 Augusta
Airborne Trooper Puts "Lie" on Nazi Story
Another lie was given to the Germans ---
this time about the annihilation of the 82nd Airborne Troops ---
by a letter from Cpl Jesse B. Evans to his mother, Mrs.. J. B,
Evans of 1709 Walton Way.
He said the 82nd, instead of being annihilated as the Germans
claimed "did some rough fighting and wiped out the Germans as we
went in. Ask any German about the 82nd and he won't have
anything good to say about it."
Cpl Evans was wounded in the invasion and is now in England
recovering from a wound in his arm. He left two
close buddies, Larry Palmer of the Milledgeville Road here and
Bob Bennett from Tennessee, over in Normandy. Evans who
was the 12th paratrooper to leave his ship, didn't see the other
two for five days.
"When we did get together it was like this", he wrote. "Bob
came up and we were standing talking and worrying about
Larry when he came running up. He had a real heavy beard
and he was really looking rugged. |
When he saw Bobby and me, tears ran down
his cheeks, I was never so glad to some anybody my life."
Evans joked about the daily danger they all faced. He said
that his platoon sergeant told him that if the war didn't end
soon he (the sergeant) would be taking nerve tonic for the rest
of his life. Evans said the war gets on nerves at first,
but doesn't last long. He set out claim to be the champion
fox-hole diver.
"I can dive 100 yards for my foxhole in 1-100th part of a second.
And I can hide behind a blade of grass."
In another part of his letter Cpl Evans holds out hopes of getting
home for Christmas. "It certainly would be swell if we
could have a quiet Christmas together. It would be the very
think [sic] I need to settle my nerves."
Charlie Evans, a brother of Jesse, is also with the American forces
overseas, and participated in pushing the Germans out of Rome.
Both young men are active workers in the Woodlawn Methodist
Church.(Date of publication unknown,
newspaper may have been the Augusta, [GA], Chronicle] |
|
 He's
Paratrooper
It's a WAC, --- no, its a paratrooper!
One of the most unusual stories to happen around here lately
concerns Cpl Jesse B. Evans, who is a paratrooper stationed in
Nottingham, England.
Over the AP wire came the following story: "Amid all the red-robed
ceremony this ancient city could supply, 48 girls from 48 states
drank toasts, ate luxurious food and rubbed shoulders with
generals today in celebration of American-British friendship.
Listed as the representative from Georgia was Cpl Jesse Billy
Evans, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Evans, 1709 Walton Way.
Thinking the Corporal a WAC, The Herald called to locate a photo of
WAC Cpl Jesse B. Evans only to discover Cpl Hesse B. Evans is a
paratrooper who has been in the Army for two years and overseas
since December 1943.
Maybe its a good thing for the Herald that Cpl Evans is in England. |
[Notes: It seems as though the AP was
guilty of promulgating this error as the story cites " 48 girls
from 48 states drank toasts ..."
Also, the event that Jesse Evans attended took place in
Nottingham's Council House and was hosted by the Lord Mayor.
The news article headlined NOTTINGHAM "AT HOME" TO THE U.S.
ARMY] was captured in David Pike's book
Airborne in Nottingham and begins on page 14. Jesse's
name appears in the middle of paragraph 2, page 15.
|
|
 Sgt
Evans Missing
Sgt Jesse B. (Billy) Evans, member of the 82nd
Paratroop Division, has been missing since September 17,
according to a War Department message received by his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Evans, 1709 Walton Way.
The 22-year-old sergeant had written to his parents on September
16, the day before he was to have jumped ne Arnheim where
British airborne troops met with disaster.
Checking through the files of Sgt Billy Evans, one sees a colorful
record typical of a fine Augustan and American soldier.
He has been in the Army over two years, goi9ng overseas in December
1943. He participated in the invasion and was wounded.
After treatment at an English hospital he returned to the battle
fields again.
Evans ked about the daily danger he faced. In a letter to his
mother he wrote "I can dive 100 yards for my foxhole in 1-100th
part of a second. And I can hide behind a blade of grass." |
While
participating in the invasion of France, Sgt Evans, Cpl
Larry Palmer, of Augusta, and Bob Bennett, of Tennessee, became
such fast friends that when Sgt Evans' mother sent him a dollar
bill, the paratroops divided it searing to put the three
parts together again and go into business after the war.
A brother, Charlie Evans, is also with the American forces
overseas. Both young men are active workers in
the Woodlawn Methodist Church.
His mother is director of the 11th district P.T.A., which held its
annual meeting here at St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Tuesday.
[Note: The
newspaper falsely placed Sgt Evans in the area of Arnheim for
this jump and used a bit of sensationalism by linking him to
what was termed "where British airborne troops met with
disaster". |
