The Captain Who Charged the Japanese Fleet

Quick answer: What did Ernest Evans do at the Battle off Samar?

On October 25, 1944, when a massive Japanese fleet bore down on the escort carriers of Taffy 3, Cmdr. Ernest E. Evans took his destroyer USS Johnston in at flank speed, firing torpedoes and guns and drawing fire from the carriers. Johnston sank. Evans received the Medal of Honor posthumously.

October 25, 1944, the Battle off Samar. The small escort carriers and destroyers of Taffy 3 suddenly faced a massive Japanese fleet of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers steaming straight at them. They were outgunned, outnumbered, and facing annihilation. Commander Ernest E. Evans, captain of the destroyer USS Johnston, didn't wait. He ordered flank speed. “I am going to take her in,” he said, “close with the enemy and fire until the guns are empty or we are sunk.” Johnston charged into the Japanese formation, launching torpedoes, raking enemy ships with gunfire, and drawing fire away from the carriers. The ship took hit after hit. Evans was badly wounded but kept fighting and issuing orders until Johnston could fight no more. Conning the ship from her fantail, he fought her to the end and gave the order to abandon ship. He was never seen again. He received the Medal of Honor posthumously, the first Native American in the U.S. Navy to receive it. Courage isn't blind, John writes. Evans knew the odds and what was at stake.

Why it matters for leaders: Sometimes the bravest thing a leader can do is move toward the fire to protect something greater.

Q: What did Evans tell his crew?

A: “I am going to take her in, close with the enemy and fire until the guns are empty or we are sunk.”

Q: What distinction did his Medal of Honor carry?

A: Evans, of Cherokee and Creek descent, was the first Native American in the U.S. Navy to receive it.

Read the full essay on Substack → https://heroespath.substack.com/p/the-captain-who-charged-the-japanese

By John Fenzel, founder and CEO of Heroes' Path Foundation