Army PFC Autrey Graham was born in Pensacola, Florida on August 6, 1914, the son of Thomas (1884-) and Pearl "Pearlie" Graham (1884-). His father supported his family as a wharf foreman and for the most part they lived at 913 North Davis Street. As for Autrey, after two years of high school, he dropped out to join the work force. He worked at a variety of jobs from delivery boy in 1935 to a laborer for the Armour Packing Company at Chase & Tarragona Street. In 1936, he married Lillie Louise Bell (1918-1975), the daughter of Lillie Bell of 309 East Strong Street. Autrey and Lillie would set up housekeeping at 913 North Davis Street while Autrey was a laborer for the government. Lillie was a maid for a private family at the time while Autrey was bringing home $432 per month. Later that year, Autrey took a job at the Armour Packing Company at Chase & Tarragona Street, a building that's still there.
On February 18, 1941, whether drafted or enlisted, Autrey entered the US Army at Ft. Benning, GA and went through basic training. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 29th Quartermaster Regiment, which was an African American unit with three battalions and twelve truck companies stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Each company contained 48 2½-ton cargo trucks. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the regiment began preparing to move out depending on where the high command needed them the most. Then on February 28, 1942, they received orders they were heading overseas and to move to San Francisco's "Port of Embarkation."
On March 18th, they boarded the "SS Queen Elizabeth" and sailed the next day for Australia. Sadly, Autrey didn't make it to his destination. On March 30th, he showed up missing from the ship and was never heard from again. Oddly enough, there is a hospital report showing that Autrey had come down with appendicitis and received an appendectomy the same month he disappeared. Whether or not this contributed to his death will never be known. In the meantime, Lillie was notified of his loss but the war department could not offer any details as to his disappearance. Lillie would remain in their home on North Davis Street until her death in 1975 while still working as a maid. She was buried in the Zion Cemetery according to her obituary.
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