Charles Adams was born on September 22, 1919, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 27, 1942, and was trained in military intelligence before entering the Aviation Cadet Program with the U.S. Army Air Forces in July 1942. Adams was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Williams Field, Arizona, on July 28, 1943, and then completed P-38 Lightning training before being assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron of the 82nd Fighter Group in Italy in January 1944. Lt Adams was credited with the destruction of 6 enemy aircraft in aerial combat before returning to the U.S. in August 1944. He served as an instructor pilot until leaving active duty on August 6, 1945. Charles later received a bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1948, and worked in the oil industry until retiring in February 1983. He died on January 6, 1992.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.