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Home Town Monrovia, Liberia
Date of Passing Apr 13, 2001
Location of Interment Annapolis National Cemetery (VA) - Annapolis, Maryland
Born to missionary parents in Monrovia, Liberia, he entered the U. S. Naval Academy in June 1944. He graduated in June 1948 and reported to Pensacola for flight training in the fall.
During the Korean War he made two deployments with VF-112 flying the F9F-2 Panther jets, and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and a Navy Commendation with Combat "V".
This duty was followed by a year of USAF exchange duty with the 63rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron (F-86A and F-86F) at Oscoda, Michigan. In October 1953, he reported to the Naval Air Training Command to instruct in the F9F-2 at Kingsville, Texas.
From 1954 to 1956, Captain Adams attended the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, where he received a B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering in June 1956. This was followed by a year of graduate work at the Forestal Research Center, Princeton University. There he majored in airplane performance, stability and control, receiving an M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering in June 1957.
Two years were then spent in Air Development Squadron Three (VX-3) where Captain Adams' activity was concentrated on F-6A (SKYRAY) weapons system and tactics developments.
In August 1959, he became the Air Operations Officer on the staff of Commander SECOND Fleet. In August 1961, the Captain was selected to attend the U. S. Navy Test Pilot School at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. Here he earned the distinction of being the outstanding student in his class.
Following completion of the Test Pilot School, he joined the Flight Test Division at Patuxent River, flying test flights in A-4E, A-5A, A-6A, F-8E, T-39, E-2A and the F-4B aircraft. In 1963, he was advanced to the position of Head, Flying Qualities and Performance Branch of the Flight Test Division. Upon completion of this tour of duty, he reported to VF-14 as Executive Officer in February 1965.
Following a deployment with the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean, he assumed command of VF-14 in December 1965 and began preparing the squadron for combat operations in Southeast Asia. The Squadron deployed with Air Wing One on the USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVA-42) in June 1966 and entered combat in August.
In November 1966, Captain Adams, having flown 54 combat missions, returned to the staff of Commander Naval Air force, Atlantic for six months' temporary duty with the air wing training section. He then assumed command of Key West based VF-101, which trained F-4 Phantom pilots and NFOs for Atlantic Fleet attack carrier air wings.
In July 1968, he was ordered to the USS SARATOGA (CVA-60), as Executive Officer. He served in this capacity until August 1969, after which he reported to the Office of the Director of Defense Research & Engineering as Navy Military Assistant in the office of the Assistant Director, Air Warfare.
Among his many responsibilities in this assignment was the updating and rewriting of the Development Concept Paper (DCP) for the F-14 and preparation of the initial drafts of the DCP's for the AIM-7F and AGILE missiles.
Captain Adams became a student at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in August 1971. While at ICAF he wrote a paper on the management practices changes in the Department of Defense in the acquisition of major weapon systems, lectured on the management of R&D in the Department of Defense and was chairman of a research project and paper on U. S. Foreign Trade (Export) Policy prepared for the Council on International Economic Policy, Executive office of the President.
In August 1972 he assumed duties as Commanding Officer, USS MARS (AFS-1).
3 distinct Navy squadrons have called themselves ‘Sundowners’. The U.S. Navy frequently has given the same designation to two or more aviation units, leading to lasting confusion. Officially, the US Navy does not recognize a direct lineage with disestablished squadrons if a new squadron is formed with the same designation.[1] Often, the new squadron will assume the nickname, insignia, and traditions of the earlier squadrons.
In 1985, VF-111 was one of several NAS Miramar based squadrons to participate in the filming of the film Top Gun. Some VF-111 and VF-51 aircraft were repainted in fictitious squadron markings for the film. To be able to film the sequences, the F-14s were fitted with cameras mounted in pods attached to the underbelly Phoenix pallets and the under wing pylons, as well as using ground mounted cameras. Also, one of the fictional RIOs in the film, played by Clarence Gilyard, uses the callsign "Sundown" and wears a VF-111 styled helmet and squadron patch on his flight suit.
VF-111 made seven Viet Nam combat cruises since 1964, flying over 12,500 missions over North and South Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. In 1967-68 the squadron sent a detachment, OMAR's ORPHANS,to USS INTREPID's Air Wing TEN to provide fighter escort for the attack and photo aircraft embarked. A SUN DOWNER from the 1968 Det scored the Navy's 19th CRUSADER MIG kill when Lt, Tony Nargi shot down a MIG-21. In addition to numerous individual citations, FITRON ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN earned the Navy Unit Commendation for seven deployments, and the Meritorious Unit Citations for the 1969 cruise aboard USS TICONDEROGA.
