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

Dec 14 , 2025

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

Ernest E. Evans stood at the bridge of USS Samuel B. Roberts, eyes burning with cold fire as the Japanese battleship Yamato loomed like a mountain of death. His cruiser was no match—just a slender tin can facing the gods of war. But he gave the order anyway: Prepare to fight like hell—because if we don’t, no one will.

From Iowa Fields to Pacific Fury

Ernest Edwin Evans was born in 1908, the son of a modest Iowa farmer. He learned early that honor wasn't given—it was earned through sweat and sacrifice. Graduating the U.S. Naval Academy in 1931, Evans carved a steady path in the Navy, not as a glory seeker but as a man who held tight to a warrior’s code forged in the quiet moments between storms. His faith whispered quietly beneath the roar: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…” (Joshua 1:9).

He wore humility like armor. For Evans, duty wasn’t a line on a resume—it was a sacred bond with every sailor under his command. The words of Service and sacrifice shaped him before steel ever sang.

The Battle Off Samar: Defying Death Itself

October 25, 1944. The waters near Samar became a furnace. Evans faced an armada that dwarfed his twelve destroyer escorts and escort carriers. The Japanese Center Force: battleships, cruisers, destroyers—every weapon aimed to erase his little squadron.

Evans commanded the Samuel B. Roberts, a destroyer escort displacing less than 1,500 tons, armed with light guns barely scratching the armor of enemy giants. Still, he charged forward. The man who could have fled didn’t hesitate. Instead, he rammed the Japanese cruiser Chōkai with deliberate fury, turning his ship into a battering ram.

Smoke and fire consumed the Roberts. Enemy shells tore through her deck. Evans remained on the bridge until the bitter end, fighting as if every heartbeat could buy a minute of life for his brothers. His orders echoed across the chaos: “Close in and give ’em hell!”

He went down with his ship, his sacrifice buying time for the crippled American fleet to escape.

In the maelstrom, he turned hopelessness into defiance—a beacon in the darkness.

Medal of Honor: Valor Etched in Stone

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, Evans’s citation recounts reckless gallantry, an indomitable fighting spirit that “enabled the small combined force…to turn back a vastly superior enemy.”

“He gallantly gave his life in the line of duty while gallantly attacking a much stronger enemy force.” — Medal of Honor Citation, Ernest E. Evans[1]

Comrades remembered a leader with no trace of arrogance—just a steel will seared with compassion. Ensign Thomas J. Ryan, a survivor, said, “Evans was one of the finest officers I ever met. He fought like a lion to protect us all.”

His story is etched into Navy history and folklore. The destroyer USS Evans (DD-754) was later named in his honor.

Legacy: Courage Beyond the Horizon

Evans stands as a testament to the raw cost of courage. His fight at Samar wasn’t about glory; it was about duty when every fiber of survival screamed retreat. The choice to face annihilation was redemption in action—the ultimate gift to those who lived on.

His story shrinks the ego of modern comfort. It demands respect for the scars, for the unspoken prayers behind every clash of steel. His sacrifice underscores a crucial truth: freedom is purchased with blood and unwavering resolve.

For all who grapple with darkness, Evans’ faith and fearlessness offer a beacon: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15).

In the end, Ernest E. Evans reminds us that the battle is never just against an enemy. It’s a war for honor, memory, and the hope that what we leave behind is more than noise. It is the enduring echo of courage—and the promise that even in sacrifice, redemption rides the waves.

Sources

1. U.S. Navy Department, Medal of Honor Citation – Ernest E. Evans, Naval History and Heritage Command 2. Hornfischer, James D., The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors (2004) 3. Morison, Samuel Eliot, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume 12: Leyte (1958)