An excerpt from the book, “Some Gave All,” available on Amazon
By Mike Simmons
In 1883, it became a whistle stop for the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad Company. The company laid tracks along the Old Spanish Trail, an old footpath that had been used for many years to connect East and West Florida. From the small stop set up along the railroad tracks on the crest between the Yellow and Shoal Rivers grew businesses, stores, and homes. In 1916, the residents decided to incorporate, and the town of Crestview was born. In 1974, it was a sleepy little southern town. It had a hospital, a courthouse, and the whole town came out when the high school football team, the Bulldogs, played. It is a beautiful, peaceful town, with a small-town feeling…everyone knows everyone. That is usually a good thing. Of course, there is the old saying about a small town. The good part is that you know everybody. The bad part is that you know everybody.
Buster Glenn Adams was born on March 18, 1946, in Donaldsonville Georgia to Hilton and Jeffie Adams. His name was Buster, but everyone called him Buddy. When Buddy and his two sisters were children, the family moved to Crestview, 120 miles southeast of Donaldsonville. There, Buddy became a Bulldog when he started high school.
After graduation, the country was in the middle of conflict in Vietnam. On October 18, 1965, Buster enlisted[1]. While others involved in the conflict took a negative view, Buster found that he actually enjoyed serving, and he was good at it. According to Sgt. Eugene Petrowski, SP4 Adams served with Company B, 504 Military Police Battalion in Pleiku, Vietnam. He served honorably as a military policeman from 1966 to 1967. Later, he worked as a Military Police Investigator with the CID’s Pleiku field office. Hilton died on April 11, 1967, leaving his mother by herself[2]. During the conflict, Buster was wounded and was awarded the Purple Heart[3].
After Buster, known by his friends as “Buddy,” returned from two tours in Vietnam, he got out of the military on September 10, 1967, and became a real-life civilian[4]. First, he got a job working for a local grocer, but that didn’t provide enough action. He then tried his hand at the Pensacola News Journal. Still wasn’t it. Finally, he landed on something that he thought might meet that need he had. He wanted to serve, but he also wanted action! So, he got a job in his hometown as a Crestview police officer. On December 5, 1970, he graduated from the police academy and got right to work[5]. This was it! After a lot of action and adventure in the military, he could handle this. In addition, he was helping. He was serving the citizens of his town. It was great!
After four years, Buster had become an impressive officer, carrying the title of Investigator. On the night of March 26, 1974, a new officer, Jerry Farrior, was riding with him, learning the ropes. At 9:20 PM, Buddy was talking with his friend George Whitehurst, the mayor of Crestview. George also owned the largest funeral home in town. The “Whitehurst Funeral Home” sign was prominently displayed on the west end of town, right on the main drag, Highway 90. Buddy was introducing Jerry to the mayor when suddenly, the officers received a call on the police radio about a man with a gun at the Old Quaker Lounge.
It was a typical neighborhood bar. More than that – it was a landmark. Dark and loud, it contained mostly locals, and most knew each other. It wasn’t without its problems, though. Buddy had been there before on more than one occasion. He knew most of the regular patrons on sight and had established a rapport with a few of them. So, he really wasn’t too concerned about going in this time.
There were two problems though. First, the caller said that a man in there had a gun[6]. For him to know, he had to see it. Not good. It was dark and would be hard to see a gun. Second, going into a dark barroom from a lighted parking lot doesn’t give a police officer a good feeling – especially if the problem is armed with a firearm. Other officers called in to say that they were on the way also just in case there was a problem. One of them was Daniel Paige, the Assistant Chief of Police.
When Buddy and Jerry entered the dark bar and tried to adjust to the dark surroundings, they were pointed to the table where the reported problem was. Seated at the table were Foster Taylor and Frank Madden – neither were known to the policemen. Taylor, a 49-year-old county road worker, was the one with the gun. Buddy, in his friendly, Andy Griffith sort of way, approached Taylor. The other officers were in tow. Buddy asked Taylor if he could talk to him outside. At first, Taylor stared…as if making up his mind about something. Then it happened.
Without a word, Taylor pulled out his revolver and started shooting. He shot Buddy three times before Buddy and the other officers returned fire, killing Taylor on the spot. Also injured in the shootout was 45-year-old Frank Madden. The condition of both Buddy and Madden were considered critical. Both were rushed to the hospital where Buddy died a few hours later. Madden eventually recovered and sued the Crestview Police Department for not keeping him safe. The out-of-court settlement made the problem go away.
The entire town was in shock. It was the first in-the-line-of-duty death in its history. Mayor Whitehurst asked that all city flags be flown at half-staff in honor of Adams. He called Adams “one of the most dedicated officers on the force. He was real cooperative and always for upgrading the police department[7].”
Three days after the shooting, the funeral took place at First United Methodist Church in downtown Crestview. The coffin was carried by Buddy’s fellow officers – his friends. Hundreds attended to show support. Hundreds of cars lined up for the 50-mile procession trip from Crestview to Opp, Alabama where Buddy was buried. He left behind two sisters, Mrs. Louise Marsh of Gordon, Georgia and Mrs. Ollie Barnes of Columbus, Georgia.
On June 15, 2010, Buster Adams was post-humorously promoted to sergeant by the City of Crestview and the Crestview Police Department[8]. His memory was honored by encasing his service revolver and gun belt in a shadow box. The department had his revolver secured since the shooting. The shadow box and a photograph of him in his police uniform were presented to his cousin who had traveled from Georgia to attend his posthumous promotion.
Rest in peace, Sergeant.
[1] U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs BIRLS death file 1850-2010, Buster Glenn Adams. Acquired 10/02/2022
[2] Pensacola News Journal, December 22, 1971. Acquired 10/02/2022
[3] Officer Down Memorial Page, https://www.odmp.org/officer/1048-sergeant-buster-glenn-adams, Acquired 10/02/2022
[4] U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs BIRLS death file 1850-2010, Buster Glenn Adams. Acquired 10/02/2022
[5] Pensacola News Journal, December 5, 1970. Acquired 10/02/2022
[6] Pensacola News Journal, March 27, 1974. Acquired 10/02/2022
[7] Pensacola News Journal, March 28, 1974. Acquired 10/02/2022
[8] Officer Down Memorial Page, https://www.odmp.org/officer/1048-sergeant-buster-glenn-adams. Acquired 10/02/2022