Albert E. Adcock
Rank: CMSgt(r)
Entered Into Eternal Rest
2025-08-06
Albert Eugene “Gene” Adcock, age 88, of Spring Lake, North Carolina, passed away on August 6, 2025.
Born on March 11, 1937, in Christopher, Illinois, Gene was the only child of Doris Adcock and Leon Adcock. His father and grandfathers, Isaac Adcock and Erva Biby, were lifelong coal miners at the Bell & Zoller Coal Company in Zeigler, Illinois.
Gene graduated from Christopher Community High School in 1954 and soon after enlisted in the United States Air Force, completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas—celebrating his 18th birthday there on March 11, 1955. He went on to graduate from technical school at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois in 1956 as a ground radio maintainer, with his first overseas assignment at Shiroi Air Base in Japan.
Gene went on to build a legendary military career, serving for over two decades and retiring in 1977 at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. He was one of the earliest members of the elite Combat Control Teams (CCT), a highly trained group specializing in air traffic control, reconnaissance, and combat operations under the most dangerous conditions. He served around the world, including multiple combat tours in Laos and Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and was stationed at bases including Sewart AFB, Tachikawa AB (Japan), England AFB, and Little Rock AFB.
Among his many military decorations were the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor. He earned Master Parachutist Wings- with Combat Star, was a certified HALO jumpmaster, and proudly served in some of the most critical and clandestine operations of his era.
After retiring from active duty, Gene pursued his education, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Economics from Park College, followed by a Master of Arts in Business Administration from Webster College. He continued to serve his country in the civilian sector, playing a key role in the development of the Quick Fix Suite, a set of combat identification tools credited with dramatically reducing friendly fire incidents. He is also credited with the concept of covert infrared (IR) reflective tabs, successfully implemented during the Gulf War, which saved countless lives.
Gene poured his heart and soul into the mission of Combat Control and preserving its legacy. He was a dedicated historian and author of several works, including C.C.T. – The Eye of the Storm, which documents the rich and courageous history of Combat Control operations. He was a Life Member of the Combat Control Association, the Air Commando Association, and the Airlift Tanker Association, and was inducted into the Air Commando Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Combat Control Association Hall of Fame in 2014. He also served as President of the Combat Control School Alumni Association.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Sylvia Hagins Adcock; sons, Mark Adcock and Chris Adcock and his wife Ann (with their mother, Linda Atchison Adcock); children by marriage, Richard Sykes and Amanda Stone; granddaughters Kimberly Forte and her husband Alex, Lindsay Casas and her husband Armando “Junior”, and Mallory Sollie and her husband Ryan; grandson, Richard Justin Sykes; and seven beloved great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025, from 11 AM to 2 PM at The Lodge At Anderson Creek Crossing, 322 Falls Creek Drive, Spring Lake, NC, to honor Gene’s legacy.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to an organization supporting military veterans or the Combat Control Foundation in Gene’s memory.
Gene Adcock was a patriot, a pioneer, a mentor, and a man of deep integrity. His impact on his country, his comrades, and his family is immeasurable—and his legacy will endure for generations to come.
