![]() ![]() The enemy fleet had supposedly been heading out of the area, but it changed direction overnight and surprised the smaller U.S. The enormous contingent consisted of eight cruisers, about a dozen destroyers, and four battleships - including the biggest one ever built, Yamato. As the destroyers sat off the coast, they saw the major units of the Japanese fleet on the horizon. That day, the USS Johnston and six other destroyers were on escort duty for a few small-deck escort carriers that were protecting Marines on the Leyte beachhead. 25, 1944, during the Battle off Samar, the pivotal fight of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He was known by his crew to be a role model and a rare leader who was calm, fair and gave his men the opportunity to fail so they could learn from it.Īll of those lessons were needed on Oct. No one did, and Evans meant what he said. I intend to go in harm's way, and anyone who doesn't want to go along had better get off right now." At the ship's commissioning in October 1943, Evans reportedly said to his crew, "This is going to be a fighting ship. Nearly two years later, he assumed command of the new destroyer USS Johnston.
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