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USS Evans (DD-552)
Encyclopedia
USS Evans (DD-552), a , was the second ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Rear Admiral
Robley D. Evans (1846–1912).
Evans was launched
on 4 October 1942 by Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw, Alabama
; sponsored by Mrs. C. E. Isherwood; and commissioned
on 11 December 1943, Commander
F. C. Camp in command.
on 29 March 1944 from Pearl Harbor
and the East Coast, and after escorting to a midocean fueling rendezvous, conducted independent antisubmarine
patrols around Japan
ese-held atoll
s in the Marshall Islands
until 13 May. After training in the Hawaiian Islands
, she departed Pearl Harbor on 3 June to screen the fueling and aircraft replacement group supporting both the fast carrier task force
and the carrier escort force during the assault and capture of Saipan
which began on 15 June. She continued to screen this fueling group through the summer as the Marianas
were won, returning to Eniwetok to replenish from time to time.
On 26 August 1944, Evans sailed from Eniwetok to screen the fueling and aircraft replacement group for the assault and occupation of the Palau Islands, and arriving at Ulithi
on 30 October, served on patrol and escort duty there through 11 January 1945. After a special assignment to hunt submarines near Yap
and to bombard that island, from 11 to 13 January, Evans sailed to Saipan, from which she screened transports to the landings on Iwo Jima
on 19 February. She conducted shore bombardment and supported the troops ashore with harassing fire on Japanese positions, then screened escort carrier
s until 8 March, when she sailed to Ulithi.
Evans cleared Ulithi on 21 March 1945 to screen escort carriers in preinvasion air strikes on Okinawa and served with them through 1 April assault on the island
, and until 2 May, when she put in to Kerama Retto
. Eight days later, she got underway with for a radar picket
station northwest of Okinawa. During the first night on station, 10–11 May, enemy planes were constantly in evidence; more than a hundred attacked the two destroyers and the two LCSs with them. Evans fought determinedly against this overwhelming assault, splashing many of the attackers, but in quick succession, four kamikaze
s struck her. Evans after engineering spaces flooded, and she lost power. With the same courage they had shown in fighting their ship, Evans crew now strove to save her, using portable fire extinguishers and bucket brigades. They succeeded, though 32 were killed and 27 wounded, and the ship was towed into Kerama Retto on 14 May for repairs. She was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for high gallantry and achievement.
After emergency repairs at Kerama Retto, Evans was towed to San Francisco, where she was decommissioned on 7 November, and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
on 28 November 1945. She was sold for scrap on 11 February 1947.
service.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Robley D. Evans (1846–1912).
Evans was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 4 October 1942 by Gulf Shipbuilding Co., Chickasaw, Alabama
Chickasaw, Alabama
Chickasaw is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. As of July 2007, the population was 5,979. It is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area.-Geography:Chickasaw is located at . According to the U.S...
; sponsored by Mrs. C. E. Isherwood; and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 11 December 1943, Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
F. C. Camp in command.
Service history
Evans reached MajuroMajuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
on 29 March 1944 from Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
and the East Coast, and after escorting to a midocean fueling rendezvous, conducted independent antisubmarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
patrols around Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese-held atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
s in the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
until 13 May. After training in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, she departed Pearl Harbor on 3 June to screen the fueling and aircraft replacement group supporting both the fast carrier task force
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
and the carrier escort force during the assault and capture of Saipan
Battle of Saipan
The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June-9 July 1944. The Allied invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was...
which began on 15 June. She continued to screen this fueling group through the summer as the Marianas
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
were won, returning to Eniwetok to replenish from time to time.
On 26 August 1944, Evans sailed from Eniwetok to screen the fueling and aircraft replacement group for the assault and occupation of the Palau Islands, and arriving at Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
on 30 October, served on patrol and escort duty there through 11 January 1945. After a special assignment to hunt submarines near Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
and to bombard that island, from 11 to 13 January, Evans sailed to Saipan, from which she screened transports to the landings on Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
on 19 February. She conducted shore bombardment and supported the troops ashore with harassing fire on Japanese positions, then screened escort carrier
Escort aircraft carrier
The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the USN or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the British Royal Navy , the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, and the...
s until 8 March, when she sailed to Ulithi.
Evans cleared Ulithi on 21 March 1945 to screen escort carriers in preinvasion air strikes on Okinawa and served with them through 1 April assault on the island
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, and until 2 May, when she put in to Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
. Eight days later, she got underway with for a radar picket
Radar picket
A radar picket is a radar-equipped ship, submarine, aircraft, or vehicle used to increase the radar detection range around a force to protect it from surprise attack. Often several detached radar units encircle a force to provide increased cover in all directions.-World War II:Radar picket ships...
station northwest of Okinawa. During the first night on station, 10–11 May, enemy planes were constantly in evidence; more than a hundred attacked the two destroyers and the two LCSs with them. Evans fought determinedly against this overwhelming assault, splashing many of the attackers, but in quick succession, four kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
s struck her. Evans after engineering spaces flooded, and she lost power. With the same courage they had shown in fighting their ship, Evans crew now strove to save her, using portable fire extinguishers and bucket brigades. They succeeded, though 32 were killed and 27 wounded, and the ship was towed into Kerama Retto on 14 May for repairs. She was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for high gallantry and achievement.
After emergency repairs at Kerama Retto, Evans was towed to San Francisco, where she was decommissioned on 7 November, and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 28 November 1945. She was sold for scrap on 11 February 1947.
Honors
In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation, Evans received five battle stars for her World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service.