Autobiography - Thomas N. Adams

Thomas N. Adams    b. October 15, 1925.
Registered for Selective Service, October 16, 1943.
Sworn  into U.S. Army November 08, 1943.
Ft. Hayes, Columbus, Ohio: Clothing and testing.
Camp Croft, South Carolina 13 week basic infantry training. 6 weeks only, then transferred to Ft. Benning, Georgia again basic training, testing to be sent to college (engineering) under the ASTP program. March, 1944 the program closed down and sent to the Infantry.  Camp Livingston, Louisiana, "L" Company, 341st Infantry regiment, 86th Infantry Division ..."BLACKHAWK." This division was primarily infantry basic training, and then replacements sent to divisions in the ETO (European Theatre of Operations). The army decided to cancel replacements and send the 86th to fighting the PTO (Pacific Theatre of Operations). The division was sent to California: Camp Cooke, Camp San Luis Obispo, and Camp Callan for amphibious  and, as always, basic infantry training for invading Pacific strongholds and later Japan itself.  December 16, 1944 - late January, 1945...BATTLE OF THE BULGE. US Army panicked.  Instead of going  to the PTO the 86 Infantry Division was sent to the ETO. Arrived LeHavre, France March 1945. Camp Old Gold...to check rifles, clothing and prepare for combat. Cologne, Germany, Battle of the Ruhr Pocket, Hagen, Germany..."L" Company's biggest ground fight. Many casualties. Spring of 1945: the war was very fluid...went from the 1st Army Sector to Patton's 3rd Army and the to Gen. Patch's 7th Army... southern  Germany, Bavaria  and finally Austria... 45 miles from Salzburg when the war ended, May 08,1945.  "Last in, First out" The 86th Infantry Division was the last infantry division  to fight in Europe, first to  be redeployed to USA (New York City, June 17, 1945) to go to the PTO to end the war with the Japanese. 30 day furlough. Then Camp Gruber, Oklahoma for new clothing, further training, etc. Troop train heading for POE (California) to ship-out, Atomic Bomb August 14th, 1945. We thought the  war was over, but still sent to the Philippine Islands, garrison duty although some units sent onto the jungles to round-up Japanese soldiers. December, 1945 I was trans-ferred to Division Hq, Special Services disseminated Hollywood movies and books to the three infantry regiments.

Rank: PFC ...rifleman/messenger in the line company; Division HQ, Tech 5th grade.

Separation from the army, April 23, 1946, Camp Atterbury, Indiana...Honorable Discharge. Division casualties (unofficial KIA: 136; WIA:618; died of wounds: 125. My "L" company possibly had the highest casualty rate (???) of any rifle Company in the 86th (Blackhawk) Infantry Division.
 

Medals: Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star (1947...Pres. Truman...all combat infantry soldiers awarded  this medal), American Theatre of War, European Theatre of War with one battle star for : Battle of Central Europe, Pacific Theatre of War, German Occupation Medal, also Good Conduct Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

Dr. Thomas Adams (Optometrist)
4177 Apache Place
Copley, Ohio
44321
 

330-668-3672

tnadams1925@cs.com

 Bio #5      5-15-05