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

Jan 15 , 2026

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

Ernest E. Evans stood alone on the bridge of USS Samuel B. Roberts. The horizon burned red with shells and fire. Every man’s life hinged on a decision he made in seconds. Enemy cruisers bearing down. His ship, a slender destroyer escort, was no match. But Evans didn’t flinch. He charged headlong into hell.

Blood and Steel: The Making of a Warrior

Born in Iowa on May 13, 1908, Ernest Edwin Evans was carved from Midwestern grit. A naval officer and relentless professional, he embodied discipline and quiet strength. He believed a leader’s duty was to protect the men who trusted him with their lives. Faith shaped him—Evans carried a steady conviction the Lord was his shield.

His was a code forged in sacrifice and honor. No man left behind. No enemy underestimated. Amid the chaos of war, Evans found clarity in scripture and the solemn promise of stewardship over his crew.

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

The Samuel B. Roberts steamed in the Philippine Sea when the Japanese Center Force loomed—formidable battleships, cruisers, and destroyers. The Allies were caught off guard. Evans’s tiny ship wasn’t designed for a frontal fight. She was a threadbare thorn against colossal steel and fire.

But Evans refused retreat.

He sounded battle stations and raced towards the enemy. The destroyer escort launched torpedoes at battleship Kongō and closed within 4,000 yards of an enemy heavy cruiser. Overwhelmed, surrounded, outgunned—Evans fought like a lion.

The Samuel B. Roberts inflicted serious damage on the Japanese, forcing their withdrawal. His ship took crippling hits. With half her crew lost, the Roberts sank. Evans was last seen on the bridge, refusing to abandon his men.

“Captain Evans gallantly fought until the very last, inspiring all who served under him by his fearless courage and indomitable fighting spirit.” — Medal of Honor citation[1].

His selfless leadership—driven by grit and faith—pulled a small crew from the jaws of annihilation and slowed an entire enemy fleet.

Honors Born from Fire and Loss

Evans posthumously received the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest recognition—on March 27, 1945. His citation speaks of "conspicuous gallantry" and an unswerving sense of duty:

“Though mortally wounded... encouraged and directed his ship’s gunners in the desperate fight.”

Marine Corps Brigadier General Roy S. Geiger, present at the battle, called Evans’s stand “one of the most gallant naval actions of the war.”[2]

Survivors remember a leader who shared their peril until the last breath—never ordering retreat, never surrendering hope.

Legacy Etched in Valor and Redemption

Ernest E. Evans’s story isn’t just one of courage under fire. It is a testament to the weight of command and the cost of sacrifice. His legacy resonates with every veteran who has stared into impossible odds and chose to stand.

Evans understood that leadership is lived loudly in the silence of fear—that true valor burns brightest amid destruction.

His name lives on in the USS Evans (DD-754), a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned in 1944, a ship that carried his spirit into later conflicts, reminding sailors what fierce determination looks like.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life... shall be able to separate us from the love of God...” — Romans 8:38-39

In Evans’s final charge, you see the redemptive grace of sacrifice—a warrior’s heart beating until the last moment, with purpose beyond the battlefield.

When the smoke clears and history judges, it is men like Ernest E. Evans who remind us why some fights matter more than survival. His sacrifice, his scars, and his faith challenge us all to reckon with the cost of freedom—and the quiet power of unyielding courage.

Sources

[1] Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (Evans, Ernest E.) [2] Morison, Samuel Eliot. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: Leyte