Aviator Hugh Adams Killed

"Aviator Hugh Adams Killed." [8 May 1919], n.p.

Members of Pittsburgh Aquatic Club and many other local friends of Ensign "Hughie" J. Adams were shocked to learn of his death last Monday at the Rockaway Beach naval air station. He and Harold Corey of Scranton were making their daily flight in a small hydro-airplane, when the engine went dead and the machine fell through the top of a steel tank, and the two men were crushed to death under the airplane.

Ensign Adams was one of the oldest flyers in the navy, having enlisted in July, 1917. He trained at Pensacola, Fla., a brief while and was subsequently assigned to the Boston Institute of Technology, where he stayed four months. In July, 1918, he completed his training and was sent to the Rockaway Beach air station where, during the submarine scare off the Atlantic during the war, he saw active guard duty. For this service he was awarded the overseas chevron. He had been home on leave of absence one month ago and had expected his discharge the latter part of this month. Adams was active in athletics, particularly as relating to canoeing, in which sport he had won numerous prizes. He was a member of the Central Presbyterian Church, the Central Branch Y. M. C. A., Pittsburgh Aquatic Club, and the Masonic Order, having been a thirty-second degree Mason.

"Hughie," as he was familiarly known, was 30 years old, and lived at 216 Goodrich street, Northside. At the time of this writing the body had not arrived home, but it is expected that he will be buried tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the Central Presbyterian Church, Northside, with full military honors. His clubmate, Al Evans, who trained with Hughie for many months when they volunteered into the service, arrived home last night from Pensacola Aviation station.

A brother, Ralph J. Adams, is with the Naval reserve corps, stationed at Santiago, Cal. Besides his brother he leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Adams, and one sister, Mrs. Charles H. Brady, of West Park, Pittsburgh.

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