History

Namesake

USS FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754) was named in honor of Brigadier General Frank E. Evans, U.S. Marine Corps. Frank E. Evans was born 19 November 1876 in Franklin, Pennsylvania. He was an infantryman in the Spanish-American War and was commissioned in the Marine Corps 15 February 1900. He served in the Philippines with the First Marine Brigade and had various duties in the United States before America’s entry into World War I. He sailed for France with the Sixth Regiment of Marines, earning the Navy Cross and other awards for the distinction of his service with the American Expeditionary Force. His post-war career included duty in Haiti where from 1927 to 1930 he commanded the Constabulary Detachment and was Chief of the Gender merle d’Haiti. Brigadier General Evans was also District Marine Officer of several Naval Districts. He retired 1 December 1940 and died at his home in Honolulu, 25 November 1941.

Construction

FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754) was built by the Bethlehem Steel Company, Staten Island, New York. Her keel was laid 21 April 1944. She launched 3 October 1944, under the sponsorship of Mrs. Frank E. Evans, widow of Brigadier General Evans, U.S. Marine Corps. The destroyer commissioned in the New York Naval Shipyard 3 February 1945, Commander Harry Smith, USN, commanding. FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754) was designed for a length overall of 376 feet, 5 inches; extreme beam 41 feet, 1 inch; standard displacement of 2200 tons; draft of 15 feet, 8 inches; a designed speed of 34 knots; and designed complement of 11 officers and 325 men. She was initially armed with 3 gun mounts (each five-inch guns), .6 each 38 caliber guns; 11 each 20mm guns and 10 torpedo tubes in two quintuple mounts. For antisubmarine warfare, she carried 6 depth charge projectors and 2 depth charge tracks.

Battle Stars and Rewards

1 Star/Okinawa Gunto Operation	24-30 Jun 1945
China Service Medal	2 Sep 1945-6 Mar 1946
Navy Occupation Service Medal Asia Clasp	2 Sep 1945-6 Mar 1946; 6-11 Sep 1953 15-27 Sep 1953; 18-21 Sep 1954 20-26 Oct 1954; 30 Oct-9 Nov 1954; 14-27 Feb 1956
1 Star/First U.N. Counteroffensive-Korea	5 Feb-19 Mar 1951
1 Star/Communist China Spring Offensive	22 Apr-8 Jul 1951
1 Star/U.N. Summer-Fall Offensive	9 Jul-17 Aug 1951
Korean and United Nations Service Medal	23 Jan-24 Aug 1951; 14 Apr-24 May 1952; 19 Jun-21 Oct 1952; 17 Jul-5 Sep 1953; 29 Sep-1 Dec 1953
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Badge	23 Jan-24 Aug 1951; 14 Apr-24 May 1952; 19 Jun-21 Oct 1952
1 Star/Second Korean Winter	20 Apr-17 May 1952; 21 Jul-18 Oct 1952
1 Star/Korea, Summer-Fall	1953: 16-27 Jul 1953
1 Star/Vietnam Defense Campaign	29 Jul-6 Aug 1965; 24-26 Sep 1965
1 Star/Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II	11-30 Aug 1966; 1-4 Sep 1966; 19-31 Oct 1966; 1-24 Nov 1966
1 Star/Vietnamese Counter Offensive Phase III	22-31 Oct 1967; 1-13 Nov 1967, 29-30 Nov 1967; 1-20 Dec 1967; 6-20 Jan 1968
1 Star/TET Counteroffensive	1-20 Feb 1968
1 Star/Vietnam Operations	2-15 May 1969

Commanding Officer List

CDR Harry Smith, USN	3 Feb 1945 – 16 Nov 1945
CDR Frank D. Schwartz, USN	16 Nov 1945 – 15 May 194
LT Elmer Ozenberger, Jr., USN	15 May 1946 – 12 Jul 1946
LCDR Means Johnston, Jr., USN	12 Jul 1946 – 3 Oct 1946
LCDR Edward T. Sullivan, USN	3 Oct 1946 – 10 Feb 1946
LT John W. Meyer, USN	10 Feb 1947 – 7 Jul 1947
CDR William C. Meyer, USN	11 May 1949 – 14 Dec 1949
CDR Gerald L. Christie, USN	15 Sep 1950 – 12 Mar 1952
CDR Nelson D. Salmon, USN	12 Mar 1952 – 17 Feb 1954
CDR John D. Chase, USN	17 Feb 1954 – 23 Apr 1956
CDR Joseph H. Behan, Jr., USN	23 Apr 1956 – 26 Apr 1958
CDR Ralph G. Johns, USN	26 Apr 1958 – 4 Sep 1959
CDR Harold H. Ellison, USN	4 Sep 1959 – 20 May 1961
CDR Joseph E. Easter, USN	20 May 1961 – 30 Oct 1962
CDR Nelson W. Sanders, USN	30 Oct 1962 – 23 Oct 1964
CDR James B. Allen, USN	23 Oct 1964 – 16 May 1966
CDR C. Thor Hanson, USN	16 May 1966 – 26 Mar 1968
CDR Albert S. McLemore, USN	26 May 1968 – 1 Jul 1969