Col. Ben Bowden, who also is a circuit judge in Covington County, delivered remarks about Sgt. Rodney J. Evans Monday during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Covington Veterans Monument on the campus of the Andalusia City Hall.
The text of his speech follows:
"I am humbled to part of this program today to honor Sgt Evans as well as all of those who have died in the service of this great nation.
"As most of you are aware, two highway signs were unveiled this morning designating Hwy 55 from Andalusia to Florala as the Sgt Rodney Evans Memorial Highway. This was the culmination of an effort begun over two years ago by the City of Florala, the City of Andalusia, and the Covington Veterans Foundation. We also want to thank Rep Mike Jones and Chairman Greg White of the Covington County Commission for their assistance in accomplishing the mission. The Covington Veterans Foundation has a motto that drives most of what we do. That is, “a soldier never dies unless he is forgotten.” Memorializing Hwy 55 in Sgt Evans name is a lasting tribute to one of our own—may we never forget his love of his fellow man and country.
"I also would like to recognize Pam Stewart, Sgt Evans’ niece, who is with us today. She is the daughter of Sgt Evans’ twin brother. Please help me recognize Ms. Stewart with a warm round of applause. [Brought the Medal of Honor with her today].
"Sergeant Rodney John Evans was a soldier in the U.S. Army's 1st Battalion of the 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Evans was killed in action in Tay Ninh Province during the Vietnam War. He died protecting other members of his unit from a concealed land mine using his body as a shield. For his heroic action he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
"Rodney John Evans was born on 17 July 1948, in Chelsea, MA. He was the adopted son of the Evans family of Florala, AL. His parents owned a dry cleaning business. After joining the U.S. 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 U.S. 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 Fort Rucker on weekends to pick him up and take him home.
"On Thursday, 5 September 1968, Barbara Evans was killed in a car accident after the accelerator on her car became stuck while traveling to Fort Rucker. Her death was devastating to Sgt Evans. He re-enlisted, and volunteered for another tour in Vietnam.
"Once back in Vietnam, Evans gained a reputation for taking great risks in order to protect the men under his command.
"On July 18, 1969, one day after his 21st birthday, Sgt Evans and his unit were on patrol in Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam. Sgt Evans was 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 selfless action saved his comrades from probable death or injury and served as an inspiration to his entire unit.
"War and its tragic consequences have a way of touching us all. My brother-in-law, Mike Welch, grew up in Florala a block over from the Evans family. He told me how he was riding his bike by the Evans house one day and saw a sedan pull up to the Evans house and two men in formal military uniforms approach the house. Even at age 11, he knew what had happened. That day, as it is for many, is etched in Mike’s consciousness.
"In 2019, a ceremony was held in Florala to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Sgt Evans’ death. We were so fortunate that day to have two members of his patrol that were with Sgt Evans the day he died and who credit his sacrifice with saving their lives. We had so hoped to have them with us today, but neither are able to travel at this time. We did secure their thoughts about today’s ceremony. I am a poor substitute for these men, but I would like for you listen closely to the their words about Sgt Evans.
RODNEY J. EVANS by Basil Clark
"As long as we live in someone’s memories we are still alive.
"This honor being bestowed upon Rodney today is keeping him alive, and hopefully some travelers of this stretch of road will look up RODNEY J. EVANS and discover who he was and why he is held in such high respect and realize that Rodney is a hero who gave the ultimate sacrifice, in the immortal words of President Abraham Lincoln, “that last full measure of devotion.”
"Rodney purposely threw himself on an enemy mine to save the lives of other brothers in arms. A provocative thought: Under the given circumstances of July 18th, 1969, had Rodney NOT jumped on the mine, most likely he would have died anyway, but so ALSO would have Gary DeRigne and some others. It was Rodney’s heroic actions that blessed our Brother Gary with another fifty three years of life.
"Did Rodney have a Premonition? While fixing what turned out to be the last C-Ration he ate, Pork Slices, which he liked, Rodney said, “A man should enjoy his last meal”.
"Rodney’s favorite song due to the loss of his wife Barbara in a car accident early in their marriage was HONEY by Bobby Goldsboro. I think of the song frequently, and I think of Rodney every time I see a helicopter fly overhead, and I miss you Rodney and you truly live on in our hearts and minds. May this stretch of road be a constant reminder of the ultimate price many have paid in service to our country.
"Thank you, and may God bless America, and all those who serve her in a wide variety of ways.
"The following thoughts are those of Army Staff Sergeant Gary DeRigne, who was with Sgt Evans when he was killed.
“I deeply regret that I’m unable to be here today in person, but at seventy-five, and having been wounded in Vietnam and suffering several other war-related maladies, I’m encountering mobility issues that are keeping me home. My sincere apologies.
"I knew Rod Evans very well, and our friendship had the closeness that I believe can only be developed in combat. We shared many life stories from before the war, and I know that Rod was very proud of his home town, Florala, Alabama.
"Rod died on the morning of July 18, 1969, the day after his 21st birthday, when he willingly sacrificed his life to save mine, and those of other soldiers in our infantry squad. Rod was the Squad Leader of the First Squad, Third Platoon, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 12thCavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), and was serving his second deployment to Vietnam, for which he had volunteered.
"We had been in a firefight with elements of the North Vietnamese Army the afternoon before, suffering several wounded ourselves, and killing and wounding an unknown number of North Vietnamese soldiers. We had remained at the site of the firefight through the night, placing listening posts between our company perimeter and the North Vietnamese. These listening posts clearly heard enemy activity during the night, and we engaged them many times overnight with hand grenades and Claymore anti-personnel mines.
"Despite a shortage of ammunition, food, and water, and knowing full well that there were many North Vietnamese defending the bunkers, our company was nevertheless ordered to further reconnoiter the complex the next morning. There was no “prepping” of the enemy position by artillery fire before we moved into the bunkers, as everyone in our squad believed there should have been.
"It was our squad’s turn to walk point, to be one of two lead elements for the company as we moved toward the enemy. Normally when our squad was walking company point, my buddy Mitchell Hamabata and I were the point element, with one of us walking in the lead, and the other backing him up from close behind. That morning, knowing full well that we were very likely walking into an ambush, Rod took the point himself, ordering Mitchell and me to fall back and walk behind him. He did that, I believe, because he was an excellent leader, and because he had over eighteen months of combat experience, while Mitchell and I had only been in Vietnam for a short time.
"We had only moved a few yards when the North Vietnamese began to fire command-detonated anti-personnel mines at our lead elements. After the first barrage Rod saw an undetonated mine directly to his front, and threw himself onto it. The enemy blew the mine just as Rod fell on it, and he took the full blast in his face, neck, and upper chest. He died there on the jungle floor, painfully struggling through his last desperate breath. Neither Mitchell, nor I, nor anyone else in our squad was hit, because Rod had absorbed the full blast with his body.
"Rod was a fine young man who had already suffered great sadness in his life from the death of his wife in a car accident only months before he died.
"I clearly owe the last fifty-three years of my life to Rod’s heroic sacrifice in 1969, and even now, not a day goes by that I don’t think about him, and give thanks for what he did. I am very grateful that Rod is being honored here today with the dedication of this section of highway, so close to his beloved home town of Florala, Alabama.”
"We certainly want to thank Basil Clark and Gary DeRigne for sharing their thoughts about SSgt Evans. We also thank them for their service and dedication to our Nation.
"Gen Douglas MacArthur is one of America’s greatest war-time generals. He is most famous for successfully waging War against the Japanese in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, ultimately bringing that conflict to the doorstep of the Japanese homeland. You may not know that that as a younger officer in WW I he was the Chief of Staff for the Commander of the 42nd Division, which was nicknamed the “Rainbow Division” because it was made up a cross-section of men from across the nation, include the 167th Regiment from Alabama. Then Lt Col MacArthur is reported to have said this about the boys from Alabama: “The 167th Alabama assisted by the left flank of the 168th Iowa had stormed and captured the Croix Rouge Farm in a manner which for its gallantry I do not believe has been surpassed in military history.” Gen MacArthur also said this: “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.” Let us leave this place today, resolving once again to be vigilant in the preservation of freedom for the future generations of America.
"I would like to close by reading the official citation that accompanies Sgt Evans’ Medal of Honor. It is a custom in the military to stand when a citation to accompany a medal is read, so at this time, I would ask that those who are able to please stand:
Attention to Orders:
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 was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army."
[Gen Douglas MacArthur is one of America’s greatest war-time generals. He is most famous for successfully waging War against the Japanese in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, ultimately bringing that conflict to the doorstep of the Japanese homeland. You may not know that that as a younger officer in WW I he was the Chief of Staff for the Commander of the 42nd Division, which was nicknamed the “Rainbow Division” because it was made up a cross-section of men from across the nation, include the 167th Regiment from Alabama. Then Lt Col MacArthur is reported to have said this about the boys from Alabama: “The 167th Alabama assisted by the left flank of the 168th Iowa had stormed and captured the Croix Rouge Farm in a manner which for its gallantry I do not believe has been surpassed in military history.” Gen MacArthur also said this: “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.” Let us leave this place today, resolving once again to be vigilant in the preservation of freedom for the future generations of America.
"May God Bless each of you and may God Bless the United States of America."
Veterans Service Officer Brian Fosheee served as master of ceremonies. Hannah Cross sang the national anthem; Mayor Earl Johnson introduced Col. Bowden; AHS student Carter Sasser played "Taps;" and Sammy Glover closed the service with a prayer.