Colonel Hans Christian Adamson, An Airman's Story
Colonel Hans Christian Adamson, An Airman's Story
Colonel Hans Christian Adamson was born on July 20, 1890, in Varde, Denmark. He later immigrated to the United States, settling in New York City, where he established himself as a respected nonfiction writer and educator long before the outbreak of World War II.
Adamson worked closely with the American Museum of Natural History, contributing extensively to publications associated with the Hayden Planetarium, including the magazine The Sky. Through this work, he developed a reputation for translating complex scientific and exploratory subjects into accessible narratives for the public. His early documentary script, Adventures in Exploration, reflected both his curiosity about the world and his talent for storytelling.
In addition to print work, Adamson wrote educational material for the American School of the Air, a radio program that broadcast lessons to teachers and students nationwide. His prewar career placed him squarely within America’s intellectual and educational life—an unusual background for a future combat-zone survivor.
During World War II, Adamson entered military service with the United States Air Force (Army Air Forces). In 1942, he was assigned to accompany Captain Eddie Rickenbacker on an inspection tour of Pacific Ocean military bases. During the mission, their aircraft went down at sea, leaving Adamson, Rickenbacker, and the rest of the crew adrift on life rafts.
For 24 days, the men survived exposure, starvation, and dehydration in the open ocean, an ordeal that became one of the most extraordinary survival stories of the war. Adamson’s presence proved pivotal: as a writer and observer, he later helped ensure the experience was accurately recorded and understood.
After the war, Colonel Adamson returned to writing, focusing largely on war-themed nonfiction and radio scripts. He authored works that explored aviation, survival, and leadership, including a biography of Eddie Rickenbacker that helped cement the historical record of their shared ordeal.
Colonel Hans Christian Adamson died on September 11, 1968. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
His legacy bridges two worlds: the quiet authority of education and the brutal uncertainty of wartime survival. Through both service and storytelling, Adamson ensured that experience did not vanish into silence.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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