Rodney J. Evans
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Rodney J. Evans
| Rodney J. Evans | |
|---|---|
| 17 July 1948 – 18 July 1969 | |
 Copyright © 1999-2006 by HomeOfHeroes.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED If you reproduce the above photograph, please credit HomeOfHeroes.com |
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| Place of birth | Chelsea, Massachusetts |
| Place of death | Tay Ninh province, Vietnam (KIA) |
| Allegiance | US Army |
| Years of service | Unknown-1969 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Awards | Purple Heart, Medal of Honor |
(17 July 1948 – 18 July, 1969) was a sergeant in the United States Army's 1st battalion of the 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Evans was killed in action during the Vietnam War in Tay Ninh province. He died protecting other members of his unit from a concealed land mine using his own body, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor[1].
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[edit] His Life
Rodney Evans was the adopted son of the Evans family of Florala, Alabama. His parents owned a dry cleaning business. After joining the US Army, Rodney Evans married his High School sweetheart, Barbara Geohagan. Rodney was then sent to Vietnam and successfully completed a full tour of duty.
Upon his return to the United States, he was stationed at Fort Rucker, AL not far from where he grew up. Due to financial constraints his wife lived with her parents and would drive up to Ft Rucker on weekends to pick him and take him home.
On Thursday, September 5th, 1968, Mrs. Evans was killed in a car accident after the accelarator on her car became stuck[2] while traveling to Fort Rucker. Rodney became very depressed, re-enlisted and volunteered for another tour in Vietnam. [3].
Once back in Vietnam, Sgt. Evans gained a reputation for taking great risks in order to protect the men under his command.
Rodney Evans died one day after his twenty-first birthday.
[edit] Other Information
Sergeant Rodney Evans is buried in Liberty Hill Cemetery, Florala, Alabama
His name appears on Panel 20W - Row 014 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.
The Rodney Evans burial site
A street was named in Rodney Evans honor in his home town of Florala, Alabama
A Softball Complex at Fort Hood, the current home of the 1st Cavalry Division, was named in Rodney Evans honor.
Two other Medal of Honor recipients, Allen J. Lynch (1967) and John Baca (1970) served in Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division.
[edit] See also
List of Medal of Honor recipients
[edit] References
- ^ Medal of Honor Citation "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty."
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Rodney_Evans Submitted to talk page by Janice Geohagan Hamilton]
- ^ Personal story concerning the life of Rodney Evans
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