Feb 24 , 2026
Ernest Evans, Medal of Honor Hero of the Battle of Samar
Ernest Evans stood on the bridge of USS Samuel B. Roberts, heart pounding, eyes sharp, as the thunder of Japanese shells roared in the distance. A small destroyer escort, alone and outgunned, facing a fleet of dreadnoughts and cruisers. The night air thick with smoke, fire, and the unspoken question: How long would they last? No man would have blamed him for running. Yet he stayed. He charged forward.
The Roots of a Reluctant Warrior
Ernest E. Evans was a Navy man born in Pawnee, Oklahoma, 1908. Grounded in faith and hard work, his upbringing prized grit over glory. A Midwesterner shaped by quiet resolve and a strong moral compass, Evans knew the value of sacrifice before the first shot was fired.
His personal faith remained a steady flame through the chaos of war. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). That passage wasn’t just comfort—it was a code. A measure for leadership.
The Battle That Defined Him: Samar, October 25, 1944
The Philippine Sea was a graveyard in the making. Evans commanded the USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), a destroyer escort assigned to Task Unit 77.4.3, "Taffy 3." They were the tip of the spear—small escort carriers, destroyers, and destroyer escorts guarding vulnerable supply lines.
Then hell broke loose.
Japanese Center Force, spearheaded by battleships Yamato and Nagato, and cruisers Chikuma and Nachi, steamed down a killing corridor. The odds were astronomical—one destroyer escort against a fleet of battleships.
Evans knew his David was facing Goliath. Without hesitation, he pressed attack.
The Samuel B. Roberts charged headlong into the enemy. Evans ordered radical maneuvers, firing torpedoes and guns in a desperate gambit. His ship was a fury of explosions and smoke.
“The commanding officer displayed exceptional courage and determination in relentlessly attacking enemy battleships, cruisers, and destroyers despite overwhelming odds.” — Medal of Honor Citation[1]
When Samuel B. Roberts was struck repeatedly, flooding and fires raged below decks. Evans never flinched. He directed damage control, kept the guns firing, and rallied his crew despite being seriously wounded.
His final moments were amid smoke and ruptured steel, his ship listing and sinking. Evans succumbed to his wounds that night, but the battle was won—at a terrible price.
Recognition Through Sacrifice
Ernest Evans was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His citation highlights "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity," a solemn ledger of deeds no man imagines committing.
Survivors of Samuel B. Roberts recall Evans as a man who embodied steel and faith—unyielding in duty, humble in victory. Admiral William Halsey called the Battle off Samar “one of the most courageous actions in naval history.”
“His leadership enabled the tiny task unit to turn back a superior Japanese force, thereby saving the escort carriers from destruction.” — Admiral William Halsey[2]
The Samuel B. Roberts’ nickname lives on: "the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship."
The Enduring Legacy of Ernest Evans
Ernest Evans’ story isn’t just one of naval heroism. It’s a crucible for understanding courage under fire and the cost of leadership.
Faith in God. Faith in his men. Faith in mission.
He reminds us that courage is often a quiet thing—rooted in sacrifice, discipline, and the willingness to face impossible odds with nothing but conviction and honor.
His legacy carves out space for all veterans. A testament to fighting for something greater than oneself. A reminder that the scars of battle run deeper than the body, etched into the soul of history.
No retreat. No surrender. Only resolve in the crucible.
Evans gave his last breath for the lives of others. His story is a passage from violence to redemption—a call for all who stand in harms’ way to remember the price of freedom.
The battlefield is littered with heroes who never sought their names in history, only to have their sacrifice echo through eternity. Ernest Evans is one of those men.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” (Psalm 28:7).
He trusted. He fought. And through fire, he endured.
Sources
[1] U.S. Navy Medal of Honor Citation, Ernest E. Evans, 1944. [2] Halsey, William F., Adm. Halsey's Story, Doubleday, 1947.
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