3206th Quartermaster Service Company
US Army
Ovid Clifton Adcock
Service No.: 37504287
Ship Assignment: USS LST-531
ABMC Memorial Page: Click Here
Ovid C. Adcock was born on June 16, 1923, at McFall in Gentry County, Missouri, to Elza Adcock and Lutisha Carter Adcock. He was brother to Dettmer Elza Adcock, Wilma Tishie Young, Ival Marvin Adcock, Thelma Lorene Ogborn, Obie Forrest Adcock, Velma May Craigmyle, Norma Juanita Adcock D), Delmas Elvis Adcock (d), Junior Eldon Adcock, Doyle Dwayne Adcock, Aletha Lois Adcock. Growing up in a rural environment, Ovid attended grammar school and worked as a farm hand.
Military Service
Ovid enlisted in the US Army on February 5, 1943, at Ft Leavenworth, Kansas. He entered the service from his home state of Missouri and was assigned to the 3206th Quartermaster Service Company, US Army.
Operation Tiger
Private Adcock was taking part in Exercise Tiger, a large-scale rehearsal for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. On April 28, 1944, aged just 20, he was aboard the USS LST-531 when it came under attack. Tragically, his life was cut short in the early hours of that morning, and his body was never recovered.
Honors and Memorials
Private Ovid Clifton Adcock’s sacrifice has been commemorated in several prestigious memorials:
- Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge, England;
- A cenotaph memorial in McFall Cemetery, Gentry County, Missouri; and is
- Listed in the American Memorial Chapel Roll of Honour at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Ovid was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, a testament to his bravery and sacrifice for his country.
Legacy
Though Private Ovid Clifton Adcock’s life was tragically short, his legacy endures. He remains a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by so many young men during World War II. His story serves to inspire and remind us of the cost of freedom and the bravery required to defend it. We remember and honour Private Adcock and all those who have served and sacrificed for our nation. Their courage and commitment ensure that their legacy will never be forgotten.
