WWII Veteran Bruce Adams Remembered by the Chapman Historical Museum

As part of its exhibit Let’s ALL Fight: World War II Home Front Posters , the Chapman Historical Museum is remembering Bruce Adams, a true hero of WW II and one of Glens Falls’ most remarkable native sons. Courtesy of Executive Director Timothy Weidner, here’s the museum’s September 4th newsletter, with the tribute to Bruce Standish Adams, one of the greatest of the Great Generation.

[After you’ve read about Bruce, please read on and note especially the Chapman’s appeal for your support. As with every nonprofit during this pandemic, the museum is facing a deficit this year. Please join me in supporting the Chapman Thank you!]

CHAPMAN NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 4, 2020
WWII Veteran Bruce Adams Remembered

We chose to feature the exhibit Let’s ALL Fight: World War II Home Front Posters on the 75th anniversary of the end of the war. It seems fitting that we also acknowledge some of the contributions and sacrifices of individuals who served their country.

Bruce Adams of Glens Falls was one. His story was chronicled by Joseph Cutshall-King in Over My Shoulder, a collection of his newspaper columns in The Post Star. We thank him for allowing us to paraphrase and share excerpts from his column about Bruce’s WWII experiences.

Bruce had taught skiing during winters before the war, and his abilities led him to join the army’s new division, the famed 10th Mountain Division, which had been formed a few days before Pearl Harbor. He was sent to Camp Hale at 8000 feet in the Colorado Rockies. There he trained ski troops, which was “intensely rigorous, cold and unrelenting.” In summer, the troops climbed mountains!

After training, the 10th was sent to the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska to drive out the Japanese. Attu Island was taken by heavy fire, but Bruce related that the American troops “reached Kiska after the Japanese had snuck away.” Next, in November 1944, they shipped out to Italy where the division fought heroically in the Apennines, the mountain range that forms the backbone of the peninsula.

In March 1945, two months before the war’s end, Bruce was seriously wounded and left for dead. When the next day’s sun rose, he was found alive, although barely able to speak or move. As he began to recover, Bruce determined “to rise and attempt to get on with living.” On board the transport ship bringing him home, he practiced taking steps. He related to Joe, “I fell down and got up, fell down and got up, fell down and got up,” over and over again.

Bruce came home to recuperate with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Adams, who opened a ski center on Bay Road in Queensbury. Bruce (center) eventually came to be able to ski at his parents Ski Hill, using a conventional ski on one foot, while hand-guiding the other ski by means of a pole. Joe, who came to know Bruce well, wrote that he never heard him boast of his valor nor complain of his injuries, and he deflected compliments by saying, “All things are possible.”

Joe Cutshall-King’s books, Over My Shoulder, Volumes 1 & 2 are available online or in the Chapman Museum Shop. The photos included here are part of the Adams Collection which is housed in the museum’s archives.

Upcoming Events

September 15, 7 pm
Talk: “How Hollywood Fought WWII”
Film historian, Audrey Kupferberg
In Person and on Zoom
Seating is limited, call (518) 793-2826 or email director@chapmanmuseum.org
Look for the Zoom link on our website Events Page next week

Sign up now for the Chapman Golf Tournament
October 9th at Queensbury Country Club
12:30 pm Shotgun Start / Scramble format
$89 player / $356 foursome
Limit: 60 golfers. Don’t miss out!
Sponsored by Talk of the Town. For details and to sign up: Chapman Golf Tournament

Do you enjoy Chapman programs, emails, blog and social media posts? Please support the Chapman Museum with a gift.
Due to the cancellation of major fundraisers and the loss of earned income, we are facing a huge deficit by year’s end.
Help us to raise $50,000 to bridge the gap. Make a gift online. Thank you!