1886-1974 |
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Collection of Cindy Evans Brooks, 1-29-04 |
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SECOND EDITION, 1925 Collection of Phyllis Cato Ferguson EVANS, FRANCIS THOMAS, Maj. U.S.M.C.; born, Deleware, Ohio, June 3, 1886; son of F. T. Evans and Alice (Brown) Evans; married, Elizabeth Kibbey, June 12, 1917 Educated: Deleware High School; Ohio Weslyan, 3 yr. Professional: 2nd Lieut., Jan. 1909 to Sept. 1913; 1st Lieut., Sept. 1913 to Aug. 1916; Capt., Aug. 1916 to June 1920; Maj. June 1930 to date; temporary Maj., July 1918 Aeronautical Activities: Began flying, Pensacola, July 2, 1915; C. O., N.A.S., Cape May, Aug. - Dec. 1917; C.O., air detachment, Porta del Gada, Azores, Jan. - July 1918; C.O., Marine Flying Field, Miami, Aug. 1918 to APril 1919; C.O. Marine Flying Field, Quantico, July 1919 to March 1921; C.O. 4th Air Squadron, Port au Prince, Haiti, April 1921 to date. Flying Rating: Naval Aviator, No. 26; Navy Air Pilot, No. 22. War Service: April 6, 1917 to Nov. 11, 1918. Present Occupation: Major, U. S. Marine Corps. Address: c/o Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. |
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Left to Right: Francis T. Evans, Jr., Francis T, Evans, Sr., Douglas K. Evans "My name is Cindy Evans Brooks. I am the grandaughter of FT Evans, Sr.. His son, Tom (Francis Tomas Evans, Jr.), my father, was killed June 16, 1953 while test flying a plane. That was after serving in WW II and flyhing 101 missions. There were several articles in the paper. There is also a school named after him now. The link for that is : Cindy Evans Brooks Bradenton, FL |
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Col. Francis Thomas Evans, USMC (Retired) died March 14, 1974 after about six years of failing health during which time he was cared for by
his wife Elizabeth K. Evans. He was Marine Aviator number 4. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross after making a loop-the-loop in a seaplane February 13, 1917. In 1918 he was stationed in the Azores, commanding the Seaplane Squadron there. In 1925 he received a letter of commendation from the Secretary of the Navy and a Resolution from the City of Santa Barbara, California for saving the city from fire during the earthquake of that year. He developed a method of housing a stretcher and an attendant in a turtle-back on a P2-DH. These were used by the Marine Corps in Haiti and Santo Domingo until a satisfactory ambulance plane was built. After two serious crashes in 1935 he was grounded and in July 1937 he was retired for physical disability. later, in 1937 he was recalled and served until December 1944. On January 4, 1947, while visiting his son, Captain Douglas K. Evans, USAF, he had his first flight in a jet airplane, a T-33. They did a couple of rolls, an Immalman and a dive with a 5 G pull-out. January 1975, Number 81 |
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If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back 
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