Ivor Parry Evans (February 20, 1923,

Aliquippa, Pennsylvania Aliquippa is the largest city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, located on the Ohio River about northwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 9,238 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part ...

– October 24, 2009,

Abilene, Texas Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor and Jones Counties in Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 census, making it the 27th-most populous city in the state of Texas. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan statis ...

) was a

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

officer and commander.

Career

Evans served as a bombardier on B-25 aircraft in the U.S. Army Air Corps in North Africa, Italy, and Corsica during World War II. He was a bombardier on

B-36 The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" is a strategic bomber that was built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced Reciprocating engine, piston-engined aircraft ever built. It ...

aircraft in the

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...

. As such, he and his crew won the 1955 bombing competition for all of SAC. He was Assistant Director of Operations for the 821st Air Division at

Ellsworth Air Force Base Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located about northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, just north of the town of Box Elder, South Dakota, Box Elder. The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing (28 BW). Assi ...

, during the

Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...

. He later became Base Commander of

Walker Air Force Base Walker Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force base located three miles (5 km) south of the central business district of Roswell, New Mexico. It was opened in 1941 as an Army Air Corps flying school and was active during Worl ...

in Roswell, New Mexico from 1963 to 1965.

Awards and citations

Evans was awarded the Air Medal by Headquarters of

Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...

while serving as a First Lieutenant in the 321st Bombardment Group (Medium). The citation reads:

For meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight as bombardier of a B-25 type aircraft. On 30 January 1944, Lieutenant Evans flew as lead bombardier of a thirty-three plane formation attacking a road junction at Genzano, near
Anzio Anzio (, also , ) is a town and ''comune'' on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome. Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a Port, fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine I ...
beach, Italy. Despite intense anti-aircraft fire which heavily damaged his airplane upon the approach to the target, Lieutenant Evans, displaying outstanding courage and professional skill, directed his pilot on a perfect run over the objective, thereby enabling the formation to release its bombs with devastating effect upon this vital link in enemy communication lines. His proficiency in combat reflects great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States.

Evans was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his attack upon a railroad bridge near Attigliano, Italy on April 17, 1944. He was decorated for actions during the

Battle of Anzio The Battle of Anzio was a battle of the Italian Campaign of World War II that took place from January 22, 1944 (beginning with the Allied amphibious landing known as Operation Shingle) to June 5, 1944 (ending with the capture of Rome). The op ...

in early 1944, and received the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross and

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

. After the war he served as bombardier on

aircraft and radar navigator on

B-52 The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...

aircraft in the

in addition to being the winner of the 1955 SAC bombing competition and later Base commander,

Roswell, New Mexico Roswell () is a city in, and the County seat, seat of, Chaves County, New Mexico, Chaves County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Chaves County forms the entirety of the List of micropolitan areas in New Mexico, Roswell micropolitan area. As of ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Ivor Parry 1923 births 2009 deaths United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Air Force officers Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) People from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania Recipients of the Air Medal United States Army Air Forces officers Military personnel from Pennsylvania