Lucian Adams

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Lucian Adams
October 22, 1922(1922-10-22) – March 31, 2003 (aged 80)
  
Lucian Adams, Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth Flag of Texas Port Arthur, Texas
Place of death San Antonio, Texas
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Staff Sergeant
Unit 30th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Medal of Honor
Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Other work Veterans Administration

Staff Sergeant Lucian Adams (October 22, 1922–March 31, 2003) was a United States Army soldier during World War II who received the Medal of Honor for single-handedly destroying enemy machine gun emplacements to re-establish supply lines to U.S. Army companies. He also received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his heroic actions in Italy.

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[edit] Personal

Lucian Adams
Lucian Adams

Lucian Adams was born on October 22, 1922, in Port Arthur, Texas. He was one of twelve children from a large Mexican American family.[1] Adams enlisted in the Army after his graduation from Port Arthur High School. After serving in the European Theatre during World War II, he returned to Texas where he worked for the Veterans Administration for over 40 years before retiring in 1986. He died on March 31, 2003, in San Antonio, Texas, and is buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

While serving with the 30th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, in France, SSgt Adams' company was attempting to open supply lines; he single-handedly eliminated the enemy positions.[2] His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 28 October 1944, near St. Die, France. When his company was stopped in its effort to drive through the Mortagne Forest to reopen the supply line to the isolated third battalion, S/Sgt. Adams braved the concentrated fire of machineguns in a lone assault on a force of German troops. Although his company had progressed less than 10 yards and had lost 3 killed and 6 wounded, S/Sgt. Adams charged forward dodging from tree to tree firing a borrowed BAR from the hip. Despite intense machinegun fire which the enemy directed at him and rifle grenades which struck the trees over his head showering him with broken twigs and branches, S/Sgt. Adams made his way to within 10 yards of the closest machinegun and killed the gunner with a hand grenade. An enemy soldier threw hand grenades at him from a position only 10 yards distant; however, S/Sgt. Adams dispatched him with a single burst of BAR fire. Charging into the vortex of the enemy fire, he killed another machinegunner at 15 yards range with a hand grenade and forced the surrender of 2 supporting infantrymen. Although the remainder of the German group concentrated the full force of its automatic weapons fire in a desperate effort to knock him out, he proceeded through the woods to find and exterminate 5 more of the enemy. Finally, when the third German machinegun opened up on him at a range of 20 yards, S/Sgt. Adams killed the gunner with BAR fire. In the course of the action, he personally killed 9 Germans, eliminated 3 enemy machineguns, vanquished a specialized force which was armed with automatic weapons and grenade launchers, cleared the woods of hostile elements, and reopened the severed supply lines to the assault companies of his battalion.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 29, 1945.

[edit] Awards and Recognitions

Among Lucian Adam's decorations and medals were the following:

[edit] See also

United States Army Portal

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Oliver, Myrna. "World War II Hero Lucian Adams", Los Angeles Times, republished in South Coast Today, April 8, 2003. 
  2. ^ Medal of Honor Recipients. 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.

[edit] References

[edit] External links


Persondata
NAME Adams, Lucian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION United States Army recipient of the Medal of Honor
DATE OF BIRTH October 22, 1922
PLACE OF BIRTH Port Arthur, Texas
DATE OF DEATH March 31, 2003
PLACE OF DEATH San Antonio, Texas