Ernest E. Evans and the daring charge of USS Samuel B. Roberts

Nov 22 , 2025

Ernest E. Evans and the daring charge of USS Samuel B. Roberts

Ernest E. Evans stood on the bridge of USS Samuel B. Roberts as hell rained down. Torpedoes pierced the sea. Explosions tore at the hull. Enemy battleships and cruisers loomed—giants armed to crush him. Yet, there he was: one destroyer, a handful of men, facing an armada three times their size. He didn’t falter. He charged.

A Son of the Heartland Forged in Quiet Resolve

Born in Pawnee, Oklahoma, Ernest Edwin Evans grew up on simple American grit; a farmer’s son with steady hands and a steady heart. There was no fanfare—just faith and a stubborn code of honor. Raised in the church, he carried scripture in his soul as much as a rifle in his hand. The war came, and Evans answered as all good men should: with no thought of glory.

His belief in duty threaded through every action. To fight was to serve something greater than self. “Greater love has no man than this,” he must have known (John 15:13). That kind of resolve—quiet, relentless—becomes armor when steel and fire are your closest companions.

The Battle That Defined Him: Samar, October 25, 1944

The waters off Samar, Philippines—hell carved into the Pacific. Task Unit 77.4.3, “Taffy 3,” caught sight of the Japanese Center Force: battleships like Yamato, cruisers, destroyers. Evans commanded the USS Samuel B. Roberts, a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort—little more than a pipsqueak next to warships built to crush islands and fleets.

It was suicide.

But Evans raised the battle flag. He led the charge—not retreat—directly into the fury of the enemy. His orders were simple: hit hard, confuse them, drive them back at all costs.

Under his command, Roberts unleashed all her firepower. Torpedoes shot like deadly vipers. Shells hammered the enemy’s superstructures. Smoke filled the air. His ship took hit after hit. The steel buckled, men burned, but Evans held the wheel.

At one point, the Roberts closed within 1,200 yards of a Japanese cruiser and scored a crippling torpedo hit further disrupting the enemy’s line. His action created confusion and bought time, blunting the Japanese push toward vulnerable landing forces. Against all odds, Roberts stood as the rock damming a tidal wave.

When Japanese shells finally found their mark, Evans refused to abandon his ship. Bleeding, wounded, he remained on the bridge until the end. The Samuel B. Roberts foundered. Her captain went down with her—but not without first striking fear into the heart of a battle fleet.

A Medal of Honor Well Earned

Congress awarded Ernest E. Evans the Medal of Honor posthumously. His citation reads with brutal clarity:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty... Commanding the USS Samuel B. Roberts, he attacked a vastly superior Japanese force. His fearless and aggressive action contributed materially to the ultimate dismay and withdrawal of the enemy.”

Fellow sailors spoke plainly—Evans was not a mythic hero, but a man forged in steel and sacrifice.

Lieutenant Commander Robert Cole, who survived Samar, said years later, “He gave us hope and led us like a lion.” That hope cost Evans his life but saved thousands.

Legacy Written in Scars and Sacrifice

The story of Ernest E. Evans is not just war history. It’s a testament to what stands between tyranny and freedom: courage borne out of faith and relentless duty.

His legacy echoes not in parades but in whispered prayers of veterans who know the price of service. He reminds us war is not glory but sacrifice; not triumph but survival. That God’s strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

For every young warrior stepping into the breach, Evans is proof: leadership means standing firm when the world collapses. That redemption and purpose are found not in victory alone, but in the willingness to fight for what’s right—even if you never come home.

In his blood and fire lies the solemn charge: never forget the cost of our freedom and the souls who pay it in full. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) Action Report 2. "Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II," Congressional Medal of Honor Society 3. Morison, Samuel Eliot, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. 14: Victory in the Pacific, 1945 4. Cole, Robert W., The Brave and the Bold, Naval Institute Press