Date of birth:

April 10th, 1912 (Northampton/Massachusetts, United States)

Date of death:

June 5th, 1942 (Pacific Ocean)

Nationality:

American

Samuel Adams was born at Northampton, Massachusetts, on 10 April 1912. Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1935, he was designated a Naval Aviator in January 1939. He joined Bombing Squadron Five (VB-5) on USS Yorktown (CV-5) in May 1939 and served with that unit through the first six months of the Pacific war. On 4 June 1942, during a Battle of Midway scouting flight, Lieutenant Adams located the Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, a vital contribution to the destruction of that ship. On the following day, while attacking the Japanese destroyer Tanikaze, he lost his life when his SBD aircraft was shot down.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• Photo 1: Naval Historical Center
• Photo: Naval Historical Center
  
• - Sterner C.D., Recipients of The Navy Cross, 1916 - Present
  - Naval Historical Center