Adams, John Edwin – ww2 Europe

Name and Rank, Major John Edwin Adams.

Unit/placed in, 2^nd Surgical Group.

John was born no record .

Father, Mother and Siblings, no record.

Wife, Helen M. Adams.

John entered the Service from California with service number # O-345350.

On 24 January 1944 the Hospital ship H.M.H.S. St. David, well illuminated and displaying the neutral markings of a hospital ship was about 25 miles south-west of Anzio when she was attacked by enemy aircraft. One bomb hit the ship in No.3 hold, two others exploded alongside No. 2 hold. The ship was sinking fast and Captain Owens gave the order to abandon ship. The crew attempted to save all those aboard but the ship sank five minutes after the initial hit. Captain Owens lost his life with 12 of his crew, 22 patients and 22 Royal Army Medical Corps, including 2 nursing sisters from the Reserve Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service, Sarah Elizabeth Dixon and Winnie Alice Elizabeth Harrison. 159 people were saved.

John E. Adams was Killed when the Germans bombed the Hospital ship St. David at Anzio Harbor , on Jan. 24, 1944, and he is honored with the Purple Heart Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal..

John E. Adams is mentioned/buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Nettuno,

Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Lazio, Italy.

Tablets of the Missing.

He has also a Memorial Grave at Kittson County Veteran’s Memorial, Lake Bronson, Kittson County, Minnesota, USA.

Thanks to,

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com and ww2-europe.com.

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.