The Man & The Ship

Personal History

Frank Edgar Evans, born 19 November 1876, in Franklin, Pennsylvania. He was married twice, first to Esther Townsend and then later to Allean Fisk, and he had one son named Townsend (nickname “Townie”). He had six brothers and one sister. He was a graduate of Princeton University. When he wasn’t serving in the military, he was an author and a journalist.

Service History

He began his career as an infantryman in the Spanish-American War, mustering out in 1898.

Later, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps on 15 February 1900, serving onboard the USS Kentucky and the USS Dixie, cruising the eastern seaboard and the Caribbean. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on 23 July 1900.

In 1902, Evans as part of the crew of the USS Dixie responded to a catastrophic eruption of Mount Pelee on Martinique. The crew provide relief and aid to the people of Martinique, St. Vincent and St. Lucia from the period of May to June of that year.

In July 1902, he received orders to join the First Marine Brigade and shipped out to the Philippines, where he served from February to September 1903.

Following his return from the Philippines, he served as the aide-de-camp to Bridgadier General George F. Elliott, Brigadier General Commandant of the US Marine Corps. He was briefly released from active duty, residing in Washington D.C. before being recalled to duty for the World War.

He was initially in charge of recruiting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then in New York NY.

He was promoted to Major on 18 July 1917. Later that year, he coauthored The Marvel Book of American Ships with Captain Orton P. Jackson of the US Navy.

Major Evans joined the Sixth Marines and departed for France, arriving on October 31, 1917. He initially served as the Regimental Adjutant and Commander of American Embarkation Camp-Boreaux from November 10, 1917 to January 7, 1918. He then served as the Regimental Adjutant and Operations Officer in Toulon.

In May 1917, Evans was part of the American contingent that was deployed to Chateau Thierry to fortify the weakening French line. They successfully repelled the German attempts and counterattacked at Belleau Wood in June 1917. The Americans suffered 9777 casualties, and the French renamed the woods Bois de la Brigade de Marine in honor of them.

After Belleau Woods/Chateau Thierry, he served as the Regimental Adjutant and Second in Command, to rest and train additional troops. He returned to the front in time to take part in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel from September 12-16. He then took duty with the 2nd Infantry Division’s G-3 Army Operations.

After the war, he was the Officer in Charge of Eastern Recruiting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then later served in the Marine Recruiting Publicity Bureau in New York City. He also wrote Daddy Pat of the Marines: Being His Letters from France to His Son Townie, which was published in 1919.

He was temporarily promoted to Lieutenant Colonel during the war, and later received the permanent commission on March 4, 1921. He was then sent to Haiti as part of the First Marine Brigade from July 20 to June 2, 1924. In June 1924, he was promoted to Colonel. After his promotion, he attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and then became staff at the college until May 7, 1927. He then returned to Haiti to command the Constabulary Detachment and serve as Chief of the Gendarmerie d’Haiti until March 1930.

Following Haiti, he served in the posts:

• Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington DC
• Commanding Post and District Marine Office at the Marine Barracks at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
• Commander of the Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii
• Officer in Charge, Southern Recruiting Division at New Orleans, Louisiana
• Officer in Charge, Western Recruiting Division at San Francisco, California
• Inspector-Instructor, 10th Battalion, Marine Corps Reserve

He was released from all active duty in July 1939, pending his retirement. He was promoted to Brigadier General on the Retired list on December 1, 1940.

Awards

Purple Heart

Awarded during his service in World War I.

Victory Medal

Awarded with Aisne, Saint-Mihiel and Defense Clasps in 1918.

Navy Cross

Adjutant, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., Date of Action: June 1 – 16, 1918.

The Navy Cross is presented to Frank E. Evans, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service as Adjutant, 6th Regiment Marines, 2d Division, A.E.F.

During the trying events of the early part of June 1918, while in action against the enemy at Belleau Wood, Lieutenant Colonel Evans carried the administrative burdens of his regiment with great efficiency. His untiring efforts, constant diligence, and intelligent transmission of orders from the Brigade Commander during a number of days when his Regimental Commander was in an advanced headquarters and not always in communication contributed in no small degree to the successful part played by the 6th Regiment in the operations against the enemy from the 1st to the 16th of June, 1918

Silver Star

During his time, Lieutenant Colonel Evans was presented with a Silver Star for gallantry in action while serving with the 6th Regiment Marines, 2d Division at Chateau-Thierry, France from 6 June to 10 July 1918.

Meritorious Service Citation

Awarded by General John J. Pershing, US Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces.

French Fourragère aux couleurs de la Croix de guerre

Awarded in 1918, and made an honorary private first class in the 2nd Regiment of the Foreign Legion after 3 months of service with the French Foreign Legion in French Morocco as an observer of the campaign against the Berber tribes.

Expeditionary Medal

Awarded in 1922 for his service in Haiti

French Legion of Honor Diploma

In 1933, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, which was pinned on him by General Francis Pillon, the military attaché to the French Embassy.

His Death

Brigadier General Evans passed away on November 25, 1941 from bronchial pneumonia at Pearl Harbor Naval Hospital, after he had retired to Hawaii following his military service. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Ship

• Shipbuilder: Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island, New York
• Hull Number: 8054
• Fiscal Year: 1942
• Keel Laid: 21 April 1944
• Launched: 3 October 1944
• Delivered (Commissioned): 3 February 1945
• Days on Ways: 165
• Days in Water: 123
• Days Total: 288

General Characteristics

• Displacement: 3218 tons full, 2,200 tons standard
• Dimensions: Length-376.5 ft Beam-41.1 ft Draft: 15.7 ft maximum, 14.2 ft mean
• Propulsion: General Electric geared turbines, 60,000 horsepower (45 MW), two screws
• Speed: 36.5 knots
• Range: 3300 miles at 20 knots
• Complement: 336 officers and men
• Armament: six x five-inch 127 mm 38-caliber in three twin turrets, 12 40mm antiaircraft guns, 11 20mm antiaircraft guns, 10 21-inch torpedo tubes in 2 banks of 5, 6 depth charge projectors, 2 depth charge tracks

FRAM II 1961-POST FRAM SPECIFICATIONS

• Complement: Allowance: 274 (14 officers, 260 enlisted men)
• Accommodations: 322 (22 Officers and 300 enlisted men)
• Guns:
  • 3 qty, TWIN 5 inch/38 caliber MK 12 mod 1 guns installed on MK 38 gun mount
• Weapons:
• ASROC and 2 qty, DASH Helicopters; 6 homing torpedo tubes (2 MK 32 Triple Torpedo mounts)
• TWO Mark-10, 7.2″ HEDGEHOG Projector (“ahead-thrown-missiles” launches)
• 24 – 7.2 inch missiles (with contact fuses) located on deckhouse abreast bridge front

Collision: 3 June 1969

The USS Frank E. Evans collided with HMAS Melbourne off Luzon, P.I. Bow section sank, 74 crew were killed. Aft section sunk as target.

Decommissioned (Stricken)- 1 July 1969
Sunk as target in Subic Bay – 10 October 1969

Sources:

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Published 1963).
“Frank E. Evans (DD-754)”, Naval History and Heritage Command.
“Services on Thursday for Gen. Evans”, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, November 26, 1941