Ernest Graves
we moved into new environments, didn't care whether there were children around to
play with or not because they played with each other. So this made it easier.
Q:
Your husband retired about four years ago.
A:
It will be four years in July.
Q:
What kind of adjustment has that involved for both of you?
A:
Well, I feel the fact that we did not move when he retired, which we had planned--you
talk about planning ahead--made it a much easier adjustment. This was definitely
thought of ahead of time when he received his third star. We could have had quarters
at Fort McNair. We were already in this house. We had already decided this was where
we were going to stay when he retired. We knew that assignment would be his last
assignment. So we consciously did not take quarters at McNair. One of the major
factors was that we didn't want to have to move at the time of retirement. We wanted
to be able to be right here, and that he could choose--easily have whatever option he
wanted as his work after the Army. So there was very little adjustment, really.
Q:
Did your husband ever have second thoughts about his military career?
A:
Never.
Q:
Did he ever think about getting out?
A:
Never.
Q:
One of the things that kind of surprised me when I talked to him--and very little did
surprise me, but--because he was a pretty methodical and systematic--
A:
Oh, yes.
Q:
Not pretty methodical. Extremely methodical and systematic person. I was surprised
that he seemed to derive the most satisfaction from being Director of Civil Works and
not from getting his third star and going to DSAA--that civil works was his first love.
A:
I believe this is true. I think this is from his background--he's always said that--from
his background as a little boy when his father and all of his father's associates were in
civil works. To them, civil works was the plum assignment, at whatever level.
I remember he'd tell stories of General Larkin, who built the big earth-fill dam in
Montana.
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