Vice Admiral Robert E. Adamson Jr. USN (Ret.) died on 30 July, 2004 in Williamsburg, VA. "Rojo" was 83 years old.

He was born in Chicago, IL in 1920. He attended Columbia University prior to entering the Naval Academy. Following Graduation with the class of 1944, he served onboard SAN DIEGO in combat operations against the Japanese. He was then assigned to MASSACHUSETTS and later joined the Staff of Commander Battleship-Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet.

He attended the USNA postgraduate course in ordinance engineering, and then MIT, where he received a masters of science in physics. He was operations officer and physicist with Joint Task Force Three at Los Alamos, Eniwetok, and Nevada Proving Grounds. He was also a physicist at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. He then served with the Military Liason Committee to the Atomic Energy Commission. He attended the Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, and subsequently was assigned to Armed Forces Special Weapons Project in Livermore, CA.

During the Korean War he was the operations officer and executive officer on BROWN. He was commanding officer of NAIFEH, WILTSIE, MULLANY, GALVESTON, Reserve Escort Division 12, Destroyer Division 152, and Task Force 86.

He served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans to Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet and then was assigned head of the General Purpose Objective Forces Section, Strategic Plans Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. In 1967 he was promoted to rear admiral and became Deputy Commander Naval Ship Systems Command for Maintenance and Logistic Support.

During 1969-1970 he commanded U.S. Naval Support Activities in DaNang and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. He then served as Commander, South Atlantic Force.

In 1971 he was promoted to Vice Admiral and became Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Surface Warfare. He subsequently commanded the Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He commanded Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (SurfLant) upon its establishment on 1 January 1975 until his retirement on 1 July 1977.

Admiral Adamson is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carolyn "Lyn" Adamson; daughters, Gail Gordon and her husband Roy of Virginia Beach, VA, and Valerie Logwinuk and her husband, Greg of Austin, TX; daughter-in-law; Lynn Adamson of Coronado, CA; and seven grandchildren, the eldest being Lieutenant Junior Grade R.P. Gordon IV '02. He was predeceased by his son Commander Robert E. Adamson III '75

The Adamson Family

Together We Served - link to more information about VADM Robert Adamson