MAJ GEN US AIR FORCE
May 15, 2009, marked the passing of Major General (USAF Ret.) Milton Bernard Adams, World War II hero, Laredo community leader, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was 92 years old.
Admas was born of military stock in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 12, 1917. His father, an Army engineer, had recently taken part in General Pershing's Pancho Villa Expedition. Adams prepped at Corpus Christi College Academy and, despite an offer to play professional baseball chose to continue on his family's military path. He graduated from West Point in 1939 and earned his wings at Kelly Field in 1940. He was assigned to be a fighter pilot.
Among Adams' initial stints was a tour at Hamilton Field, California. It was there in 1943, following a courtship of countless love letters, where he began his life with his wife of the next 66 years, Jean Besson. Over the next 22 months Adams became a hero of the Pacific theater, flying nearly 300 sorties and logging over 1000 cambat hours. He was a squadron leader and group commander, and at the age of 27 attained the rank of Colonel.
After the war ended, Adams served as advisor to the Shah of Iran until 1949. He then embarked upon several years of leadership training, first at the Air War College in Alabama, then at the National War College in Washington, DC. During this time he authored several texts on the elements of national power and leadership.
Following his graduation in 1955, Adams completed successive two-year stints in Laredo, as Commander of Laredo AFB, and Arizona, as Commander of the Tactical Fighter Pilot School at Williams AFB. The ensuing three years were spent at the Pentagon, managing missile procurement, followed by another three years as a military planner in Vietnam, where he was promoted to Major General.
Adams' concluding years in the military were spent in Washington, DC, and Honolulu, where he continued to assist in the planning of the Vietnam War. His final two tours of duty were as Chief of Staff, Pacific Air Forces, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, US Pacific Command.
In 1972 Adams retired from the Air Force. He held two Distinguished Service Medals, three Legions of Merit, one Distinguished Flying Cross, ten Air Medals, and numerous Army and Air Force Commendation Medals, US and Philippine Presidential Unit Citations, and Iranian, Vietnamese, and US service awards.
Upon retirement Adams chose to live in Laredo, where he pursued his passions of hunting, fishing, and golfing. Among his greatest pleasures were the nights spent with his friends and family at Mil Ojos, his hunting lease. Adams was also very active in the community, serving as director of the Laredo Development Foundation. He also chaired the committee to organize the Laredo Country Club and personally oversaw it construction and development.
A man of many gifts and achievements, Adams always deferred credit to his faith and to his wife Jean for empowering and sustaining him and his family throughout his life. He is survived by his wife; four children, Mary Adams Worley of Austin, Milton Bernard Adams, Jr., of Boston; Jean Adams Lopez of Austin; and Frank Lewis Adams of Dallas; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
May 15, 2009, marked the passing of Major General (USAF Ret.) Milton Bernard Adams, World War II hero, Laredo community leader, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was 92 years old.
Admas was born of military stock in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 12, 1917. His father, an Army engineer, had recently taken part in General Pershing's Pancho Villa Expedition. Adams prepped at Corpus Christi College Academy and, despite an offer to play professional baseball chose to continue on his family's military path. He graduated from West Point in 1939 and earned his wings at Kelly Field in 1940. He was assigned to be a fighter pilot.
Among Adams' initial stints was a tour at Hamilton Field, California. It was there in 1943, following a courtship of countless love letters, where he began his life with his wife of the next 66 years, Jean Besson. Over the next 22 months Adams became a hero of the Pacific theater, flying nearly 300 sorties and logging over 1000 cambat hours. He was a squadron leader and group commander, and at the age of 27 attained the rank of Colonel.
After the war ended, Adams served as advisor to the Shah of Iran until 1949. He then embarked upon several years of leadership training, first at the Air War College in Alabama, then at the National War College in Washington, DC. During this time he authored several texts on the elements of national power and leadership.
Following his graduation in 1955, Adams completed successive two-year stints in Laredo, as Commander of Laredo AFB, and Arizona, as Commander of the Tactical Fighter Pilot School at Williams AFB. The ensuing three years were spent at the Pentagon, managing missile procurement, followed by another three years as a military planner in Vietnam, where he was promoted to Major General.
Adams' concluding years in the military were spent in Washington, DC, and Honolulu, where he continued to assist in the planning of the Vietnam War. His final two tours of duty were as Chief of Staff, Pacific Air Forces, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, US Pacific Command.
In 1972 Adams retired from the Air Force. He held two Distinguished Service Medals, three Legions of Merit, one Distinguished Flying Cross, ten Air Medals, and numerous Army and Air Force Commendation Medals, US and Philippine Presidential Unit Citations, and Iranian, Vietnamese, and US service awards.
Upon retirement Adams chose to live in Laredo, where he pursued his passions of hunting, fishing, and golfing. Among his greatest pleasures were the nights spent with his friends and family at Mil Ojos, his hunting lease. Adams was also very active in the community, serving as director of the Laredo Development Foundation. He also chaired the committee to organize the Laredo Country Club and personally oversaw it construction and development.
A man of many gifts and achievements, Adams always deferred credit to his faith and to his wife Jean for empowering and sustaining him and his family throughout his life. He is survived by his wife; four children, Mary Adams Worley of Austin, Milton Bernard Adams, Jr., of Boston; Jean Adams Lopez of Austin; and Frank Lewis Adams of Dallas; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
MAJ GEN US AIR FORCE
May 15, 2009, marked the passing of Major General (USAF Ret.) Milton Bernard Adams, World War II hero, Laredo community leader, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was 92 years old.
Admas was born of military stock in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 12, 1917. His father, an Army engineer, had recently taken part in General Pershing's Pancho Villa Expedition. Adams prepped at Corpus Christi College Academy and, despite an offer to play professional baseball chose to continue on his family's military path. He graduated from West Point in 1939 and earned his wings at Kelly Field in 1940. He was assigned to be a fighter pilot.
Among Adams' initial stints was a tour at Hamilton Field, California. It was there in 1943, following a courtship of countless love letters, where he began his life with his wife of the next 66 years, Jean Besson. Over the next 22 months Adams became a hero of the Pacific theater, flying nearly 300 sorties and logging over 1000 cambat hours. He was a squadron leader and group commander, and at the age of 27 attained the rank of Colonel.
After the war ended, Adams served as advisor to the Shah of Iran until 1949. He then embarked upon several years of leadership training, first at the Air War College in Alabama, then at the National War College in Washington, DC. During this time he authored several texts on the elements of national power and leadership.
Following his graduation in 1955, Adams completed successive two-year stints in Laredo, as Commander of Laredo AFB, and Arizona, as Commander of the Tactical Fighter Pilot School at Williams AFB. The ensuing three years were spent at the Pentagon, managing missile procurement, followed by another three years as a military planner in Vietnam, where he was promoted to Major General.
Adams' concluding years in the military were spent in Washington, DC, and Honolulu, where he continued to assist in the planning of the Vietnam War. His final two tours of duty were as Chief of Staff, Pacific Air Forces, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, US Pacific Command.
In 1972 Adams retired from the Air Force. He held two Distinguished Service Medals, three Legions of Merit, one Distinguished Flying Cross, ten Air Medals, and numerous Army and Air Force Commendation Medals, US and Philippine Presidential Unit Citations, and Iranian, Vietnamese, and US service awards.
Upon retirement Adams chose to live in Laredo, where he pursued his passions of hunting, fishing, and golfing. Among his greatest pleasures were the nights spent with his friends and family at Mil Ojos, his hunting lease. Adams was also very active in the community, serving as director of the Laredo Development Foundation. He also chaired the committee to organize the Laredo Country Club and personally oversaw it construction and development.
A man of many gifts and achievements, Adams always deferred credit to his faith and to his wife Jean for empowering and sustaining him and his family throughout his life. He is survived by his wife; four children, Mary Adams Worley of Austin, Milton Bernard Adams, Jr., of Boston; Jean Adams Lopez of Austin; and Frank Lewis Adams of Dallas; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
May 15, 2009, marked the passing of Major General (USAF Ret.) Milton Bernard Adams, World War II hero, Laredo community leader, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather. He was 92 years old.
Admas was born of military stock in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 12, 1917. His father, an Army engineer, had recently taken part in General Pershing's Pancho Villa Expedition. Adams prepped at Corpus Christi College Academy and, despite an offer to play professional baseball chose to continue on his family's military path. He graduated from West Point in 1939 and earned his wings at Kelly Field in 1940. He was assigned to be a fighter pilot.
Among Adams' initial stints was a tour at Hamilton Field, California. It was there in 1943, following a courtship of countless love letters, where he began his life with his wife of the next 66 years, Jean Besson. Over the next 22 months Adams became a hero of the Pacific theater, flying nearly 300 sorties and logging over 1000 cambat hours. He was a squadron leader and group commander, and at the age of 27 attained the rank of Colonel.
After the war ended, Adams served as advisor to the Shah of Iran until 1949. He then embarked upon several years of leadership training, first at the Air War College in Alabama, then at the National War College in Washington, DC. During this time he authored several texts on the elements of national power and leadership.
Following his graduation in 1955, Adams completed successive two-year stints in Laredo, as Commander of Laredo AFB, and Arizona, as Commander of the Tactical Fighter Pilot School at Williams AFB. The ensuing three years were spent at the Pentagon, managing missile procurement, followed by another three years as a military planner in Vietnam, where he was promoted to Major General.
Adams' concluding years in the military were spent in Washington, DC, and Honolulu, where he continued to assist in the planning of the Vietnam War. His final two tours of duty were as Chief of Staff, Pacific Air Forces, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, US Pacific Command.
In 1972 Adams retired from the Air Force. He held two Distinguished Service Medals, three Legions of Merit, one Distinguished Flying Cross, ten Air Medals, and numerous Army and Air Force Commendation Medals, US and Philippine Presidential Unit Citations, and Iranian, Vietnamese, and US service awards.
Upon retirement Adams chose to live in Laredo, where he pursued his passions of hunting, fishing, and golfing. Among his greatest pleasures were the nights spent with his friends and family at Mil Ojos, his hunting lease. Adams was also very active in the community, serving as director of the Laredo Development Foundation. He also chaired the committee to organize the Laredo Country Club and personally oversaw it construction and development.
A man of many gifts and achievements, Adams always deferred credit to his faith and to his wife Jean for empowering and sustaining him and his family throughout his life. He is survived by his wife; four children, Mary Adams Worley of Austin, Milton Bernard Adams, Jr., of Boston; Jean Adams Lopez of Austin; and Frank Lewis Adams of Dallas; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
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