Henry, Rich Hatteberg) left in 1994 and formed their own company, International Well Control (IWC). Adair died in Houston in 2004 at the age of 89. He is buried in a crypt at Forest Park Lawndale in Houston. Family He was survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. Legacy The 1968 John Wayne movie Hellfighters was loosely based upon the feats of Adair during the 1962 fire in the Sahara. Adair received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1980. The History Channel's Modern Marvels episode on "Oil Well Firefighting" was one of Adair's last interviews prior to his death. The episode aired after Adair's death and was dedicated to his memory. The Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum "Most Explosive" episode (2014) features a segment on Adair's success in 1961 in stopping the burning gas line in the Algerian Sahara Desert; it was called "The Devil's Cigarette Lighter". He was a longtime member of Lakewood Yacht Club. References 1915 births 2004 deaths American firefighters People in the petroleum industry Bomb disposal personnel United States Army soldiers United States Army personnel of World War II People from Houston Well control companies