Grandson Tells Story of His Grandfather’s Medal of Honor

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- Medal of Honor recipient Alexander Bonnyman, Jr’s grandson Clay Bonnyman Evans spoke at the Charles Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center about who his grandfather was.

“It wasn’t a guy who is ever going to sit behind a desk. Didn’t really like school. Dropped out of Princeton and then actually, those set of characteristics, he was a daredevil, very courageous made him the perfect person on November 22, 1943,” said Evans.

And what he did on that day in November.

“There was an enemy installation and I’ve been holding back the Marines’ advance and it needed to be captured, reduced, eliminated. He was the one who devised a plan,… and he was the one who lead the way. Then he stood alone against the counter-assault and was killed and that’s the specific action for which he was awarded the award,” said Evans.

Evans says it’s an honor for him to share his grandfather’s story.

“It’s just been incredibly gratifying as an adult to be able to really get his story back into the public and literally help recover his remains. Which of been lost for almost 70 well really 70 years,” said Evans.

Evans has given his grandfather’s records to the Heritage Center to be viewed by the public.

“This is ridiculous I had tears in my eyes. I felt like I was dropping off my kindergarten for the first time because I’ve had these things in my personal possession for many years working on my research,” said Evans.