HomeMy WebLinkAboutBilly Joe Adams - Bio
Billy Joe Adams
United States Army
8 June 1941-31 December 1945
2nd Lt Major
My father was a "rent farmer," having lost his land during the middle of the 1920s. Then, he died
in February 1937. However, none of these factors denied me the desire nor the opportunity to
obtain a college education. But, any added income was always welcomed by me and my
brothers.
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As a student at The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, I was fortunate to enroll in
the advanced ROTC program that would lead to being commissioned a Reserve Officer in the
Army. This involved several commitments. First, I agreed to attend summer camp prior to
receiving a commission. Also, I agreed to maintain my commission for, I believe, 7 years. These
were no great commitments because my oldest brother had done so and such did not interfere
with his career. In return for this, I would receive $21 per month for those times when I was
enrolled in ROTC or attending summer camp. This added income had its enticements for me and
I was very pleased with this kind of an arrangement: an obligation for some undefined service to
the Army in return for financial assistance while in college.
I was on campus preparing for enrollment in the fall of 1939, enrollment not only in the college
but also in ROTC at the time that Hitler's Germany invaded Poland. However I gave no thought
to any future increased involvement with in the Army because of my obligation to remain active
as a Reserve Officer in the Army for 7 years.
As time passed, and as the activities of Germany, Italy and Japan became more aggressive, I
became aware that active service in the Army was more and more likely. However, in the
meantime, I was offered ajob in Houston with an independent oil company, one for which I had
been working during the summers and other odd times during the year. In the springtime of my
senior year, those of us enrolled in Advanced ROTC were informed that the Army would very
likely call us to active duty for one year of training some time within the 12 months after we
received our commissions. I then spoke with those who had offered me that job and our mutual
agreement was that I should attempt to be called to active duty as soon as possible after
graduation, get that obligation out of the way and get on with my life and my job.
Shall I say I was lucky? We had Commissioning and Final Review on Saturday, June 7, 1941
and I was ordered to report to Fort Sam Houston, Texas on Sunday June 8, 1941 for one year and
to be relieved from Active Duty on June 7, 1942. Good, all was working out well. Sure, tensions
were building in world affairs and I was fulfilling my end of the bargain with the Army for their
support while in college. But, after the one year I could resume my career with the oil company.
Of course, all of these plans and actions were overtaken by world events. After completing 3
months of schooling at the Field Artillery School, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma in October 1941, I was
assigned to A Battery, 26th Field Artillery Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Bragg, North
Carolina. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, I took my car to the battery motor pool to wash it. With
the radio on, I then heard the initial broadcast of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.
That day was "changing day" in my life. I soon realized the impact of that attack not only upon
our nation but also upon me as an individual. My whole attitude changed. Instead of wanting to
get my year of active duty over with and get back to Texas, I then began to want to do whatever I
could to help my country thoroughly defeat Germany, Italy and Japan as soon as possible and
then get on with my life. It honestly was with regret that I was reassigned back to Fort Sill,
Oklahoma as an Instructor rather than remaining with the 9th Infantry Division as they were
preparing for combat somewhere in the European area.
Now, fast forward to 1945. In January 1945, I was a member of the 20th Armored Division and
we were deployed to the European Theater, finally. Our division had some 20 + days or so of
combat. Very soon after the cessation of hostilities in Europe, we were ordered back to the
States, to California, for amphibious training in preparation for the invasion of Japan. We were
well aware that the war was not completed, that there was more to be done and were glad to
contribute our part. Being aware of the difficulties and casualties of the invasion of Normandy,
we did envision a high casualty rate.
Consequently, when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were attacked with atomic bombs on August 6 and
August 9, I was relieved and very happy. No amphibious training, no assault invasion, no
additional casualties, just wait until time to be relieved from Active Duty and "get on with my
life and my job".
This service provided me with valuable experience in my subsequent careers in the Regular
Army and for my position on the faculty and staff at Texas A&M University
B. J. Adams
1207 Neal Pickett DrvCollege Station, TX 77840
(979) 696-3627
27 July 2005