Ernest E. Evans and Samuel B. Roberts at the Battle off Samar

Feb 25 , 2026

Ernest E. Evans and Samuel B. Roberts at the Battle off Samar

Ernest E. Evans stood on the bridge of the USS Samuel B. Roberts—a tiny destroyer escort—watching an armada of Japanese giants bearing down like gods of war. No retreat. No hesitation. Just steel and fire.

He said, “Give ‘em everything we’ve got.”

Background & Faith

Born in 1908, Evans carved his backbone from hard American soil. Raised in Wyoming, where rugged mountain life taught self-reliance and grit, he grew into the Navy’s quiet hammer—steady, unshakable, a man who carried the weight of command like a cross.

His faith was a silent companion. Not flashy, but palpable. A sense that sacrifice carved a path to something greater. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) — words that must have echoed in his mind as he braced for impossible odds. Evans wasn’t a glory seeker—he carried honor in the marrow of his bones.

The Battle That Defined Him

October 25, 1944. The Battle off Samar. The Samuel B. Roberts, a 1,370-ton destroyer escort with 140 men, found itself eye-to-eye with the might of Japan’s Center Force—a fleet of battleships and cruisers, guns boasting 18.1-inch shells, eight times heavier than anything the Roberts could throw.

Evans made a choice: fight like hell or die like dogs.

His orders: protect the escort carriers. His reality: impossible math.

He pushed his ship to the edge, weaving through hellish torrents of artillery and torpedoes. When the Roberts was spotted, Evans threw her into a headlong attack against the giants. He steered his vessel straight at the monstrous Yamato-class battleships, guns blazing, torpedoes launched in deadly volleys.

Explosions tore through the air. His ship was punched hard—shells ripped through the superstructure, engines screamed, men fell. But Evans never flinched. He shouted orders over the chaos: “Full speed ahead! Torpedoes ready!”

His ship smoked and burned. His men fought without rest. He ordered a ram on a heavy cruiser, closing the distance until hull scraped hull. The Samuel B. Roberts was battered and listing, but she kept fighting.

At sunset, under blood-red skies, the destroyer escort sank—Evans caught mortally wounded on the bridge. But his ferocious stand crushed Japanese morale and bought critical time for the carriers to escape destruction.

Recognition

Ernest Evans posthumously earned the Medal of Honor—the Navy’s highest tribute.

His citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while commanding the U.S.S. Samuel B. Roberts... fighting against a vastly superior enemy... Captain Evans inflicted severe damage upon the enemy with skill and courage, and by his heroic initiative and inspiring leadership, contributed materially to the saving of the escort carriers.”

Fellow sailors spoke of his fearless resolve. Admiral William "Bull" Halsey later described the action as “one of the most gallant efforts in the history of the U.S. Navy.” If courage was measured in inches of metal and spirit, Evans set the standard that day.

Legacy & Lessons

Ernest Evans died a warrior, but lived on as a symbol. The tiny Samuel B. Roberts’ legend ripples through naval history, teaching that valor isn’t the absence of fear, but the refusal to yield to it.

His sacrifice embodies a brutal truth veterans understand: courage demands everything.

But in sacrifice also lies redemption. Isaiah 6:8 — “Here am I; send me.” Evans answered that call amid chaos and carnage. His story is a beacon for warriors and civilians alike—reminding us a single man’s grit can turn tides, that legacy flows from pain wielded with purpose.

In the blood and smoke of Samar, Evans showed us all what it means to stand, fight, and fall so others may live.

There is no greater love.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Battle off Samar 2. U.S. Navy, Medal of Honor Citation for Ernest E. Evans 3. Morison, Samuel Eliot. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. 12 4. Halsey, William F., quoted in The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James D. Hornfischer