Ora Graves

He put out burning waste before the powder could catch fire.

Ora Graves was born at Las Animas, Colorado, on 26 July 1896. He enlisted in the United States Navy at San Francisco in 1915 and served aboard the armored cruiser USS Pittsburgh. His early naval career placed him in South American waters during the First World War.

On 23 July 1917 Pittsburgh was proceeding toward Buenos Aires when a three-inch saluting charge exploded. The blast killed Seaman C. T. Lyles and knocked Graves to the deck. Smoke filled the casemate, making it difficult to see the full extent of the danger.

After recovering, Graves noticed burning waste on the deck. Further powder remained in the compartment, creating the risk of another explosion. He stayed and extinguished the burning material despite knowing that it might ignite the remaining charges. His prompt action helped prevent the first accident from causing a larger disaster aboard the ship.

Graves received the Medal of Honor aboard Pittsburgh on 27 July 1918, when Captain G. B. Bradshaw presented it to him. He subsequently attained the rating of gunner's mate second class.

After his naval service he lived in California. He died at El Cajon on 28 September 1961 and was buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego. His grave and the Navy's portrait collection commemorate a sailor whose recognized act of bravery took place in an accidental shipboard emergency rather than in an exchange of fire with an enemy.