Ernest E. Evans and the Samuel B. Roberts' Heroic Stand

Nov 17 , 2025

Ernest E. Evans and the Samuel B. Roberts' Heroic Stand

Ernest E. Evans stood alone on the bridge of the USS Samuel B. Roberts as hell broke loose around him. Enemy warships—giants in steel and fire—closed in, swallowing the horizon. His destroyer escort was outgunned, outmatched, pinned between death and honor. Yet he gave the order that would be etched into history: “Hit them hard, fight them all.” No surrender. No retreat.

Background & Faith

Born in 1908, Evans was a Midwesterner forged in the hard, plain values of duty and grit. He wasn’t a man of empty words but carried a deeply held faith that steeled him when bullets flew and chaos reigned. Veterans called him the “little destroyer with a big heart.”

In his quiet moments, Evans found strength in scripture. He lived by this:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” — Joshua 1:9

His character was shaped by a code older than uniforms—sacrifice for comrades, courage in crisis, humility in command.

The Battle That Defined Him

October 25, 1944, near Samar Island. The USS Samuel B. Roberts was a small, lightly armed destroyer escort assigned to the “Taffy 3” escort carrier group. The group faced the might of the Japanese Center Force—a fleet of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers under Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita. Their mission was to protect vital landing forces at Leyte Gulf, but Kurita’s fleet promised an annihilation the Americans were ill-prepared to face.

When Kurita’s warships appeared, chaos burst. The Roberts, commanded by Lt. Commander Evans, was thrust into the maw of a force ten times its firepower.

Evans did the impossible. He maneuvered close and launched torpedoes at the Japanese heavy cruisers and battleships. Every salvo hit home. His ship drew fire to protect the carriers. When the Roberts’ main battery was destroyed, Evans ordered the ship to charge the enemy line.

At one point, the Roberts passed so close to the battleship Kongo that its guns could barely tilt down to fire effectively.

Evans’ defiance bought precious hours. His ship didn’t just resist; it inflicted crippling damage on the enemy, sinking the cruiser Chōkai and damaging others.

The Roberts was lost that day—scuttled in deep water. Evans went down with his ship, his body never recovered. Yet his last stand marked one of the most heroic naval actions of WWII.

Recognition

For his courage and leadership, Ernest Evans posthumously received the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty… Lt. Commander Evans unhesitatingly closed the range to point-blank and engaged the enemy with gunfire and torpedoes, missing no opportunity to inflict damage in the face of vastly superior Japanese warships.”

His actions saved countless lives, buying time that shifted the tide at Leyte Gulf—the largest naval battle of the Pacific War.

Survivors recalled his voice steady on the bridge, calm and resolute amid the storm. “He led like a man who knew no fear.”

Legacy & Lessons

Ernest Evans’ story is a testament to battle-worn courage—the grit that comes from standing against impossible odds. It’s about a man who viewed sacrifice not as tragedy, but as duty fulfilled. He embodied a warrior’s paradox: fierce in combat, humble in death.

His fight wasn’t for glory but for the men beside him and the country behind them.

From his sacrifice, generations learn: - True leadership demands presence in the eye of the storm, not command from safe distance. - Courage is often silent and unseen—living in the last seconds of a burning ship, choosing to fight. - Redemption shines through scars—Evans’ legacy redeems loss with purpose and honor.

The battle off Samar reminds us: history is carved not by overwhelming strength but by the fierce will of those who refuse to yield.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

Today, standing in the shadows of this forgotten warrior, we remember. Not just the medals or the damage done, but the undying spirit of a man who stood, fought, and gave all. Ernest Evans—destroyer of giants, guardian of hope—his blood still waters the ground on which freedom stands.