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Contact Info
Home Town White Cloud, Horton, Kansas
Last Address Columbus, Ohio
Date of Passing Mar 15, 2011
Location of Interment Barrancas National Cemetery (VA) - Pensacola, Florida
Captain John Paul Adams, USN, retired, age 92, passed away on March 15, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio after a long struggle with Dementia.
Retiring from the Navy in July 1972, Captain Adams became associated with the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, serving as a Vice President. He managed the Foundation bookstore for ten years. During this time, he lived in Innerarity Point growing camellias, composing poems and painting acrylics of his beloved flowers. Visitors to the museum would be treated to his witty poems, stories of Navy flying and beautiful flowers, whether fresh or preserved in his paintings. When not in the museum, he could be found on the golf course with fellow Navy buddies attempting to direct little white balls into their appropriate holes using the least number of strokes.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dixie Palmer Adams, who died on March 31, 2010.
Other Comments:
Born February 20, 1919 in Horton, Kansas, he spent 32 years in the Navy. He earned his wings and commission in June 1941. He reported to Fighter Squadron 42 in the fall of 1941. While embarked in USS Yorktown (CV-5), he participated in the initial air actions of World War II in the Pacific, including the Battle of Coral Sea and Midway. Captain Adams was credited with shooting down three Japanese planes.
After the Battle of the Midway, he returned to the States and spent two years as a VF instructor. He then returned to combat in VF-88, flying from the second Yorktown. Captain Adams' combat decorations include: Navy Cross w/Gold Star; Silver Star; Distinguished Flying Cross; Presidential Unit Citation w/Star; Air Medal w/Gold Star.
...One of them John Adams, had no sooner become airborne, rolled up his wheels, charged his guns and banked to port when a torpedo bomber crossed his sights. The Japanese torpedo bombers always seemed to attack in pairs. Adams shot down the plane in his sights and hit the wing man too, but not before the 'long lance' was dropped. Both Japanese planes as well as the pursuing Adams were racing against a torrent of destroyer fire. But even with the two Nakajima's out of the action, the destroyer continued to fire at Adams! He survived but was livid with anger for a long time afterward and almost came to blows with the destroyer's gunnery officer whom he later encountered ashore in Pearl...
His was the last plane to fly off USS Yorktown CV-5 during the Battle of Midway while under attack. He shot down a Japanese torpedo plane, but the CV-5 sunk, so he landed on USS Enterprise CV-6. He was the CO of VF-41.
Navy Cross Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Ensign John Paul Adams (NSN: 0-98683), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron THREE (VF-3), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), during the "Air Battle of Midway," against enemy Japanese forces on 4 June 1942. Ensign Adams was launched to defend the ship against an imminent attack by Japanese Torpedo Planes. The situation had already become so critical that he made his take-off from the carrier deck amidst the blasts of the ship's five-inch guns, which were directing their fire at the incoming enemy planes. With marked coolness and indomitable courage, Ensign Adams, immediately upon becoming airborne, pressed home attacks against two of the enemy planes, shooting down one in flames and damaging the other. His aggressive attacks on the enemy planes were skillfully executed despite the intense anti-aircraft fire from our ships. His courage, determination and utter disregard for personal safety were in keeping with the best traditions of the United States Naval Service. General Orders: Commander In Chief Pacific Fleet: Serial 19 (July 20, 1942) & Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 318 (September 1943) Action Date: 4-Jun-42 Service: Navy Rank: Ensign Company: Fighting Squadron 3 (VF-3) Division: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)
Navy Cross, second award Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign John Paul Adams (NSN: 0-98683), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron THREE (VF-3), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), in action against the Japanese on 4 and 8 May 1942. On 4 May, in company with three other fighter planes forming the escort group for our own Torpedo Planes in an attack on Tulagi Harbor, Ensign Adams made a strafing attack on an enemy gunboat and destroyer, in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire and caused serious damage to both enemy vessels. On 8 May, as a member of the fighter escort group protecting our own Torpedo Planes making an attack on an enemy carrier in the Coral Sea, he engaged enemy planes attempting to intercept our attack group and thus assisted materially in the success of our attack which resulted in the sinking or severe damaging of the enemy carrier. On his return to our own force, he encountered and destroyed an enemy Torpedo Plane. Throughout these engagements, Ensign Adams showed courage and aggressiveness without regard for personal safety. His outstanding courage and determined skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. General Orders: Commander In Chief Pacific Fleet: Serial 14 P15(1) (June 28, 1942) Action Date: May 4 & 8, 1942 Service: Navy Rank: Ensign Company: Fighting Squadron 3 (VF-3) Division: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)
Silver Star Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant John Paul Adams (NSN: 0-98683), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on 28 July 1945. In the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire, Lieutenant Adams led a highly successful attack against an enemy light cruiser in the vicinity of the Island of Honshu, Japan, scoring a direct hit which caused considerable damage. His courage and leadership were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. General Orders: Commander 2d Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 01817 (September 15, 1945) Action Date: 28-Jul-45 Service: Navy Rank: Lieutenant Company: Navy Air Squadron
Distinguished Flying Cross Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Ensign John Paul Adams (NSN: 0-98683), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism while participating in aerial flight, while serving as Pilot of an airplane during the attacks upon Japanese installations in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands on 31 January 1942. While piloting a fighter plane from the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), he assisted in the destruction of an enemy four-engine patrol bomber seaplane which was attempting to attack that ship. General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 304 (July 1942) Action Date: January 31 & February 1, 1942 Service: Naval Reserve Rank: Ensign
Central Pacific Campaign (1941-43)/Battle of the Coral Sea
From Month/Year
May / 1942
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May / 1942
Description The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought during 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first action in which aircraft carriers engaged each other, as well as the first in which neither side's ships sighted or fired directly upon the other.
In an attempt to strengthen their defensive positioning for their empire in the South Pacific, Japanese forces decided to invade and occupy Port Moresby in New Guinea and Tulagi in the southeastern Solomon Islands. The plan to accomplish this, called Operation MO, involved several major units of Japan's Combined Fleet, including two fleet carriers and a light carrier to provide air cover for the invasion fleets, under the overall command of Japanese Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue. The US learned of the Japanese plan through signals intelligence and sent two United States Navy carrier task forces and a joint Australian-American cruiser force, under the overall command of American Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, to oppose the Japanese offensive.
On 3–4 May, Japanese forces successfully invaded and occupied Tulagi, although several of their supporting warships were surprised and sunk or damaged by aircraft from the US fleet carrier Yorktown. Now aware of the presence of US carriers in the area, the Japanese fleet carriers entered the Coral Sea with the intention of finding and destroying the Allied naval forces.
Beginning on 7 May, the carrier forces from the two sides exchanged airstrikes over two consecutive days. The first day, the US sank the Japanese light carrier Shoho, while the Japanese sank a US destroyer and heavily damaged a fleet oiler (which was later scuttled). The next day, the Japanese fleet carrier Shokaku was heavily damaged, the US fleet carrier Lexington was critically damaged (and was scuttled as a result), and the Yorktown was damaged. With both sides having suffered heavy losses in aircraft and carriers damaged or sunk, the two fleets disengaged and retired from the battle area. Because of the loss of carrier air cover, Inoue recalled the Port Moresby invasion fleet, intending to try again later.
Although a tactical victory for the Japanese in terms of ships sunk, the battle would prove to be a strategic victory for the Allies for several reasons. The battle marked the first time since the start of the war that a major Japanese advance had been checked by the Allies. More importantly, the Japanese fleet carriers Sokaku and Zuikaku – one damaged and the other with a depleted aircraft complement – were unable to participate in the Battle of Midway, which took place the following month, ensuring a rough parity in aircraft between the two adversaries and contributing significantly to the US victory in that battle. The severe losses in carriers at Midway prevented the Japanese from reattempting to invade Port Moresby from the ocean. Two months later, the Allies took advantage of Japan's resulting strategic vulnerability in the South Pacific and launched the Guadalcanal Campaign that, along with the New Guinea Campaign, eventually broke Japanese defenses in the South Pacific and was a significant contributing factor to Japan's ultimate defeat in World War II.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
May / 1942
To Month/Year
May / 1942
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Battle of the Coral Sea VF-42 (Fighting 42) USS Yorktown CV-5 Yorktown Air Group
