Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams (April 10, 1912 – June 5, 1942) was an officer in the United States Navy decorated for action in the Battle of Midway during World War II. Biography Born in Northampton, Massachusetts, Adams was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from the state's second Congressional district in 1931, and graduated in 1935 with an appointment to the rank of ensign. One of his classmates was Eugene B. Fluckey. Adams was assigned to sea duty on battleships, serving aboard in June and July 1935 before being reassigned to until January 2, 1938. He was then accepted to flight school at NAS Pensacola, where he earned wings as a naval aviator on January 17, 1939. Soon promoted to Lieutenant (j.g.), Adams was assigned to aircraft carrier duty, first aboard for one month (April–May 1939) and then with Bombing Squadron (VB) 5 aboard , from May 13, 1939 to the end of his career. While with Yorktown, Adams flew Northrop BT-1s, later transitioning with the rest of the squadron to the SBD Dauntless aircraft, flying escort for North Atlantic convoys until the U.S. entered the war. He was promoted to Lieutenant on October 1, 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Yorktown was sent to the Pacific theater. Adams took part in raids in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. He led raids on land and sea targets in and around Jaluit on February 1, 1942, against shipping off New Guinea on March 10, and on the island of Tulagi on May 4. He participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 7 and 8. During this period Adams was twice awarded the Navy Cross.