Clyde "Jack" Lavern Adams

Lilah Crowe2023-09-17T19:48:10-05:00

Name: Clyde "Jack" Lavern Adams
Location of Birth: Itasca County, Minnesota
Date of Birth: November 7, 1924
Date of Death: May 12, 1971
Parents: Chester Adams & Amy (Eddy) Adams
High School and Class:
College:
Highest Rank: S SGT (Staff Sergeant)
Branch: Army
Other Branch:
Date Sworn In: May 22, 1943
Place Sworn In: Fort Snelling, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date of Discharge: October 10, 1945
Place of Discharge:
Units and Locations:

Start Date End Date Unit(s) and Location(s) Served

October 1945 2512 BASE UNIT
Military Awards:
European Theatre Ribbon
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters

Military Highlights:
WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
State: Minnesota
Name: Clyde Lavern Adams
Race: White
Age: 18
Birth Date: November 7, 1924
Birth Place: Bovey, Minnesota, USA
Residence Place: Route 2, Bovey, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
Registration Date: December 26, 1942
Employer: Cleveland Cliff Mining Co., Coleraine, Itasca, Minnesota
Weight: 170
Height: 5-8
Complexion: Freckled
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Red
Next of Kin: Mrs. C. L. Adams, Rt. 2, Bovey, Minnesota

Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota - March 16, 1945 – "Santa Ana, Calif., March 16 – S-Sgt. Clyde L. Adams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester L. Adams of RFD No. 2, is currently assigned to the AAF Redistribution Station No. 4 at Santa Ana Army Air Base. Sgt. Adams, a gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator in the European Theater, entered the service May 22, 1943 and went overseas in June 1944. He has been awarded the European Theatre Ribbon and the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters. He has completed 34 missions serving in England. At this redistribution station, an operation of the Personnel Distribution Command, combat returnees of the AAF receive complete medical examinations, classification interviews and reassignment to domestic stations of the Army Air Forces."

Wars Involved:
World War II

MIA / POW:

Civilian Life:
Clyde Adams was born in Lawrence Lake Township and lived in the area for all his life except for his time in military service. He attended Coleraine schools, married Beatrice Mullenix in 1956, and was employed as an equipment operator for Itasca County in the Road & Bridge Department.

Clyde Adams died in Itasca County, MN and is buried in Wildwood Cemetery, Cohasset, MN. Survivors include his wife, Beatrice; daughter, Mrs. Stan (Jacquelyn) Fellers; 3 sons, Dennis L., Kevin R., and Gregory L.; 6 sisters, Mrs. Leonard Martin, Mrs. Joe Karpik, Mrs. Elton Kleinendorst, Mrs. Darrell Campbell, Mrs. Wade Patterson, and Gladys Adams; 5 brothers, Clifford G., Richard L., Francis B., Edward L., and Bernard H.; and 1 granddaughter.

News article in Grand Rapids Herald Review, dated October 24, 1945:
Lone Survivor Of Tragedy Which Killed Three Has No Recollection Of Fatal Week End Tryst
Clyde "Jack" Adams, who returned less than two weeks ago from his Army service as an Air Force gunner with 34 combat missions over Germany, may never have a recollection of the tragedy of the past weekend which snuffed out the lives of his three companions but spared him.
The tragedy was disclosed Monday afternoon when Chief of Police George O'Clock and Anthony Gais, State Highway Patrolman, in response to a report from 12-year old Fred Young, drove to the east end of the fairground's racetrack.
There, parked off the track toward the east, they came upon a car with four persons in it. Mr. O'Clock opened a door and thought there was a motion of the head of one. Coroner Thomas Russell, Dr. J. L. McLeod and an ambulance were summoned.
The youth who was not dead was removed and hurried to the hospital. On advice of the coroner the bodies of the three victims of monoxide gas poisoning, were left in their positions and a coroner's jury was summoned hurriedly to view the tragedy. The inquest was held Tuesday forenoon, heard three witnesses, and then adjourned to November 2 when, perhaps, Clyde Adams will be able to testify to relate his version.
The three dead are Louis Simat, 23, discharged September 10 from the Army Air Force; Marcella B Salmonson and Miss Pauline Erickson, both of Grand Rapids. Mrs. Salmonson and Simat were huddled in the front seat, Simat on the driver's side, Miss Erickson was in the left corner of the rear seat.
At the inquest Tuesday Fred Young, the youth who lives north of the fairgrounds, said he crossed the fairgrounds about 10 o'clock Sunday forenoon. He saw the car. The motor was running. Returning home at about four in the afternoon, he stated, the car was still there. The motor was not running. Four persons were in the car.
Next morning on his way to school, the youth testified, he saw the car still in the same place and he noticed the four occupants seemingly in the same position he had observed the day before. After dinner, he said, he told the police of his observations.
In response to questions, the lad said he was quite certain the windows of the car were closed.
Chief O'Clock told his observations. He and Mr. Gais went to the scene soon after receiving the information from the youth. The windows of the car had been lowered a bit, about an inch, he said. Noticing the one youth was still alive, Mr. O'Clock said his first thought was to summon medical help as quickly as possible.
Dr. McLeod told the inquest jury that monoxide gas evidence was unmistakable, especially from his observations of the youth in the hospital. In his opinion, Dr. McLeod said, the persons had been dead not less than 24 hours when discovered Monday afternoon.
Questioned about the youth in the hospital, the doctor said he will recover. He exhibited signs of becoming rational Monday evening and on Tuesday morning was able to speak of his family and of his service during the war. He has no recollection of the very recent happenings. Dr McLeod said, declaring the youth did not recall leaving his home Saturday afternoon.
That mental situation may continue the doctor said.
Adams is a son of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Adams of Bovey, Minnesota. He was born November 7, 1924. He has a brother and a sister.
Louis Simat was born January 9, 1922 at Calumet, Minnesota. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Simat. He has three sisters and a brother. The youth was discharged as a Sergeant. He was an Air Force mechanic and had served in Italy, in France and in the Rhineland. He was in the service nearly three years. Information at the Selective Service Office indicated he was awarded a Unit Citation Badge and Oak Leaf Cluster.
Parents of the two young men were alarmed Sunday afternoon over their failure to return home. They had left late Saturday. Monday forenoon a call came from Bovey to the police headquarters in Grand Rapids, asking if this car had been reported in an accident. At that time the police had no information.

Tribal Affiliation(s):