World War II Honoree

John Clausel Adams, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Mobile, Alabama

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veteran

He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy as part of the class of 1944. The class graduated in 1943 due to WWII. He was killed with the loss of 87 Officers and men onboard USS KETE (SS-369) around 20 March 1945 near Between 29-38N 130-02E and Midway. Cause Unknown. Decorations: Purple Heart. Departing Guam on 1 March 1945, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Edward Ackerman, USS KETE headed for her second patrol in the vicinity of the Nansei Shoto. On the night of 10 March 1945, KETE reported having sunk three medium sized freighters on the previous night. She reported on the night of 14 March that she had fired four torpedoes, which missed a small enemy cable laying vessel, and that she had only three torpedoes remaining aboard. In view of the small number of torpedoes left, KETE was directed to depart her area on 20 March, and proceed to Pearl Harbor for refit, stopping at Midway en-route for fuel. On 19 March, she acknowledged receipt of these orders. On 20 March she sent in a special weather report from position 29° 38'N, 130° 02'E. This was the last message received from her. At normal cruising speed she should have arrived at Midway about 31 March 1945. When she was neither sighted nor heard from by 16 April 1945, she was reported as presumed lost.