundred kilowatts. In 1907, the sawmill cut fifty-eight million board feet of lumber with 716 mill employees.

In 1913, a little girl living with her father in Bessmay was kidnapped by her mother in a family dispute. After years of court wrangling, the mother won custody of Virginia Katherine McMath who later became the movie star and dancer… Ginger Rogers.

The town had a train station, commissary, post office, barbershop, physician's residence/office and a hotel. The two hundred homes were segregated into white and black sections, conforming to the living patterns of that time.

Outside grounds of Bessmay Mill

The company town was arranged in order, as the first resident home was the doctor's, next the school superintendent. The next was the mill superintendent and so on. All buildings were owned by the company and rented monthly. The company-filled medicine was ten cents for each prescription.

There were two schools, one for white and one