MARKS, Adrian - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Meet Adrian Marks born in Ladoga, Feb 18, 1917 (to Robert William Marks who was amazing in his own right born 31 May 1885 in LaPorte, died a couple of weeks before his 97th birthday at Lebanon after being an attorney for 71 years and long time manager of the Ladoga Federal Savings & Loan.  In 1915 he married Zena Caldwell, she a music teacher in Ladoga, Crawfordsville and Frankfort – they are buried at Oak Hill) at 8:30 in the evening, delivered by Dr. EO Price to 27-years old Zena and he at age 31 (Birth Certificate 43492).  Believe he was an only child.

Adrian earned his law degree from Northwest University.  He enlisted (BIRLS – Veteran Affairs) before the war on 27 Oct 1940 (discharged 26 Jan 1946).  He married Elta Roll in 1941. After the Pearl Harbor attack (he was there) he attended flight school, becoming a Naval aviator, a feat that saved 56 men and made it possible to save more after the Japanese torpedoed the USS Indianapolis.  If you know your history, it took but 12 minutes for the Indianapolis to sink and 1/3 of its crew went with it.  900 got off but many perished as there was no SOS sent to let anyone know of the disaster. Three days later, a patrol plane happened to see some “bobbing head,” and here is where our MoCo boy comes in!

Lt. Adrian Marks (mil.com by Bethanne Kelly Patrick) was sent out in his amphibious plane to see what and who the bobbing heads were. After three days, the Indianapolis said to be our worse sea disaster was finally discovered.  They found a blanket of groaning death-like men who were literally dy8ng by the minute. Adrian had been ordered not to land the plane.  He let headquarters know to get any nearby ships there (7 would eventually arrive) ASAP but in the meantime he and his crew discussed the necessity to do something immediately.  The vote was unanimous to get as many out of the shark infested waters as soon as possible.  Three life rafts were dropped to no avail as one was destroyed in the high, fierce waves and the others landed too far away for the exhausted men to reach.  So, immediate aid was crucial.

Marks told his crew to get the lone survivors first as those in a group had a much better chance of survival as sharks would nab the loner first. The men deserved to be saved after burning-up in the hot day time sun and freezing in the night’s darkness.  With such limited space on the plane, Marks crew filled the inside of the plane then strapped as many as possible to the plane’s wings using parachute cords.  They were able to save 56.  The ships sent got as many of the rest as possible.  Although the plane was destroyed (too much weight on the wings) and Marks had gone against orders, he also went above and beyond the call of duty to save lives and received an Air Medal commendation from Admiral Chester Nimitz.  

Upon the end of the war and his release from service, Adrian marks went “back home again to Indiana,” where he practiced real estate law for the rest of his life in Frankfort.  March 7, 1998 at age 81, he left his dear Elta, four children and 12 grands (cremated and his ashes scattered but has a FindAGrave Memorial #6094 – photo by PJ Horn).  

His son, Robert noted that, “He was an extremely unusual man, brilliant.  He was also a somewhat domineering authoritative father who didn’t tolerate mediocracy.  Besides Robert, Adrian and Elta were parents of Alexis, Lynn and Pam.  They had mainly gone to the NorthWest, the Tacoma Washington area and thought it was so beautiful, but Adrian had no desire to live there as he was a hardcore Hoosier.

Besides the four birth children, Adrian and Elta had a foster son, John Barlas, whom they had met while he was a Parkistanian attending Purdue. The family had invited him to Thanksgiving dinner and all fell in love with him and vice-versa.  He said, “I knew my real father six years, Adrian 40.  He was a mentor to me!”

At the 30-year reunion of the Indianapolis, Adrian told those in attendance, “I met you 30 years ago.  I met you on a sparkling sun-swept afternoon of honor.  I have known you through a balmy tropical night of fear.  I will never forget you!”

And, please, no Montgomery Countian should ever forget Adrian Marks and his efforts for the men from the U.S.S. Indianapolis.  – kbz