Eugene Adkins
Military
Object Number - UPL 25256 - T/Sgt Eugene Adkins, later to rise in the USAF to Major, replaced T/Sgt Levy Dillion, to become the second top turret gunner/flight engineer on B-17...
Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Native of Tennessee, served during WWII in the USAAC. In 1942, he was assigned as the top turret gunner aboard B-17 41-24485 'Memphis Belle', after Levy Dillion was transferred to another squadron. He would go on to fly six missions with the Belle before due to frostbite, being replaced by Harold P Loch. The 'Memphis Belle' would later go on to become the first B-17 of World War Two in the European theatre to fly the required 25 missions, twenty-five being the number of missions before being sent home.
Awards: AM (OLC), Air Force Commendation Medal, American Defense and Campaign Medal, WWII Victory, EAME (3 Bronze Star), Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (Bronze Star), Air Force Longevity Service Award (4 OLC).
Post war: Re-enlisted as a M/Sgt with the USAF serving in the Korean war and went on to fly on B-29's, B-50's, B-36's and B-52's eventually retiring in 1961 at the rank of Major.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Memphis Belle
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Erwin, TN 37650, USA | 21 March 1919 | Son of Clingmon David and Myrtle Florence [Gouge] Adkins. |
|
Enlisted |
Fort McClellan, 1023 Fort McClellan, Anniston, AL 36205, USA | 20 December 1940 | Fort McClellan, Alabama |
|
Other Promotion |
Bassingbourn, Royston SG8, UK | 8 August 1943 | Received a direct commission to 2nd Lieutenant 8-Aug-43. |
|
Other Discharged |
United States | 14 November 1945 | Honourably discharged. |
|
Other Returned to active duty |
Kearney, NE, USA | 27 November 1945 | Returned to active duty as a Master Sergeant 27-Nov-45. Served as crew chief on B-29's. Karney AFB, NE. |
|
Other Promotion |
Kearney, NE, USA | 14 January 1949 | Re-commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant 14-Jan-49. |
|
Died |
Washington County, TN, USA | 3 November 1995 | |
|
Buried |
Mountain Home National Cemetery Johnson City Washington County TN | 6 November 1995 | Mountain Home National Cemetery Johnson City Washington County Tennessee, USA |
| Tennessee, USA | |||
|
Based |
Bassingbourn | Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. | |
|
Other Transferred |
United States | 14 November 1945 | Served remainder of War as a gunnery officer Stateside. |
|
Other Promotion |
Kadena Air Base, 沖縄県 Japan | Promoted to Captain. Oct-53. | |
|
Other Promotion |
Altus Air Force Base, Altus AFB, OK 73523, USA | Promoted to Major. Jan-60. |
Revisions
Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/260479/eugene-adkins
Corrected death year and added birth info per Find-a-grave memorial #260479 .
https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cm…
http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=1263
https://www.fold3.com/page/529501188_eugene_adkins%20%20(1919)/details/
https://www.fold3.com/page/83964935_eugene_adkins/details/
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=260479
