World War II Honoree

Hugh A. Evans

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Aplena, South Dakota

Honored By

Dorothy J. Evans

Relationship

Wife

ATTENDED THE CURTIS-WRIGHT TECHNICAL INSTITUTE AT THE GRAND CENTRAL AIR TERMINAL IN GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA BEFORE ENTERING MILITARY SERVICE. THE INSTITUTE WAS AN EARLY PROFESSIONAL TRADE SCHOOL FOR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TRAINING. AFTER COMPLETING A YEAR-LONG COURSE OF INSTRUCTION, WAS AWARDED HIS AIRFRAME AND POWER PLANT (A&P) CERTIFICATION. THIS CERTIFICATION MADE HIM AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR THE U.S. NAVY V-5 OFFICER SPECIAL TRAINING PROGRAM. HE ENLISTED IN THE NAVAL AVIATION CADET PROGRAM SHORTLY AFTER THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. THE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A POOL OF MEN FOR OFFICER FLYING TRAINING AND PROVIDED AN AVENUE TO MEET HIS GOAL OF BECOMING A PILOT. ENTERED ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE AND TRAINED AS A PILOT AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION (NAS), DALLAS, TEXAS. HE WAS ABOUT HALF-WAY THROUGH THE PROGRAM WHEN THE NAVAL BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA, INCLUDING THE ‘GREAT MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT’ AS IT WAS CALLED, WAS FOUGHT IN JUNE, 1944. THE BATTLE RESULTED IN THE VIRTUAL DESTRUCTION OF JAPANESE NAVAL POWER IN THE PACIFIC FOR THE REST OF THE WAR. OVER 3/4 OF JAPANESE CARRIER-BASED AIRCRAFT WERE DESTROYED IN THE ACTION. DUE TO THE PERCEPTION THAT THE AIR WAR IN THE PACIFIC HAD BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY WON, THE NAVY DETERMINED THAT THE NEED FOR PILOTS WAS DRAMATICALLY REDUCED. ACCORDINGLY, HE AND OTHER CLASSMATES WERE INVOLUNTARILY RELEASED FROM FLYING TRAINING AND REASSIGNED TO THE NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS. UPON COMPLETION OF TRAINING, HE WAS ORDERED TO THE NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL (PARACHUTE RIGGERS), NAS, LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY WHERE HE WAS RATED AS A PARACHUTE RIGGER. HIS GRADUATION INCLUDED A JUMP FROM A BLIMP WITH A PARACHUTE HE HAD PACKED. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO NAS, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE WAS ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSION OF BACK-PACK PARACHUTES TO SEAT-PACKS. THE CONVERSION AFFORDED PILOTS ADDITIONAL BACK PROTECTION FROM ENEMY FIRE. REASSIGNED OVERSEAS TO THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AND SHIPPED OUT TO GUAM IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. SERVED THERE UNTIL THE WAR ENDED AND THEN RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES ABOARD A CONVERTED WARSHIP AS PART OF OPERATION ‘MAGIC CARPET.’ THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. WHILE EMBARKED, HE WAS DETAILED FOR LOOKOUT DUTY AND DETECTED THROUGH STRONG BINOCULARS WHAT APPEARED TO BE A POLE STICKING OUT OF THE OCEAN FAR OUT AT SEA. LATER, AS HIS SHIP CONVERGED WITH HIS SIGHTING, THE POLE TURNED OUT TO BE THE MAST OF A BRITISH SHIP THAT HAD BEEN OBSCURED BY THE EARTH’S CURVITURE. THIS ONCE AGAIN REINFORCED THE NOTION THAT THE EARTH IS ROUND. HE LANDED AT THE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA PORT AND WAS THEN HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RATE OF SEAMAN FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.