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

Feb 11 , 2026

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

Ernest E. Evans stood alone against a wall of fire. His ship, the USS Samuel B. Roberts, battered and bleeding, thrust itself into a maelstrom of Japanese super-battleships. The odds were monstrous. The enemy, a fleet meant to crush. And yet, Evans drove his crew forward—that monstrous hailstorm couldn’t break their resolve. He was not just fighting for survival. He was fighting for honor, for every man beside him.

Roots Forged in Idaho Soil

Born in 1908 in Idaho Falls, Evans carried in his blood the quiet strength of the rugged West. Raised by parents who valued hard work and faith, he grew into a man shaped by discipline and humility. Before the war, he was a naval officer dedicated to precision, yet something deeper anchored him—the unshakable belief in duty and sacrifice.

Faith was a silent war companion. Psalm 23, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,” was more than scripture; it was a mantle he bore into battle. It’s one thing to lead men into a fight. It’s another to carry their lives on your conscience.

The Battle That Defined Him

October 25, 1944. The Battle off Samar—a bloodbath cloaked beneath a gray sky and rough seas in the Philippine Sea. Evans commanded the Samuel B. Roberts, a destroyer escort. His orders were straightforward but brutal: protect the escort carriers from an approaching Japanese fleet that boasted battleships and cruisers far superior in firepower.

When the Japanese Center Force, led by Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, broke through the fog and smoke, Evans faced impossible choices. His orders? Withdraw, preserve the carriers. Instead, he charged headlong into the enemy’s column—guns blazing and torpedoes armed. The little Roberts—known as “the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship”—engaged ships triple its size and firepower.

Evans ordered a daring torpedo attack, targeting the battlecruiser Kongo and battleship Haruna. His crew heard every thunderous salvo. His ship dodged shells that could have torn it apart. Damage was relentless; fires raged below decks, but Evans refused to quit.

Even as his ship took multiple hits, he rallied his men. When the Roberts was mortally wounded and lost power, Evans urged every sailor to stand firm, holding the thin line so carriers could escape. Hours later, when the ship was all but sunk, he went down with her.

Recognition Carved in Valor

For his gallant leadership and fearless defiance, Ernest E. Evans received the Medal of Honor posthumously. The citation speaks cold facts but hides a furnace of courage:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty... Destroyer Escort Samuel B. Roberts, Commander Evans’ ship, boldly engaged much larger enemy warships and deterred the enemy... contributing materially to the ultimate victory of the Battle off Samar.”

Survivors recalled a leader whose voice cut through the chaos. Captain Turner Joy—who witnessed Evans’ sacrifice—called it one of the most heroic stands of the entire Pacific War. Death found Evans at his post, unyielding until the bitter end.

Legacy Written in Blood and Steel

Ernest E. Evans stands as a monument to leadership under fire—the raw, unfiltered essence of sacrifice. He teaches that courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s the choice to stand when everything screams to run.

This battle showed Marines, sailors, soldiers—true warriors—that faith and resolve can shift tides. Evans' story is a ledger of redemptive sacrifice, reminding us all that freedom carries a cost penned in blood.

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

Evans laid down his life so others might live—and in doing so, wrote a timeless testament to valor and sacrifice. His name, carved quietly into naval history, echoes loudly in every heartbeat that remembers: the fight for faith, honor, and country is never finished.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) and the Battle off Samar 2. Morison, Samuel Eliot, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume XII 3. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (M-S)