The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the November 2021 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of Mary Addams, Navy Wife of Rear Admiral John Franklin Addams. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview Navy Wife, Mary Addams at the Vinson Hall Retirement Community.

Mary Addams shared that her husband had graduated from College in 1952 and was drafted in the army but lucky enough to go into the Navy. They were married before his entry to Officer Candidate School in 1952. From OCS, she shared her husband went to Underwater Demolition School and was made Officer In Charge of the Harbor Defense Unit at Portsmouth New Hampshire. After 4 years of service, John had the option to leave the Navy but decided to turn his time into a career. Mary recalled her husband saying, “I can’t get out of the Navy having never been on a ship.” For the next 7 years, he would serve on various ships and be recognized for promotion.  

Rear Admiral John Franklin Addams would first serve on the USS William C. Lawe DD 763. Mary recalled “He went to sea immediately, he left me with a 4-month old baby, a car, and no driver’s license. We all adjusted and made friends. We made good friends in the Navy, my closest friend I made in 1957 is still my closest friend and she is 95 now.” Following his service on the USS William C. Lawe, Addams was assigned to the commissioning crew of the USS William V. Pratt DLG 13. The family moved from Newport to Norfolk.  

Following a year, he was assigned back to Newport. After attending the Naval War College, John was assigned to a new commissioning crew for the USS Jouett.  

Mary shared, “As far as his favorite ship, perhaps the USS Jouett was because when you put a ship in commission, you get to know the people well, and some of our best friends was from the Jouett.” Mary shared the family had to decide a new home from the East Coast to the West Coast between Bremerton Washington or San Diego California. The family decided on San Diego to raise their two boys and John returned to sea. 

Following the West Coast, and John serving on DESRON 8 Staff, Commander of DESRON 5 and 7, the family moved to Pensacola before departing for the Middle East for 3 years. Mary shared, “In those 3 years, he never really had a day off. It was interesting, people were very accepting of Americans in Bahrain. I was the only wife on the staff to be over there.” After the conclusion of his Middle East Service, Rear Admiral and Mrs. Addams would return home for service at Naval Education and Training and the Naval War College.

The strength of Navy families provides bedrock support for our men and women at sea and is illuminated by the words of Mary Addams. 

The United States Navy Memorial honors Mary Addams, Navy Wife of Rear Admiral John Franklin Addams, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service. 

To view this interview please visit the Vinson Hall Veterans Interview Collection on the Navy Memorial Stories of Service page.