COL William Kent Adams

COL William Kent Adams was born in Halifax County, Virginia on 21 May 1917. He was the oldest of the 2 children born to John Herman and Ruth Thompson (Lewellyn) Adams. Called Kent for most of his life, he grew up in Danville, Virginia and lived there most of his life. In the first years of his life the family lived with his paternal grandparents on Grove Street in Danville and his mother supported the family working as a telephone operator. They later moved to 324 Farrar Street which they owned and his father ran a retail grocery. His mother would later run a boarding house. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1940. 

Commissioned as a reserve 2LT in the Field Artillery branch  on 3 Jun 1940 he was called to active duty on 1 Dec 1940. Serving throughout WWII and receiving a Bronze Star medal 1LT Kent was promoted to CPT on 23 Dec 1945. he was married to Dorothy Victoria Roark on 15 Aug 1942. After release from active duty, Kent went to work for Dan River Mills and he would work there for 30-years. Kent was promoted to LTC on 17 Apr 1951.. Kent and Dorothy had a son on 14 Oct 1953.

Dorothy died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage on 22 Aug 1958. Kent was married on 8 May 1959 to Stella Kerns Bailey Adams (no relation). In 1967 COL Adams took command of the reorganized 116th Infantry Regiment then the 2nd Brigade 29th Infantry Division consisting of 2 infantry battalions and 1 armored battalion. When he retired from service on 30 Nov1972 the Brigade was recognized as the best in the division.

COL Adams died in Danville, Virginia on 22 Nov 1995 and rests forever in Highland Burial Park in Danville.