World War One veteran honored in ceremony after cremains found in Monterey
SEASIDE – One thing most everyone attending the honors ceremony at the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery wanted to do was recognize a veteran for his contributions to serving in the United States Army during World War I and send him off to his final resting place with befitting dignity.
Two years ago, Edward Auton Adams' cremains were discovered in a box at the back of a closet in an old professional building in downtown Monterey. The World War I veteran had passed away at the age of 100 in 1991, having outlived his wife and having no children. The lawyer he worked with died and left the unfinished business of getting Adams to his final resting place alongside his wife in San Francisco National Cemetery. There is no indication of other relatives that are still living.
Twenty-eight years after his demise, on a sunny Monday afternoon after what started out to be a wet dreary day, an honor guard, members of the veterans community and Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, gathered to pay respects to a man no one knew personally, but to whom they wanted to honor nonetheless.
"He may have been forgotten, but today we will not forget his service. This gathering demonstrates what we are about," said Panetta. "We are one family in this country and our community."
Edward Auton Adams was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Feb. 9, 1891, and died on July 27, 1991, in Monterey.
According to Alec Arago, a lawyer with the law office of Aengus L. Jeffers, the box containing Adam's remains was discovered in the spring of 2017, along with other artifacts from the previous law firm that occupied the offices at The Professional Building of Monterey on the corner of Franklin Street and Calle Principal in Monterey.
"We knew they were remains … the box was weighty, wrapped and addressed to be mailed to Golden Gate National Cemetery (in San Bruno)," said Arago.
The lawyer did some preliminary research. The box identified a Pacific Grove-based crematory and an intended destination for the ashes, but neither place had any records about Adams. Arago's former professional background came in handy – he once was district director for Panetta's predecessor, Sam Farr, and worked on Panetta's transition when he was first elected – so he reached out to the congressman's office and forwarded what he found.
From there, Panetta's staff was able to start plugging away at the mystery. Though there is scant information, they were able to find a two-page document of Adams' enlistment record and discharge paper.
Adams was 26 when he enlisted on June 4, 1917. He stood 5-feet 7-inches tall and had blue eyes and brown hair. On April 29, 1919, he was honorably discharged with the rank of Private First Class, M.D. 104th Field Hospital.
There is also documentation that in 1942 Adams registered for the selective service using the WWII draft card from the Fourth Registration, often called the "Old Man's Draft," because it registered men who were 45 to 64 years old at the time. He was 51 when he sought to be of service again to his country.
The National Cemetery Administration verified the identity of Adams as a 100-year-old WWI veteran who served from 1917 to 1919 and died in Monterey in 1991. The San Francisco cemetery was unable to locate his record because it was saved under his wife's record of interment – Beatrize Colbert.
At the ceremony on Monday, the United States Army Honor Guard performed the honors and bestowed the U.S. flag to fellow veteran James Bogan who said the flag will find a place of honor at one of the local American Legion Posts.
The cremated remains of Edward Auton Adams will be transported to the San Francisco National Cemetery where he will be interred next to his wife during a second honor ceremony the date of which has not yet been determined.