He registered for the WW II draft on 16 February 1942; he was listed as living in Davidson, North Carolina and was employed by C.L. Michael, Lexington, North Carolina. He was 6' 2" tall; weighed 154 pounds; had brown hair, gray eyes and a 'light' complexion.

On 28 April 1942 he entered the service from Winston-Salem, North Carolina as a private in the Air Corps (Enlisted Service # 14102784). He had four years of high school education, was single, without dependents and his civilian occupation was listed as: "Semiskilled routemen".

We have F/O Adair listed on the 437th TCG Orders of 11 March 1945 assigning him from the 438th TCG to the 83rd TCS in support of Operation VARSITY. According to the 24 March 1945 VARSITY Mission orders, Howard piloted a Glider (Chalk #27), in formation Position #14, as one of the two gliders being towed by a C-47. The 437th TCG orders of 10 April 1945 reassigned him back to the 438th TCG.

In the book: "World War II Glider Pilots", Howard was listed as a member of the World War II Glider Pilots Association.