alternate spelling: The spelling on his own personal flat stone is Adamitis. Large family stone on same plot has Adamaitis
Gunnery Sergeant Joseph W. Adamitis (1913-1945)-Story from Mike Richard in the Gardners News.
USMC Gunnery Sergeant Joseph W. Adamitis was born in Gardner on January 30, 1913, the son of Michael Adamitis, and Anna (Dalikas) Adamitis Shablawa. His father died in 1935.
Adamitis grew up at 117 Emerald Street and attended Connors Street School. He later went to Gardner High School where he was involved with sports and spent two years before leaving in 1929 prior to his junior year.
His surname was shortened to Adams, as listed in the Gardner City Directory, when he was employed by the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1935. On September 3, 1936 he enlisted in the Marine Corps. at Boston. He was assigned to Parris Island, South Carolina, for boot training. Later, he was stationed at Quantico, Virginia.
In 1939 he was a member of the Marine detachment at the World's Fair in New York and the following year he went overseas. He was sent to the Pacific Theater in 1942 with the Third Marine Division where he was involved with battles at Guadalcanal and Bougainville.
He was promoted to Sergeant in October 1943 and was wounded by a Japanese sniper, which caused him to be invalided home to the United States. Following his return to duty, he became a gunnery instructor at San Diego, California and later was assigned to the elite Infantry School Battalion of the Training Command at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
From there, he moved to the Quantico, Virginia, and finally Fort Belvoir in that state at a Marine base where he met his death.
On March 18, 1945 at the age of 32, a car in which he was a passenger crashed head on into a truck near Fort Belvoir, Va. The driver of the car, Warrant Officer Gary Olafa, 30, of Lansing, Mich. was also instantly killed. The car was enroute from Washington to Belvoir, Va. at the time of the accident.
Sgt. Adamitis was the recipient of the Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific campaign ribbon with two battle stars, American Defense Ribbon, American Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Ribbon and Victory Medal.
He was survived by his mother, a sister Albina Keto and was buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Gardner.
alternate spelling: The spelling on his own personal flat stone is Adamitis. Large family stone on same plot has Adamaitis
Gunnery Sergeant Joseph W. Adamitis (1913-1945)-Story from Mike Richard in the Gardners News.
USMC Gunnery Sergeant Joseph W. Adamitis was born in Gardner on January 30, 1913, the son of Michael Adamitis, and Anna (Dalikas) Adamitis Shablawa. His father died in 1935.
Adamitis grew up at 117 Emerald Street and attended Connors Street School. He later went to Gardner High School where he was involved with sports and spent two years before leaving in 1929 prior to his junior year.
His surname was shortened to Adams, as listed in the Gardner City Directory, when he was employed by the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1935. On September 3, 1936 he enlisted in the Marine Corps. at Boston. He was assigned to Parris Island, South Carolina, for boot training. Later, he was stationed at Quantico, Virginia.
In 1939 he was a member of the Marine detachment at the World's Fair in New York and the following year he went overseas. He was sent to the Pacific Theater in 1942 with the Third Marine Division where he was involved with battles at Guadalcanal and Bougainville.
He was promoted to Sergeant in October 1943 and was wounded by a Japanese sniper, which caused him to be invalided home to the United States. Following his return to duty, he became a gunnery instructor at San Diego, California and later was assigned to the elite Infantry School Battalion of the Training Command at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
From there, he moved to the Quantico, Virginia, and finally Fort Belvoir in that state at a Marine base where he met his death.
On March 18, 1945 at the age of 32, a car in which he was a passenger crashed head on into a truck near Fort Belvoir, Va. The driver of the car, Warrant Officer Gary Olafa, 30, of Lansing, Mich. was also instantly killed. The car was enroute from Washington to Belvoir, Va. at the time of the accident.
Sgt. Adamitis was the recipient of the Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific campaign ribbon with two battle stars, American Defense Ribbon, American Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Ribbon and Victory Medal.
He was survived by his mother, a sister Albina Keto and was buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Gardner.
Bio by: Ryan-O
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