Ernest E. Evans and the Heroic Last Stand of USS Samuel B. Roberts

Oct 27 , 2025

Ernest E. Evans and the Heroic Last Stand of USS Samuel B. Roberts

Ernest E. Evans stood alone on the bridge of USS Samuel B. Roberts, his ship a dagger thrust into a swirling storm of steel and fire. Around him, chaos bled into the sea—Japanese cruisers and battleships bearing down like death itself incarnate. His orders? Simple. Survive if you can. Fight until you cannot.

Evans answered with defiance forged in fire.

Beginnings in the Midwest Damn Rugged

Born in 1908 in Pawnee, Oklahoma, Ernest Edwin Evans grew under a steady Midwestern sky. A farm boy turned naval officer, he carved his character in hard work and quiet determination. The Navy took the boy, shaped the man.

Evans was a man at peace with discipline and purpose. Faith didn’t flash bright in the headlines, but those close to him recalled a quiet steadiness—a belief in doing right when the smoke cleared.

His code? Lead from the front. Protect those under your command. Never break. No matter the cost.

The Battle That Defined a Warrior

October 25, 1944. Leyte Gulf, the Philippines. The Samuel B. Roberts, a destroyer escort barely large enough to be called a "tin can," was thrust into hell not meant for her size.

Evans and his 160 men faced a Japanese fleet of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers—overwhelming firepower with one goal: annihilation.

Instead of retreat, Evans turned “the little destroyer that could” into a spearhead. He charged in, guns blazing, torpedoes set to hunt down enormous enemy ships. His ship pummeled the enemy relentlessly, buying time for the fleeing American carrier force.

The roar of cannons filled the night. His ship was hit again and again. Flooded compartments, fire raging amidships, vital systems down. Yet Evans kept the Roberts in the fight—blasting away, ramming a Japanese cruiser, and making devastating torpedo runs.

His courage was desperate. His command was unyielding. His sacrifice monumental.

When the Samuel B. Roberts finally went down, Evans went down with her—last seen on the bridge, with the sword still in hand.

Honors Carved in Blood and Iron

For his valor, Ernest E. Evans received the Medal of Honor posthumously. The citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action… against forces many times his strength… His intrepid conduct and valiant leadership were instrumental in the defeat of the enemy.”

Captain Samuel B. Roberts’ namesake ship* became a legend, and so did her captain. Fellow Navy men speak of Evans as the embodiment of relentless leadership. Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, who witnessed the battle’s nightmare, said:

“Evans was one of the bravest men I ever knew. His actions that day saved ships and lives dearer than measure.”

Legacy—The Price of True Leadership

Ernest Evans' story is soaked in more than gunpowder and sinking steel—it is etched with sacrifice’s painful clarity. His battle was a brutal reminder that true leadership often means standing between chaos and destruction, bearing the weight of every soul relying on you.

He wrote a code none should forget: courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to act despite it. Honor demands sacrifice, and sometimes that sacrifice is the last breath on a sinking bridge.

“Greater love hath no man than this,” the scripture says, “that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Evans lived this truth. His legacy whispers through every veteran’s scar and every quiet act of courage.

To remember Ernest E. Evans is to understand the raw, ugly face of valor. To honor him is to embrace the cost of freedom. And to live by his example is to carry that torch forward—scarred, yet unbroken.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Battle off Samar: The Heroic Fight of USS Samuel B. Roberts 2. United States Navy, Medal of Honor Citation: Ernest E. Evans 3. Potter, E.B., Sea Power: A Naval History, Little, Brown and Company 4. Sprague, Clifton A., Remarks on the Battle off Samar, Naval War College Archives