About this Unit
USS Evans (DE-1023) was a Dealey-class destroyer escort commissioned in 1957 and named in honor of Ernest E. Evans, a Medal of Honor recipient. Assigned primarily to the Atlantic Fleet, USS Evans participated in numerous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises and NATO operations during the Cold War, enhancing US naval readiness. The ship also conducted goodwill visits and patrols in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, showcasing American naval presence abroad. After over a decade of service, USS Evans was decommissioned in 1973 and eventually scrapped.
Historical Facts
• Namesake: USS Evans (DE-1023) was named after Ernest Edwin Evans, a Medal of Honor recipient who heroically commanded USS Johnston (DD-557) during the Battle off Samar in 1944.
• Class and Type: USS Evans was a Dealey-class destroyer escort, designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare during the early Cold War era.
• Commissioning: She was commissioned on 14 June 1957 at the Boston Naval Shipyard, marking her official entry into the U.S. Navy fleet.
• Service Region: Evans was mainly assigned to the Pacific Fleet, often operating out of Pearl Harbor and Long Beach, California, and participated in numerous training and patrol missions.
• Far East Deployments: She made several deployments to the Western Pacific (WestPac), including operations with the U.S. Seventh Fleet and joint exercises with allied navies such as Japan and the Philippines.
• Cuban Missile Crisis: USS Evans was involved in the naval quarantine during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, patrolling for Soviet submarines and ships.
• Vietnam War Service: While not a frontline combatant, Evans supported operations off Vietnam, conducting search and rescue (SAR), patrol, and escort duties during the conflict.
• Technological Advances: As one of the first destroyer escorts to be equipped with advanced sonar and anti-submarine rocket (ASROC) launchers, Evans represented a step forward in Cold War naval technology.
• Decommissioning: After over 15 years of active service, USS Evans was decommissioned on 30 September 1973 and stricken from the Navy list in 1974.
• Final Fate: The ship was sold for scrap in 1975, but her legacy endures as part of the proud tradition of ships named for Medal of Honor recipients and anti-submarine warfare innovation.
