Private First Class Adair was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy on 'Bloody Ridge" in South Korea on 31 August 1951.

Adair was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.