Remains of World War II Soldier to be buried in Radcliff, Kentucky

Courtesy Photo | The remains of Army Pfc. Leonard E. Adams, a Soldier killed during World War II, will be interred June 23, in Radcliff, Kentucky. Elements of Adams’ unit were supporting five companies attempting to secure terrain near Reipertswiller, France, in January 1945 when they were surrounded by German forces and pounded with artillery and mortar fire. Adams was killed in action Jan. 20, 1945, after the Soldiers attempted a break-out.  

FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES

06.16.2023

Story by Fonda Bock 

U.S. Army Human Resources Command

FORT KNOX, Ky. – The remains of Army Pfc. Leonard E. Adams, a Soldier killed during World War II, will be interred June 23, at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery, Radcliff, Kentucky. Chism Family Funeral Home, Vine Grove, Kentucky, will perform graveside services preceding the interment.

A native of Dana, Indiana, Adams was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. In January 1945, elements of his unit were supporting five companies attempting to secure terrain near Reipertswiller, France, when they were surrounded by German forces and pounded with artillery and mortar fire. The surrounded companies were given the order to attempt a break-out Jan. 20 but only two men made it through German lines. Adams was killed in action at age 25. His body could not be recovered because of the fighting.

Following the war the American Graves Registration Command recovered 37 unidentified sets of American remains around Reipertswiller but was unable to identify any as Adams. He was declared non-recoverable May 4, 1951.

Historians with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, conducting on-going research around Reipertswiller, determined that one set of remains - Unknown X-6372 Neuville - buried at Ardennes American Cemetery site in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, could be associated with Adams. Subsequently, X-6372 was disinterred in July 2021 and transferred to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis.

Adams was accounted for by the DPAA July 20, 2022, after his remains were identified using circumstantial evidence as well as dental, anthropological and mitochondrial DNA analysis.

His name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Epinal American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Dinoze, France, along with others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

For additional information about Pfc. Adams, go to: https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/3409805/soldier-accounted-for-from-world-war-ii-adams-l/

To learn more about the Department of Defense’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, www.facebook.com/dodpaa, or call [phone]/1169.

Media interested in covering and/or obtaining more information about the funeral and interment should contact the Army Casualty Office at [phone] and/or Chism Family Funeral Home, 270-877-2245.


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• Date Taken: 06.16.2023
• Date Posted: 06.16.2023 11:05
• Story ID: 447391
• Location: FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US