World War II Honoree

Andrew Moffatt Evans

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Abbeville, South Carolina

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

HE TRANSFERRED FROM THE NATIONAL GUARD INTO ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE U.S. ARMY AT FORT BRAGG ON JANUARY 27, 1941 AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 813TH TANK DESTROYER BATTALION. WHEN THE 813TH DEPARTED THE STATES ON AUGUST 6, 1942 FOR NORTH AFRICA, HE WAS IN COMMAND OF THE 125TH CAVALRY RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON. AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN, HIS UNIT WAS SHIPPED TO ENGLAND AND ASSIGNED TO THE 814TH TANK DESTROYER BATTALION. SOMETIME AFTER D-DAY HIS UNIT WAS SHIPPED TO EUROPE. BY SEPTEMBER, 1944 HE WAS IN HOLLAND AND OUTFITTED WITH THE NEW M-36 TANK DESTROYERS. MOVED TO BELGIUM WHERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO COVER THE WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM ST. VITH. IN THIS CAMPAIGN HIS UNIT KILLED EIGHTEEN GERMAN TANKS AND FORCED THE REMAINDER TO WITHDRAW. FOR THIS ACTION HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION. A DAY LATER HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE FACE AND EYES BY AN EXPLODING 88 SHELL, FOR WHICH HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART. HE WAS SHIPPED TO ENGLAND FOR TREATMENT. IN OCTOBER OF 1945 HE RETURNED TO THE STATES, AND WAS DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AS A 1ST LIEUTENANT AT FORT BRAGG ON FEBRUARY 25, 1946. IN ADDITION TO THE PURPLE HEART AND SILVER STAR, HE EARNED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EAST CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH SERVICE STARS FOR THE TUNISIAN, RHINELAND, NORTHERN FRANCE, AND ARDENNES CAMPAIGNS.