The Wall › Panel 20W › Alabama › Rodney John Evans
RODNEY JOHN EVANS
Sergeant · U.S. Army
July 17, 1948 – July 18, 1969
Medal of Honor StoryRodney John Evans, of Florala, Alabama, served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He died on July 18, 1969, in Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam, at age 21. His name is inscribed on Panel 20W, Line 14 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Medal of Honor · awarded posthumously
For conspicuous gallantry
Rodney John Evans received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor, for his actions on July 18, 1969. The official citation reads:
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam, July 18, 1969. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: July 17, 1948, Chelsea, Mass.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Evans distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism while serving as a squad leader in a reconnaissance sweep through heavy vegetation to reconnoiter a strong enemy position. As the force approached a well-defined trail, the platoon scout warned that the trail was booby-trapped. Sgt. Evans led his squad on a route parallel to the trail. The force had started to move forward when a nearby squad was hit by the blast of a concealed mine. Looking to his right Sgt. Evans saw a second enemy device. With complete disregard for his safety he shouted a warning to his men, dived to the ground and crawled toward the mine. Just as he reached it an enemy soldier detonated the explosive and Sgt. Evans absorbed the full impact with his body. His gallant and selfless action saved his comrades from probable death or injury and served as an inspiration to his entire unit. Sgt. Evans' gallantry in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
^ "Medal of Honor recipients - Vietnam (A-L)". United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
Citation text as reproduced in Wikipedia’s article on Rodney John Evans; Medal of Honor citations are official U.S. government records. See also the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and all Medal of Honor recipients on the Wall.
On the Wall
Panel 20W · Line 14
Names are inscribed in the order of loss, starting at Panel 1E at the apex and ending at Panel 1W. At the Memorial, find the panel number at the base and count down from the top line.
Remember
Did you know him? Family members and friends are invited to share a photograph or a memory. Nothing is posted until it has been reviewed.
Service
- Branch
- U.S. Army
- Rank
- Sergeant (SGT)
- Service
- Regular
- Occupation
- Infantryman (11B)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 1 CAV DIV AIRMOBILE
- Born
- July 17, 1948
- Home of record
- Florala, Alabama (Covington County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- July 18, 1969
- Age
- 21
- Province
- Tay Ninh
- Country
- South Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Hostile
- Category
- Killed in Action
- Circumstance
- Explosive Device
Context · from the records
What was happening
20 names on the Wall carry the date July 18, 1969; he was the only one lost in Tây Ninh Province that day. In July 1969, 834 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), his unit in the record, lost 64 of its members that month.
Read the history
Also on Panel 20W, Line 14
- LAWRENCE ALAN ESTERLYLance Corporal · July 18, 1969
- ROGER EARL FOREMANSergeant · July 18, 1969
- DAVID LYNN HASTINGSSergeant · July 18, 1969
- RICHARD LEWIS HUPP JRPrivate First Class · July 18, 1969
Same unit, same day
- DEAN BROOKS ALLENFirst Lieutenant · Panel 20W, Line 13
- THOMAS JOSEPH MARTINOSpecialist Four · Panel 20W, Line 15
- HENRY ONEIL WILHOITEFirst Lieutenant · Panel 20W, Line 16
Source. U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Casualty Analysis System, Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File (as of April 29, 2008), Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Record Group 330, National Archives (NAID 2240992). Panel and line as recorded in that file. The Medal of Honor citation above is the official account of his actions. See something wrong? Report a correction.