Lt Graham Carson Beachum was a Lt. Pilot during WWII in the 310th Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Squadron, in the 1st batch to arrive in the MTO with their B-25 Mitchell Medium Bombers. Graham was a USAF Lt Col (Ret)

24 March, 1921 - 21 July, 2007

July 23, 2007 Graham Carson Beachum (Ret. Lt. Col. USAF), 86, of Raleigh passed away after a long period of declining health on July 21, 2007, at the Oaks of Carolina. He was born March 24, 1921, in Marshville, N.C., to the late Clyde William and Ruth Stegall Beachum. The oldest of seven children, Graham spent most of his youth in Hampton, Va. After graduating high school and spending a couple of years at Virginia Tech, Graham rushed to duty to serve his country in the months following Pearl Harbor. (DAILY PRESS)

Graham Carson Beachum (Ret. Lt. Col. USAF), 86, of Raleigh passed away after a long period of declining health on July 21, 2007, at the Oaks of Carolina.

He was born March 24, 1921, in Marshville, N.C., to the late Clyde William and Ruth Stegall Beachum. The oldest of seven children, Graham spent most of his youth in Hampton, Va. After graduating high school and spending a couple of years at Virginia Tech, Graham rushed to duty to serve his country in the months following Pearl Harbor. He enrolled in flight school in 1942 and was off to Europe for WWII. After completing 25 missions, he signed up for five more and was shot down over North Africa on his 29th mission in May 1943. He spent two years as a POW in a German prison camp until his escape in April 1945. His military career allowed him to see the country and the world as he spent significant time in Europe during the 1950s and 1960s. Graham found time to earn an undergraduate and masters degree from George Washington University while he worked at the Pentagon in the 1960s.

Graham was a war hero and has several honors, decorations and awards for military service including Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Prisoner of War Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters.

Following his nearly 30 years of military service, Graham relocated to Raleigh in 1971 where he served the City of Raleigh for 20 years as the Assistant Director of the Public Works department. He was involved with several major projects during Raleigh's growth in the 1970s and 1980s; he was most honored to serve as project manager for the Municipal Building in Downtown Raleigh.

Graham made Raleigh his home the past 36 years and was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Anne Hampton Beachum, and is survived by his four children, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His children are Glenda B. Schlappkohl, Graham C. Beachum Jr., Gary H. Beachum and Elizabeth B. Hecksel.

He will be remembered as a generous father and grandfather who was committed to providing his family with quality education. Graham is thankful and blessed to have the special care of Mary Adams the past nine years along with the help of Rita Williams, Dr. Joe Mangano and staff at Sunnybrook Healthcare, Dr. Belukuma Nanjagowder and staff at the Oaks of Carolina, Mr. Ivey Chavis and the Veterans Administration.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Oaks of Carolina at 2420 Lake Wheeler Road. Due to military scheduling, an honorary military memorial service and burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery on Oct. 10.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund online (www.cfsrf.org) or mail to P.O. Box 3968 Gaithersburg, MD 20885-3968.

Graham C Beachum