World War II Honoree

Jessie Leroy Adamson

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Tecumseh, Oklahoma

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: SEAMAN 2ND CLASS. SERVED ABOARD THE USS LANDING CRAFT, INFANTRY (GUNBOAT) 471, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ON FEBRUARY 17, 1945, TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT IN THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA (INVASION DATES: FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 26, 1945) CODE NAME: OPERATION DETACHMENT, HIS SHIP DROPPED ANCHOR CLOSE TO THE BEACH AND BEGAN LAYING DOWN A HEAVY ARTILLERY BARRAGE AND ROCKET SALVOS ON THE ISLAND. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION ALONG WITH TEN OTHER CREW MEMBERS, WHEN HIS SHIP WAS HIT BY A JAPANESE ARTILLERY SHELL THAT EXPLODED IN THE SHIP’S AMMUNITION STORAGE AREA. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT HE WAS BURIED AT SEA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1945 FIVE MILES EAST OF IWO AND HIS BURIAL CEREMONIAL SERVICES WERE CONDUCTED FROM HIS SHIP. HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING, HONOLULU NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. THIS SEAMAN, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, WHO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.