World War II Honoree

Sidney Martin 'Sid' Adkinson

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Memphis, Tennessee

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE SHORTLY AFTER TURNING AGE 18 IN DECEMBER, 1944. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE LIGHT AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS COWPENS (CVL-25) ‘THE MIGHTY MOO’. HIS SHIP PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AT LUZON IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS IN SEPTEMBER, 1944; STRIKES AGAINST JAPANESE BASES ON OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, AND FORMOSA IN OCTOBER, 1944; AND IN THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF IN THE PHILIPPINES IN OCTOBER, 1944. THE CARRIER ALSO SURVIVED A TYPHOON ON DECEMBER 18, 1944. HIS SHIP SUPPORTED THE LANDINGS AT LINGAYEN GULF, ON LUZON IN THE PHILIPPINES WITH STRIKES ON LUZON AND FORMOSA; THE IWO JIMA OPERATION IN THE BONIN ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGO IN FEBRUARY, 1945; AND OPERATIONS AGAINST THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS IN JULY-AUGUST, 1945. HIS SHIP WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO ENTER TOKYO HARBOR AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES AND SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES THERE AFTER THE WAR. FROM NOVEMBER, 1945 UNTIL JANUARY, 1946, PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION ‘MAGIC CARPET’. THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER MADE TRIPS TO PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, GUAM IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, AND OKINAWA, AND RETURNED VETERANS BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. AUTHORIZED THE NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY HIS SHIP IN SUSTAINED MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST ENEMY FORCES. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.