Henry Cotheal Evans, Jr. – Colonel, United States Army

by

Henry C. Evans, Jr., Colonel
Born August 12, 1928 – Died August 30, 2006

cib

Henry Cotheal “Hank” Evans, Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland on 12 August 1928 and was appointed to West Point on a Senatorial appointment.

His West Point classmates recall: “Henry, known to us as a `man of average intelligence,’ came to the Point from Baltimore. Though he had worries with studies, he proved himself more than average in making friends and in getting a job done. In sports, lacrosse kept Henry busy the year round. There may be better players but none worked harder to make the team. With his spirit and determination he need not worry about success.”

During his cadet days Hank went out for LaCrosse all four years and earned a Monogram and was on the Debate Council all four years as well; he went out for the Concert Orchestra plebe year, was with the Spanish Club plebe and yearling years; was an Acolyte yearling, cow, and first class years; on the Ticket Committee cow and first class years; and was a Cadet Company First Sergeant his first class year.

Upon graduation Hank went in the Artillery and after completing the Basic Artillery Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma reported to the Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion at Fort Totten where he served from 1951 to 1952. Hank’s next assignment was to Korea with the 40th Division where he served from 1952 to 1953 and was awarded a Commendation Ribbon. From 1959 to 1961 Hank served at Headquarters, 3rd Division Artillery and in 1962 attended the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on completion of which he was at the University of Arizona from 1962 to 1964. Next Hank went to Office Assistant Chief of Staff, Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Georgia, Department of the Army where he served until 1967 and was awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services.

In 1967 Hank earned a Masters degree in Public Administration from the George Washington University and was then appointed Battalion Commander with the 16th Artillery and simultaneously was G5 of the 4th Division, Republic of Vietnam where he served until 1968 and was decorated with a second Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services; the Bronze Star Medal (valor) for distinguished heroism against an enemy; and two Air Medals for meritorious achievement beyond that normally expected, while participating in aerial flight. On return to stateside Hank went to Headquarters, Army Combat Development Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia where he served from 1968 to 1969 when he was selected to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley McNair with the resident class of 1970. Hank’s next assignment was to ODDRE where he served from 1970 to 1971 when he was named Commanding Officer of the 559th Artillery Group in Italy and served until 1974.

Next Hank went to Headquarters, United States Army Reserve Europe where he served until 1975 when he accepted his last military assignment with the Office, Joint Chiefs of Staff where he served from 1975 to 1977 when he retired from the United States Army as a Colonel.

On retirement Hank accepted a position as Project Manager with Jacor until 1983 when he went with R & D Associates and was with them until 1985 when he was named a Senior Engineer with Martin Marietta in 1985. In 1990 Hank went back to school and earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Denver.

Hank and his wife Mary Agnes made their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. However, the May 1995 Assembly noted, “Hank Evans retired from Martin Marietta in August 1994 after commuting between Orlando and Livermore Labs every week. It finally wore him down; he had a pacemaker installed last May.

Hank and Agnes were sitting grandchildren so that daughter Edith could join her husband Bob Hyatt, Jr. son of Bob and Tinky Hyatt, on a business trip.”

Hank died on August 30, 2006 of cancer.

José Andrés Chacón
Cullum 18250

Originally published September 4, 2006

Colonel Henry Cotheal Evans Jr., a career Army officer and decorated veteran of two wars who raised golden retrievers and had been active in dog shows in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, died of lymphoma Wednesday at Capital Hospice in Fairfax, Virginia. He was 78.

A Baltimore native and 1946 graduate of Loyola High School, he attended Georgetown University for two years and graduated in 1951 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.

In 1952, he was deployed to Korea and served in combat.

Two years later, he married Mary-Agnes Donnelly Moore, whom he had met at a church wedding in Mount Washington.

“He was just home from Korea, and he was a very handsome young man and had a future in the Army,” Mrs. Evans said yesterday. “It was just kind of love at first sight.”

The couple moved to Germany with their son in 1958 when Colonel Evans was assigned there as a battery commander. The couple had two daughters and another son before leaving Germany in 1961.

Colonel Evans graduated from the Army’s Command and General Staff Course in 1962, and moved his family to Tucson, Ariz., where he studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Arizona. He then worked at the Pentagon for three years, overseeing Army flight instruction.

His next assignment was in Vietnam, commanding a 4th Infantry Division medium and heavy artillery battalion in combat. His decorations there included the Bronze Star, two Air Medals, and the Vietnamese Gold Star Medal.

In 1970, Colonel Evans graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in Washington. In the Office of the Army Chief of Research and Development, he became involved in development of the self-propelled howitzer.

From 1972 to 1976, he was stationed in Italy and Germany, and then he returned to the Pentagon as a division chief in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“We moved 21 times and had a very nice life wherever we were,” Mrs. Evans said.

Colonel Evans retired from the Army in 1977 and began working in aerospace engineering in Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo., with Martin Marietta Corp. His love of golden retrievers dated to that time, the family said.

“My father had two passions: the military, which was an expression of his sense of duty, and the other was animals,” said his son Daniel D. Evans of Baltimore. “Even as a boy, he raised homing pigeons and gave them to a military division. He trained them so well, they kept coming back to the house.”

Colonel Evans participated in the Westminster Dog Show at New York’s Madison Square Garden, his son said.

In 1996, Colonel Evans and his family moved back to Baltimore, where he was a member of the Maryland Gunpowder River Golden Retriever Club. He often judged dog shows and earned American Kennel Club titles for his own dogs in obedience, tracking and agility trials, his son said.

Colonel Evans had also been an avid runner and participated in 17 marathons, and over the years, he remained involved with his West Point class, his son said.

“He would travel to funerals and was in charge of sending flowers to fallen classmates’ family,” said his son. “And almost every year, he’d go to the Army-Navy game, wherever it was.”

A Mass of Christian burial and interment are planned for 11:45 a.m. Octoner 31, 2006, at Arlington National Cemetery.

Survivors also include another son, Henry C. Evans III of Lawton, Oklahome; three daughters, Elizabeth E. Hardner of Fullerton, California, Edith E. Hyatt of Fairfax Station, Virginia, and Mary-Agnes E. Moreland of Baltimore; and 10 grandchildren.

A Tradition of Ballad and Song

A family tradition, as the ballad continues, we mourn today a soldier’s song.
A voice, a hero, who fought for peace, who knew the price of freedom’s ring.
His duty, protecting and defending came first, always with truth, with honor, and with pride.
Now he lies draped with stars and stripes of red, white, and blue.

He was groomed to stand upon his father’s stars, a General of two world wars.
A story of decoy in enemy’s firing rounds, an oath, his men called to safety first.
Like his forefather, Colonel Henry Cotheal Evans Jr., a leader from birth, a person of decision.
He now lies draped in stars and stripes of red, white, and blue.

He stepped upon Georgetown University’s ivy lined stairs at seventeen, a premed.
Then appointed, to march upon cobblestones with Cadets of elite.
He was graduated from West Point Military Academy in the year of nineteen fifty-one.
He lies draped with stars and stripes of red, white, and blue.

From Korea, to Vietnam, to the Cold War, to Star Wars, to back and forth from beyond.
A drummer’s echo still beats the rhythm of his untold stories of wartime, memories  of past.
Today, he is dressed in his army full blues, his medals shine, as a bugle calls for taps.
Now he lies draped in stars and stripes of red, white, and blue.

 A lifetime learner, Degrees and Masters hang upon the walls, a hallmark of a scholar.
Two Bachelor of Science degrees, Aeronautical Engineering, an MBA, Telecommunications,
A graduate with honors from the Industrial War College in Washington, D.C.
He worked with countries around the world, developing the self propelling Howitzer.
A scholar, he is draped in stars and stripes of red, white, and blue.

His family moved in hum, twenty-one times from west to east, following the rhythm of the sun.
In tour, over the Atlantic, landing in Italy, ciao! Rolling into Germany, gutenmorgen!
Now riding on caisson followed by riderless horse, moving closer to an eternity among the best.
The sound of cannon echoes from across the Potomac,
As he is draped with stars and stripes of red, white, and blue.

As a boy, he trained pigeons in code, honed to return. Then he turned to dogs, agility, intelligence to test.
Scotch was first to toast, Ruff flew in helicopters in fields of battle, Shami was awarded a bouquet,
The best in show at the Gardens.  Daisy his last, still awaits his arrival.  She was a private enlistment,
His most faithful soldier. Her ears upright, creased at full salute, barking at bellowing flag at half mast.
Guards with precision, fold the flag in his honor, for the last time,
Stars and stripes, in red, white, and blue.

As I write a lifetime of words across the page, a generation of ballad and song is continued.
An officer, a father, a grandfather, a husband, a friend.  His voice is not whispered but carried forward.
Passing history, memorializing a war hero, remembering through pen and ink.
Hawk in dovetail crest above, encircling freedom’s song, protecting truth, our country, as I entrust.
Today, Colonel Henry Cotheal Evans Jr. is draped with the American flag,
Stars and stripes of red, white, and blue.

With all my love, I say Adieu.

Written by,
Betsy Evans Holzner
October 31, 2006

The Old Guard at Arlington

Outside the Old Post Chapel walls,
I heard the guards assemble one by one,
Saluting a soldier whose memories in spirit had appeared in their eyes,
Gleaming from within.
Quiet thoughts of his life streamed onto window tile,
While hymns on organ played from angel wings in mourning.

Turning my head towards outside shadows,
Silhouettes of faces unfolded the flag of red, white, and blue,
Unfurling the cloth upon the soldier from head to toe,
Brother to brother, draping him with America’s colors.

The guards lifted the body into their gentle hands,
Joined in grip and interlocking grace,
The spirit inside put to ease, now a part of their face.
They walked in perfect step upon chapel’s marbled floor,
Placing the casket near the altar, for all to remember, and all to mourn.

They took the soldier, mounted him on caisson,
The chaplain took the lead,
Marching down pathway’s road,
Listening to a drummer’s voice in restful peace.

I walked behind horse’s hooves,
Keeping pace with stirrups that held backward boots,
As the band turned a narrow corner, in retreat,
A crescendo of leaves in fall, felt under my feet.

Looking beyond, white crosses aligned in V’s, row after row,
Mile after mile, flowers abloom, trees in full color,
People stopped, placing hands over their hearts,
Convincing me that this place is from a higher ground,
A celebration of God’s own creation.

Giving with love, in patriotic honor,
A place for soldiers of allegiance, to rest for an eternity.
Guarding all men and women who
Who fought for our peace,
Keeping our love for truth and freedom,
Alive and forever ringing.

Thank You For Guarding the Best,
Written by,
Betsy Evans Holzner
November 11, 2006

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment