Sergeant Adams was a Light Weapons Infantryman with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 22 July 1950 and returned to duty on 10 September 1950. He was listed as Missing in Action while fighting the enemy along the Kuryong River near Ipsok, North Korea on 27 November 1950. He was presumed dead on 31 December 1953. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

He received a posthumous promotion to Sergeant.

Medals, Awards & Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Corporal [then Private First Class] Alfred B. Adams, (ASN: RA-15423301) United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company F, 2d Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Corporal Adams distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces when his battalion launched an attack near Chinju, Korea, on 25 September 1950. On that date, Company F, on the left flank of the battalion, was nearing its objective when it was pinned down by heavy enemy automatic-weapons and small-arms fire. Corporal Adams, exposing himself to hostile fire, went to an advantageous position, set up his machine-gun, and delivered effective fire on the enemy until his ammunition was exhausted. Leaving his position, he ran across approximately forty yards of fire-swept terrain to help a wounded man to safety, and then returned to the dangerous area and evacuated another wounded comrade. When he observed that a platoon had launched an assault on the next ridge, Corporal Adams obtained ammunition, retrieved his machine-gun and, placing it in a new position on the forward slope of a hill, delivered such accurate and devastating fire on the enemy that the assaulting platoon was able to overrun and destroy them. The extraordinary heroism of Corporal Adams reflects great credit upon himself and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 202 (April 13, 1951)