Slitherine

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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Johnston in action against major units of the Japanese fleet during the battle off Samar on 25 October 1944. The first to lay a smoke screen and to open fire as an enemy task force, vastly superior in number, firepower, and armor, rapidly approached, Comdr. Evans gallantly diverted the powerful blasts of hostile guns from the lightly armed and armored carriers under his protection, launching the first torpedo attack when the Johnston came under straddling Japanese shellfire. Undaunted by damage sustained under the terrific volume of fire, he unhesitatingly joined others of his group to provide fire support during subsequent torpedo attacks against the Japanese and, outshooting and outmaneuvering the enemy as he consistently interposed his vessel between the hostile fleet units and our carriers despite the crippling loss of engine power and communications with steering aft, shifted command to the fantail, shouted steering orders through an open hatch to men turning the rudder by hand, and battled furiously until the Johnston, burning and shuddering from a mortal blow, lay dead in the water after three hours of fierce combat. Seriously wounded early in the engagement, Comdr. Evans, by his indomitable courage and brilliant professional skill, aided materially in turning back the enemy during a critical phase of the action. His valiant fighting spirit throughout this historic battle will venture as an inspiration to all who served with him.

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1931 Evans LB.jpg
Ernest Edwin Evans

Muskogee, Oklahoma

"Big Chief" "Chief" "Cherokee"

One Friday, the thirteenth, thirteen lively pounds of human "Chief" entered this old world. Superstitious? Not Chief! Radical from birth, he manifested his desire for travel, education, and militarism by joining the Oklahoma National Guard and finally the Navy.
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Ernest Edwin Evans, a half-Cherokee Indian and one-quarter-Creek Indian, was born on 13 August 1908 in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He graduated from Central High School in Muskogee, Oklahoma and on 29 May 1926 enlisted in the US Navy. After a year's service as an enlisted man, he was appointed to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, from the Navy at large and entered as a Midshipman on 29 June 1927. He graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science and commissioned Ensign in the US Navy on 4 June 1931, and by subsequent promotion attained the rank of Commander to date from 1 November 1942.

After graduation from the Naval Academy in June 1931, he was assigned to the Naval Air Station, San Diego, California, for a year, and thereafter, until 7 August 1933, served consecutively in USS Colorado, USS Roper and USS Rathburne. After service at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, he joined the USS Pensacola, and six months later became Aviation Gunnery Observer of that cruiser's Scouting Squadron NINE. He served in that capacity until 15 April 1937, then continued sea duty for four years, serving successively in the USS Chaumont, USS Cahokia and USS Black Hawk.

From Wikipedia:

On 9 August 1941, he was assigned to the destroyer Alden, and was serving on her in the East Indies when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 of that year. He became commanding officer of Alden on 14 March 1942, and held that position until 7 July 1943. While serving on Alden he participated in operations in and around Australia, New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.

In mid-1943 Evans was then ordered to duty in charge of fitting out the Fletcher-class destroyer Johnston at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Seattle, Washington. Commander Evans assumed command of Johnston at her commissioning on 27 October 1943. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in action against a Japanese submarine on May 16, 1944.
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