Date of Award: June 4, 1968
Conflict: Vietnam War
Branch: U.S. Army

During his service with the U.S. Army in Vietnam, Donald Evans often wrote his letters to his family, optimistically and vaguely detailing the escalating hardships American soldiers were facing in the jungle. While serving as a medic with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 12 Infantry, 4th Infantry Division in South Vietnam, Evans was killed in action giving aid to wounded soldiers on January 27, 1968, only a few days after his last letter was sent home. Secretary of the Army Stanley R. Resor presented the Medal of Honor to Evans’ wife and parents at a special ceremony at the Pentagon on June 4, 1968.

Citation: “Realizing that the wounds of one man required immediate attention, Specialist 4 Evans dragged the injured soldier back across the dangerous fire-swept area, to a secure position from which he could be further evacuated. Miraculously escaping the enemy fusillade, Evans returned to the forward location. As he continued the treatment of the wounded, he was struck by fragments from an enemy grenade. Despite his serious and painful injury he succeeded in evacuating another wounded comrade, rejoined his platoon as it was committed to battle and was soon treating other wounded soldiers.”