Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Growing up in Orem, author Kenneth D. Evans heard little about his father’s service during World War II. When asked about it, his dad would often sit in silence. There was a certainly powerful story to be told, but as with other veterans, 2nd Lt. Donald N. Evans found it difficult to discuss his personal experiences.
Now, nearly 20 years after his father’s death, Kenneth D. Evans is sharing a fuller account of the devoted family man, businessman and church leader who also had been the daring pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt. The research for the book, "Missing: A World War II Story of Love, Friendships, Courage & Survival," Kenneth D. Evans spent years scouring journals, personal histories, military records, other memorabilia and hundreds of letters exchanged between his parents.
“I was motivated by the desire to really know my father,” he explained. “Most knew him as a kind and gentle man, but before that, he lived another life as a fighter pilot and POW. I wanted to discover who he was and what he experienced before I was born. He was and always will be my hero.”
As with all heroes, Donald N. Evans has an origin story. Raised on a farm in Lehi, he really hit his stride in high school, serving as student body president. He excelled in sports, earning all-state honors on the football and basketball teams, as well as winning the state tennis championship.
After graduation, he attended college and prepared to marry his high school sweetheart, Laura Jeanne. The bombing of Pearl Harbor changed everything, as his patriotic duty prompted him to enlist in the Army Air Corps.
Before he shipped over to Europe, Donald N. Evans married Laura Jeanne. And their personal letters from throughout the war provide the emotional insights that make Missing: A World War II Story of Love, Friendships, Courage & Survival such a powerful read.
As a pilot in the 368th Fighter Group of the Ninth Air Force, Donald N. Evans flew many dangerous missions in his P-47. During the Battle of the Bulge, his plane was shot down behind enemy lines. He managed to bail out just seconds before it crashed, leaving him injured and crawling through the snow of the Ardennes Forest.
Unable to locate the American front lines, he ended up huddled beneath a pine tree on Christmas Eve, fearing that he’d never see his family again. The remainder of the book covers his capture, interrogations, a brutal 200-mile forced march, five months in captivity in the Stalag Luft 1 POW camp and eventual reunion with his wife and family in Utah.
“This book honors the memory of my father and the millions of other young men who fought in WWII and sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms,” Kenneth D. Evans said. “Most of their stories have been lost. I felt driven to tell his.”
Missing: A World War II Story of Love, Friendships, Courage & Survival is available online and at select bookstores.
