Brig. Gen. Charles J. Adam is deputy director for strategic forces, deputy chief of staff, research and development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
General Adams was born in Beaver Dam, Utah in 1921. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 after attending the University of Utah for three years. In September 1942 he entered aviation cadet training and graduated at Craig Field, Ala., with a commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings in June 1943.
From June 1943 to August 1944 he served as flying instructor at Craig Field and at Walnut Ridge Army Air Field, Ark. He next was assigned to the 5th Fighter Squadron, 30th Fighter Group, Romulus, Mich.
After C-46 transport training, General Adams was transferred to the China-Burma-India theater of operations, and spent the next year flying C-46 aircraft "over the hump."
He returned to the United States in July 1946 and was sent to the 4505th Army Air Field Base Unit at Kelly Field, Texas, and later to the 4121st Base Unit, also at Kelly Field. From February 1947 to April 1948 General Adams was temporarily assigned to the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition. His aerial cameras helped to map the Antarctic coastline, the last uncharted coastline in the world.
In August 1948 he was assigned to the 7th Geodetic Squadron, Forbes Air Force Base, Kan. In July 1950 he was reassigned to the 322d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and later that year to the 338th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron at Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico. General Adams was a student at the Air Force Navigation School at Mather Air Force Base, Calif., from April 1951 to May 1952.
He next was assigned as a pilot with the 322d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. In March 1953 General Adams was transferred with the 322d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron to Japan. On this tour of duty, during the Korean War, he flew 99 combat hours in the RB-45 aircraft. He returned with the squadron to Lockbourne Air Force Base in January 1954 as a B-47 aircraft commander, and later was deputy director of operations with the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing.
General Adams was assigned to Strategic Air Command headquarters, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in July 1955, as an operations officer in the current operations branch. While stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, he completed work on his college degree and graduated from the University of Omaha in 1957 with a bachelor's degree. In July 1958 he entered the growing missile field and became one of SAC's earliest missilemen, helping to open Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., center of Air Force operational missile testing. At Vandenberg, he moved from the operations division to complex commander, training crews in the Atlas-D missile system. He finished his Vandenberg tour of duty as special assistant to the commander, 576th Strategic Missile Squadron. In July 1961 General Adams entered the U.S. Navel War College in Newport, R.I.
His next seven years were spent helping to organize the Air Force missile force. He moved to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in July 1962, where he was assigned to the missile branch of the Strategic Air Division, directorate of operational requirements. He was a member of the Golden Arrow Study Group which examined the future Air Force missile requirements, and the Blue Lance Study Group which was responsible for examining the interrelationship between strategic offensive and defensive forces to determine the proper balance from both an effectiveness and cost standpoint. In January 1966 he became chief, strategic division, directorate of studies and analysis, in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations.
General Adams returned to Strategic Air Command headquarters in July 1967 and became director, future force structure studies and evaluation. He was assigned as commander of the 44th Strategic Missile Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., in August 1969. He assumed command of the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division located at Ellsworth Air Force Base in February 1970.
In June 1971 General Adams was assigned as deputy director for strategic forces in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.
He was promoted to the temporary grade of brigadier general effective March 1, 1971, with date of rank Feb. 26, 1971.
(Current as of Sept. 1, 1971)