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Greatest Generation: Boisean helped save life of George H.W. Bush
Idaho Statesman ^ | 8/20/07 | Tim Wooward

Posted on 08/20/2007 3:53:27 PM PDT by llevrok

Nat Adams never told anyone about the contents of the Navy footlocker in his basement. The only time he showed them to anyone was when his sons Tom and John, then small, wanted to "play Navy."

With his death appearing imminent, family members prepared to donate some of his things to the Nampa's Warhawk Air Museum. That's when they opened the footlocker.

Inside was a stunning array of military medals, including two Distinguished Flying Crosses. He'd never bothered to mention, not even to his wife, that he'd been awarded one of the military's highest honors for aviators — twice. Without Adams, there might not have been a President Bush. Adams was one of four fighter pilots flying cover when George H.W. Bush's bomber was shot down while attacking a Japanese island in 1944.

"Without your covering support," Bush wrote to Adams in a 2004 "Dear Blackie" letter, "I would undoubtedly have been captured, executed and cannibalized." "Blackie," nicknamed for his jet-black hair that turned cotton white, was awarded one of his Distinguished Flying Crosses for sinking a Japanese ammunition ship. The resulting explosion damaged his F-6 Hellcat so badly that he couldn't make a carrier landing.

When the nuclear aircraft carrier U.S.S. George H.W. Bush was christened last year, Bush invited his Idaho friend. "There were all these gorgeous admirals there in their dress white uniforms with medals down to their waists," Sally Adams said. "They were all coming up to Nat and saying it was an honor to meet him."

Lying on a desktop is a wooden plaque, a gift from a former president of the United States. Its four-letter inscription, CAVU, is an acronym for "ceiling and visibility unlimited." It was his squadron's greeting, and its farewell.

It will grace his headstone as well.

(Excerpt) Read more at idahostatesman.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Idaho
KEYWORDS: hero; veterans; wwii
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

“Our servicemen are still great.
WWII did not have a Jane Fonda, she would have been shot or hung as a traitor.

How many papers, radio or congress critters took the part of the enemy?”

And there in lies the point. We have the men to fight the war but winning a war that big takes more than soldiers. It takes everyone at home pulling hard in one direction too. I don’t know if we would have that anymore


21 posted on 08/20/2007 6:14:38 PM PDT by SmoothTalker
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To: llevrok

Wow, what a story!


22 posted on 08/20/2007 6:24:34 PM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: yooper
holster your pistol, pard'ner. Pres. Bush Sr, flew a torpedo/bomber (TBM Avenger) That's no fighter, son.

You can look it up.

23 posted on 08/20/2007 8:00:12 PM PDT by llevrok (I voted for George Bush - not Jorge Arbusto.)
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To: llevrok
I just got done reading Flyboys, the story of Bush and the guys that attacked Chichi Jima. It is a fabulous story. We are truly lucky that Poppy Bush lived to fight another day-- 8 of his shipmates met terrible ends on that island.
24 posted on 08/20/2007 8:03:32 PM PDT by lawgirl (She comes on like thunder and she's more right than rain)
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To: yooper
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Lt(jg) George H.W. Bush flew TBF Avenger torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier San Jacinto and won the Distinguished Flying Cross. Lt(jg) Bush was credited with 126 carrier landings, including 58 attack missions.
25 posted on 08/20/2007 8:04:49 PM PDT by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.com)
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To: lawgirl
wasn’t that a gruesome story? That opened up a whole new facet of the Pacific war I never knew.
26 posted on 08/20/2007 8:16:05 PM PDT by llevrok (I voted for George Bush - not Jorge Arbusto.)
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To: deport

R.I.P. Blackie....hero!


27 posted on 08/20/2007 8:20:04 PM PDT by Doctor Don
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To: llevrok

Blackie was the liberal’s worst nightmare. His act spawned two great presidencies.


28 posted on 08/20/2007 8:23:57 PM PDT by Pencil
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To: SmoothTalker
We need to start running traitors out of town on a rail or tar and feather these type of scum.
29 posted on 08/20/2007 8:44:51 PM PDT by HuntsvilleTxVeteran (Remember the Alamo, Goliad and WACO, It is Time for a new San Jacinto)
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To: GOP_Raider
Pleasant Valley Rd., the area the BLM wanted to close off to shooters. Thanks to BIll Sali and Butch Otter, they didn't.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

30 posted on 08/20/2007 9:25:19 PM PDT by wku man (Claire Wolfe, is it time yet?)
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To: wku man

Damn BLM. That particular area is not any more than a few miles from my house, out by the Penitentiary.


31 posted on 08/20/2007 11:31:30 PM PDT by GOP_Raider ("I guess I like to do things that bother people." -Urban Meyer)
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To: llevrok; All

In Idaho Statesman today:


Nat Adams, a prominent Boise architect and World War II hero, died early this morning following a short illness.

A memorial service tentatively is planned for Friday or Saturday at All Saints Episcopal Church, 704 S. Latah. The church was one of more than 700 buildings Adams and his associates designed.

His projects included Bronco Stadium and the former J.R. Simplot residence, which will be Idaho’s next governor’s mansion.

Adams, 86, was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses as a Navy fighter pilot in WWII.

Among other things, he helped save the life of future president George H.W. Bush.

Adams was featured in Tim Woodward’s Monday column, which family members read to him before he died.


CAVU


32 posted on 08/21/2007 3:02:12 PM PDT by Domandred (Eagles soar, but unfortunately weasels never get sucked into jet engines)
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To: Domandred

Link to story, forgot it.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/138628.html


33 posted on 08/21/2007 3:05:11 PM PDT by Domandred (Eagles soar, but unfortunately weasels never get sucked into jet engines)
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To: llevrok; SevenofNine
Thank you, Nat "Blackie" Adams, for your service to our country.


34 posted on 08/23/2007 9:41:18 AM PDT by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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