William Evans - Vietnam Veteran, Wabash City Fireman

William R. "Bill" Evans, was born in Wabash, IN on March 29, 1940 to Walter and Lulu May (Ward) Evans on March 29, 1940. Growing up in Wabash his academic world got off to a rough start when on the second day of school he was expelled for cutting off the pigtails of a young girl’s who sat in front of him in class. In the following years he would attend West Ward and East Ward. It was during his time at West Ward that it was discovered his sister was a carrier for diphtheria requiring the family to be quarantined for several months. Bill eventually graduated from Wabash High School in 1958 and within a couple weeks of graduation, he shipped out for boot camp at Lackland Air Force Base having joined the Air Force. This would be the start of his storied life that he discusses in this audio interview.
During the majority of his interview, he details his time in the Air Force. Being discharged in 1962 he spent a short time searching for himself but with the Vietnam War heating up, and a strong desire to volunteer for combat duty, he soon found himself back in the military. This time he was with the US Army and right where he wanted to be. Starting with his story of bayonetting a bush in his first week “in country” to his eventually discharge, he details his time in Vietnam with humor and humbleness.
Besides being a US Air Force and US Army veteran, he would become a Wabash City Fireman, serving from 1969-1988. Bill was a member of the Wabash FOP, VFW Post 286, American Legion Post 15, a past squadron commander of the Civil Air Patrol, the Wabash Valley Retired Police-Fireman, and a former member of the Hanna Masonic Lodge. He served on the Wabash County Liquor Board, the Wabash City Traffic Commission, and the Wabash County Selective Service Board. He was a master woodworker and craftsman, and loved doing any type of work with his hands.
On February 18, 2019 William “Bill” Evans passed away and was laid to rest in Falls Cemetery, Wabash, IN.
This audio interview was recorded by George Dingledy as part of the Wabash Carnegie Public Library Oral History Project.
From 1970 to 1987 Wabash Carnegie Public Library and members of the community worked on an Oral History Project that interviewed multiple people in Wabash. These were recorded on cassette tapes, which were later converted to CD in 2006.
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