Adams, Donovan Glen

1925 - 1945  (20 years)

• Name	Adams, Donovan Glen
  Birth	22 Jan 1925	Illinois   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Burial	Edgewood Cemetery, Edgewood, Effingham County, Illinois   [1]
  	FindaGrave Memorial #137056109 This is a memorial stone., Donovan was lost at sea,
  Reference Number	ADAM.D001
  _FGRAVE	56769489
  Military Service	World War II, Staff Sergeant, 394th Bomb Squadron, 5th Bomber Group (Heavy), 13th United States Army Air Forces  [3, 4, 5, 6]
  	Staff Sergeant. Served with the 394th Bomb Squadron, 5th Bomber Group (Heavy), 13th Air Force. Killed in action 30 April 1945 during the liberation of the Philippines. Earned the Air Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster, The Purple Heart Medal and was otherwise entitled to The American Campaign Medal, The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with at least 1 bronze battle star, The Philippine Liberation Medal and The WWII Victory Medal. Buried with honors at Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines. This information has been posted on the National World War II Memorial's Registry of Remembrances website by Robert Medley Gatewood. It is entered here with his permission. Source: https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1900766 World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Area A, Row 1, Column 1 ===== Adams was reported missing and ultimately declared dead on April 30, 1945. Recorded circumstances attributed to: "Missing in action or lost at sea". Incident location: Philippine Sea. Donovan G Adams had family connections to Edgewood, Effingham county, Illinois. He had been living in Clay county, Illinois. He was on the crew of the B-24L Liberator #44-41541 when they took off from Guiuan Air Strip, Samar Island in the Philippines. They were on a combat bombing mission to Davao, Mindanao Island. After they had completed dropping their bombs, they proceeded toward Morotai Island where they planned to land. They collided with another B-24 in their formation (44-41869) and both planes crashed into the ocean with no survivors. Source: https://www.HonorStates/org
  		Donovan G. Adams (1925-1945)
  		Flag of the United States, 48 Stars (1912-1959) In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959, a…
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 01 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		United States Army Air Forces (1941–1947)
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 02 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		United States Army Air Forces
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 03 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt.), United States Army and United States Army Air Forces (Sep 1942-Aug 1948)
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 04 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 05 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Military Service Ribbons, Donovan G. Adams (1925-1945) Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Purple Heart Medal, United States Military
  		Purple Heart Medal, United States Military
  		Air Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Air Medal, United States
  		American Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Campaign Medal, United States
  		Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		Philippine Liberation Medal, Republic of the Philippines
  		Philippine Liberation Medal, Republic of the Philippines
  		World War II (1939-1945)
  		Thirteenth Air Force
  		5th Operations Group, United States Air Force
  		World War II Honoree, Adams, Donovan G. (1925-1945)
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007 On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. …
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  Death	30 Apr 1945  [1, 2, 5, 7]
  	Cause: Killed in Action
  	Donovan served as a Staff Sergeant on B-24L #44-41541, 394th Bomber Squadron, 5th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He resided in Clay County, Illinois prior to the war. On the 30 April 1945, the 394th Bomb Squadron took off from Guiuan Air Strip, Samar Island, Philippine Islands, for a combat bombing mission on Davao, Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands. The flight to, and over the target, was successful. After they had completed dropping there bombs, they proceeded toward Morotai Island, in the Molucca Islands, where they planned to land. They were approximately thirty miles from Morotai Island, near Race Island, flying in their usual formation, when two of the airplanes in the formation collided. B-24M Serial No. 44-41869 and B-24L Serial No. 44-41541. The collision damaged both planes severely, causing them to crash into the ocean immediately. There were no survivors on either aircraft, and only one of the bodies was recovered, that of F/O Arthur B. Sobol, T-128 478, after a through search had been made by surface craft and low flying search aircraft. Donovan was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart. Service # 36778227
  Burial	Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Taguig, Southern Manila District, National Capital Region, Philippines   [7, 8]
  	Walls Of The Missing
  		Memorial, Walls of the Missing, Adams, Donovan G.
  		Headstone, Adams, Donovan G., In Memory Of
  		Entrance, Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines Also known as Fort William McKinley Cemetery The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines occupies 152 acres on a prominent plateau, visible at a distance from the east, south and west. It contains the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II, a total of 16,859, most of whom lost their lives in operations in…
  Person ID	I42958	Carl Wayne Gray Research
  Last Modified	2 Oct 2026

  
  

  Father	Adams, Lyle Allen,   b. 2 Apr 1889, Toledo, Cumberland County, Illinois d. 2 Jan 1986, Mason, Effingham County, Illinois (Age 96 years)
  Mother	Hogshead, Florence M. 'Flo',   b. 24 Oct 1902   d. 20 May 1991 (Age 88 years)
  Marriage	1952  [9]
  Age at Marriage	He : ~ 62 years and 8 months - She : ~ 49 years and 2 months.
  Family ID	F16662	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Father	Adams, Lyle Allen,   b. 2 Apr 1889, Toledo, Cumberland County, Illinois d. 2 Jan 1986, Mason, Effingham County, Illinois (Age 96 years)
  Mother	Hoffman, Olive Blossom 'Ollie',   b. 7 Jan 1894   d. 30 Mar 1952 (Age 58 years)
  Marriage	1911
  Age at Marriage	He : ~ 21 years and 8 months - She : ~ 16 years and 11 months.
  Family ID	F19462	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 22 Jan 1925 - Illinois Burial - - Edgewood Cemetery, Edgewood, Effingham County, Illinois Burial - - Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Taguig, Southern Manila District, National Capital Region, Philippines  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Documents

  World War II Casualties, Clay County, Illinois

  
  

• Notes

  Donovan served as a Staff Sergeant on B-24L #44-41541, 394th Bomber Squadron, 5th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He resided in Clay County, Illinois prior to the war. On the 30 April 1945, the 394th Bomb Squadron took off from Guiuan Air Strip, Samar Island, Philippine Islands, for a combat bombing mission on Davao, Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands. The flight to, and over the target, was successful. After they had completed dropping there bombs, they proceeded toward Morotai Island, in the Molucca Islands, where they planned to land. They were approximately thirty miles from Morotai Island, near Race Island, flying in their usual formation, when two of the airplanes in the formation collided. B-24M Serial No. 44-41869 and B-24L Serial No. 44-41541. The collision damaged both planes severely, causing them to crash into the ocean immediately. There were no survivors on either aircraft, and only one of the bodies was recovered, that of F/O Arthur B. Sobol, T-128 478, after a through search had been made by surface craft and low flying search aircraft. Donovan was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart. Service # 36778227

  
  

• Sources

  [S13266] https://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Adams, Donovan G., In Memory Of, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137056109/donovan-g-adams), none. (Reliability: 2). [S13267] http://www.findagrave.com, Walls of the Missing, Adams, Donovan G., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56769489/donovan-g-adams), none. (Reliability: 2). [S15404] Robert Medley Gatewood, Brochure, Flora, Illinois, World War II Veterans Memorial, page #4, (https://genealogy.carlwgray.com/showmedia.php?mediaID=18791) (Reliability: 2). [S15400] Robert Medley Gatewood, Brochure, Flora, Illinois, World War II Veterans Memorial, page #5, (https://genealogy.carlwgray.com/showmedia.php?mediaID=18791) (Reliability: 2). [S14695] National Archives & Records Administration War Department Files, Donovan G. Adams, (https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1040589) (Reliability: 2). [S14696] World War II Honoree, Donovan G. Adams, (https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=1900766) (Reliability: 2). [S13410] https://www.abmc.gov, ABMC Tablets of the Missing, Donovan G. Adams, (https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/adams%3Ddonovan), none. (Reliability: 2). [S16837] https://www.findagrave.com, Memorial, Walls of the Missing, Adams, Donovan G., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56769489/donovan-glen-adams) (Reliability: 2). [S13349] https://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Adams, Lyle A. and Florence M., (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38751294/lyle-allen-adams), none. (Reliability: 2).