Funeral services will be held for Hugh C. Adams 11 am Thursday June 23 2005 in the chapel of the Lohman Funeral Home Daytona where friends may call after 10 am. Burial will be in Daytona Memorial Park. The family and friends of Hugh C. Adams mourn the loss of this wonderful man who went to be with the Lord on June 20 2005. Mr. Adams was born on April 27 1914 in Whitesburg Kentucky to George M. and Poppie Adams. He grew up there and survived his sisters Elsie Niece Corrine Clay Chesney Combs and brother Fairchild Adams.
At the age of 5 his father took Hugh and his family to see John Phillip Sousa?s band. It was then that he decided he wanted to be a band leader. His father and mother allowed him to follow that dream. In his early teens on weekends he went by train to Lexington to study music. His teacher recommended that in addition to piano that he learn the violin the coronet and take voice lessons. At the age of 16 he became the assistant choir director in Whitesburg and accompanied the church choir until he went on to college.
After high school he graduated Cum Laude from Georgetown University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master?s Degree in Education. He also attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and taught classes at the University of Lexington.
He returned to Whitesburg after graduation and got the position of principal of Marlow Grade School. From there he went on to Whitesburg High School where he taught music and started the first band in 1937.
He was called into the Army in 1942 at 28 years of age and was assigned to the 1st Replacement Depot in Oran Algeria North Africa. His commander decided that there would be a band for the morale of the troops. Mr. Adams was chosen to interview and create this band---the 313th Army Service
Forces Band. He was given old battered French instruments gathered together 28 young men with some ability and helped turn it into one of the finest military bands at that time. His band spent their time during the war welcoming troops and sending them off to their assignments. They played for the largest naturalization ceremony help overseas for Congressional Medal of Honor ceremonies and for numerous other important events for both Allied troops and American forces. The bands under Mr. Adams? leadership proved to be the most popular in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.
On August 12 1945 Warrant Officer Adams was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his untiring devotion to duty in the Italian and African Campaigns and was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer. Mr. Adams was the first bandleader to be commissioned overseas and his band was the first to be activated overseas.
His band had been broadcast over the radio and had been pictured in the news reels one in which he was shaking hands with General Eisenhower for whom Warrant Officer Adams played many times and who said at that time that Mr. Adams had the best band in North Africa. General Eisenhower frequently requested his favorite song to be played one of which was ?Beer Barrel Polka.? It was jokingly said that within days of one of these performances for General Eisenhower Mr. Adams was given the promotion to Chief Warrant Officer. Although his band entertained the troop and played with such celebrities as Red Skelton Al Jolson and Frank Sinatra he was most proud to have played for President Roosevelt Winston Churchill and General Eisenhower. His family is proud to have the letters of appreciation from dozens of servicemen thankful of his band and music.
In Florence Italy his concert and swing bands were the winners of the theater ?Battle of Music? at the Apollo Opera House. In recognition of this victory Mr. Adams was handed the baton as guest conductor of the Florence Symphony Orchestra. He also taught exchange classes at the University in Florence.
While serving in Oran Algeria he met the woman who would become his wife a beautiful young French girl Suzanne. As he