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| MEDAL OF
HONOR RECIPIENT |
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| NAME: |
William
E. Adams |
| RANK: |
Major |
| ORGANIZATION: |
U.S.
Army, A/227th Assault Helicopter Company,
52d Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation
Brigade |
| PLACE: |
Kontum
Province, Republic of Vietnam |
| DATE: |
25
May 1971 |
| ENTERED
SERVICE AT: |
Kansas
City, Missouri |
| BORN: |
16
June 1939, Casper, Wyoming |
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| CITATION |
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| MAJ
Adams distinguished himself on 25 May,
1971 while serving as a helicopter pilot
in Kontum Province in the Republic of
Vietnam. On that date, MAJ Adams
volunteered to fly a lightly armed
helicopter in an attempt to evacuate 3
seriously wounded soldiers from a small
fire base which was under attack by a
large enemy force. He made the decision
with full knowledge that numerous
antiaircraft weapons were positioned
around the base and that the clear
weather would afford the enemy gunners
unobstructed view of all routes into the
base. As he approached the base, the
enemy gunners opened fire with heavy
machineguns, rocket-propelled grenades
and small arms. Undaunted by the
fusillade, he continued his approach
determined to accomplish the mission.
Displaying tremendous courage under fire,
he calmly directed the attacks of
supporting gunships while maintaining
absolute control of the aircraft he was
flying. He landed the aircraft at the
fire base despite the ever-increasing
enemy fire and calmly waited until the
wounded soldiers were placed on board. As
his aircraft departed from the fire base,
it was struck and seriously damaged by
enemy anti-aircraft fire and began
descending. Flying with exceptional
skill, he immediately regained control of
the crippled aircraft and attempted a
controlled landing. Despite his valiant
efforts, the helicopter exploded,
overturned, and plummeted to the earth
amid the hail of enemy fire. MAJ Adams'
conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity, and
humanitarian regard for his fellow man
were in keeping with the most cherished
traditions of the military service and
reflected utmost credit on him and the
U.S. Army. |
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