Release from USS Ronald Reagan 

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YOKOSUKA, Japan  –  The U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), returned to its forward-deployed port in Yokosuka, Japan, following a six-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, Nov. 19. 
 
During the ship’s final full deployment as the forward-deployed aircraft carrier, which spanned from early May to late November, Ronald Reagan participated in numerous multi-national integrated military exercises, with participants including the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Navy, Republic of Korea Navy, and the Indonesian Navy. In November, the Nimitz-class supercarrier also participated in a multi-large deck event with USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Carrier Strike Group 1, and Japanese Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer, JS Hyuga (DDH 181). 
 
“In their hard work and professionalism throughout this deployment, Ronald Reagan Sailors have stood firm behind our partners and allies,” said Capt. Daryle Cardone, commanding officer of Ronald Reagan. “Our mission of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific is enabled by the trust we continue to build through exercises at sea and cultural exchanges ashore.” 
 
Ronald Reagan travelled 56,219 nautical miles and conducted daily flight operations with fixed and rotary-wing aircraft amounting to 1,838 launches and recoveries, and 2,157 rotary wing sorties. Ronald Reagan also conducted maritime security operations, maritime strike training, and replenishments-at-sea and fuelings-at-sea. 
 
During the deployment, the ship made port visits to Vietnam, Republic of Korea and the Philippines, with Sailors participating in 12 community relation events, resulting in 2,016 hours of volunteer service. Sailors also had the opportunity to learn about each countries’ culture through cultural exchange events and tours hosted by the ship’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. 
 
In port, Ronald Reagan will continue to provide presence and act as a deterrence through continuous training and proficiency in warfighting, as well as conduct routine maintenance and upkeep of the ship and her systems. 
 
Upon liberty call, Sailors disembarked the ship in dress blues in an orderly but excited manner. Families and friends filled the pier, holding signs and searching for their Sailor among the thousands of crew members exiting. 
 
“Our Sailors have more than earned their time back home,” said Cardone. “In addition to time with loved ones, their time in port is a chance to invest in the incredibly valuable partnership we have with the Japanese people. We are thankful for our relationship and we will continue to forge those bonds, whether at sea or ashore.” 
 
The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. As the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability, and prevent conflict. 

Release from HII 

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PASCAGOULA, Miss., Nov. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division received a cost-plus-award fee contract from the U.S. Navy for follow yard support of the Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer program. 

This contract, which allows for the continuation of key technical management and support functions that enable coordinated production of DDGs under existing construction contracts, includes four option years with a total potential contract value of $185 million if all options are exercised. 

“This is another exciting opportunity for our shipbuilders to demonstrate their versatility in handling all aspects of shipbuilding,” Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG 51 Program Manager Ben Barnett said. “We are honored to provide this support to our Navy customer and the nation’s defense.” 

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships and can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Guided missile destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. surface fleet and are capable of fighting multiple air, surface and subsurface threats simultaneously. 

A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-ddg-51-class-follow-yard-support-award-2023/ 

Release from Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs  

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MANAMA, Bahrain — A French navy ship working with Combined Maritime Forces seized about $34 million worth of illegal drugs from a stateless vessel while operating in the international waters of the Indian Ocean, Nov. 4. 

The frigate, working under the command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, seized 722 kilograms of methamphetamines from the vessel during an interdiction operation. 

“This new seizure shows once again the operational effectiveness of Combined Maritime Forces assets and nations. It illustrates that nations from all around the world are committed to regional maritime security in the Indian Ocean,” said French navy Capt. Yannick Bossu, CTF-150 commander. 

This event marks the fourth time in recent months the French-led CTF 150 has interdicted illicit narcotics at sea. In those previous operations, CTF ships seized more than 3,800 kilograms of methamphetamines, heroin, and hashish from stateless vessels during interdiction operations, with a street value of more than $60 million. 

CTF 150 is one of five task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, the largest multinational naval partnership in the world. CTF 150 focuses on maritime security operations outside in the Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean. 

Since 2021, Combined Maritime Forces has seized more than $1 billion in illegal drugs while patrolling waters across the Middle East. 

The 38-nation naval partnership upholds the international rules-based order by promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes. 

Release from USNAVSOUTH/4TH FLEET PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

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CALLAO, Peru  –  25 naval officers from eight partner nations recently completed the first-ever U.S. 4th Fleet Maritime Planning Symposium at the Peruvian Naval War College (Escuela Superior de Guerra Naval) in Callao, Peru. 
 
Supported by the College of Operational Warfare – International Maritime Staff Officer Course at the U.S. Naval War College, professors Sean Carroll and Raymond Tortorelli and U.S. 4th Fleet planners led this inaugural maritime planning symposium in Peru to introduce and work through the Military Decision Making Process – Multinational. Navies from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay sent junior officers to participate in the seminar. 
 
“In the U.S. Navy, we get many reps and sets in maritime planning early on in our careers,” said Lt. Cmdr. Cassie Redner, U.S. 4th Fleet Maritime Operations Center (MOC) Training Officer. “This symposium gives an opportunity for partner nation naval junior officers to get some experience with the Military Decision Making Process – Multinational by working through a scenario so that when they participate in operations and exercises they have already spent time working together and learning together. This effort seeks to increase proficiency and improve interoperability earlier in the officers’ careers.” 
 
Professors Carroll and Tortorelli led symposium participants through a UNITAS-like scenario and worked through the steps of the Military Decision Making Process – Multinational. The planning process helps staff members conduct essential planning in support of missions that naval forces execute at sea. 
 
“We intend to make this an annual symposium, offering our partner navies an opportunity to host,” said Rear Adm. Jim Aiken, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. “Our desire is to have a continuum to build a cadre of partner nation naval officers who understand and are able to execute maritime planning for exercises and operations. This is our latest step in that effort, and we thank the Peruvian Naval War College for hosting this first symposium.” 
 
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region. 
 
Learn more about USNAVSOUTH/4th Fleet at https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil, https://www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT and @NAVSOUS4THFLT. 

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17 November 2023

As part of his commitment to strengthen the Nation’s shipbuilding and maintenance, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro kicked off the inaugural meeting of the Government Shipbuilders Council (GSC) at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Nov. 16.

To improve the way U.S. government does business in ship acquisition and ship maintenance, Secretary Del Toro underscored the council’s mission to address common and singular challenges among those that contract in shipbuilding; identify opportunities to leverage each organization’s resources to maximize government savings in costs, time and resources; share best practices and lessons learned; and support strategic decision making to strengthen the shipbuilding industrial base.

“Together, we represent four different cabinet departments—Defense, Transportation, Homeland Security, and Commerce—and five separate government shipbuilders. This Council is a tremendous example of the whole-of-government effort we need to rebuild our nation’s comprehensive maritime power—a strategic imperative requiring a new Maritime Statecraft,” said Secretary Del Toro. “Collectively, our organizations are at the heart of what it will take to restore our Nation’s competitive shipbuilding and repair landscape—including private and public investments in world-class manufacturing and shipbuilding facilities—and the highly-skilled workforce necessary to keep them running.”

In September, Secretary Del Toro called for a new maritime statecraft to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition, during remarks at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He said it must be bold and “renew our commitment as a nation to recapitalizing national maritime power.”

“We must establish programs that build capacity in fields like naval architecture, engineering, and lifecycle management, as well as technical expertise in nuclear welding, robotics, software management, and additive manufacturing,” Secretary Del Toro told the GSC members. “As we’re developing these skillsets throughout our shipbuilding workforce, we must continue to leverage our nation’s advantage in technology and innovation in the maritime domain.”

Secretary Del Toro added that agility in ship production and design requires developing new, digital tools for our workforce to improve efficiency and capacity. He also encouraged GSC members to convene at shipyards, other institutions, or academies where future maritime leaders are trained.

“For example, last month, I visited the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on our Navy’s birthday to demonstrate our partnership, my commitment to maritime statecraft, and our whole-of-government effort to tackle these challenges,” said Secretary Del Toro.

Before departing, Secretary Del Toro reiterated to the GSC that he will “tirelessly work to raise awareness to the challenges we all face in shipbuilding and ship repair and will continue advocate on your behalf so that together we can restore the maritime power of our nation.”

Initial members of the GSC will include:

Navy: Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (DASN) for Ships, and Military Sealift Command (MSC), Director of Ship Management

Coast Guard: Assistant Commandant for Acquisition (CG 9) and Assistant Commandant for Engineering & Logistics (CG-4)

Army: Program Executive Officer, Combat Support & Combat Service Support (CS & CSS)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Director of Marine and Aviation Operations

Maritime Administration: Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift

Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD): Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Materiel Readiness

Release from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems 

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Mojave Flights for the Royal Navy Highlight UAS’ Ability to Operate From Warships 

SAN DIEGO – 17 November 2023 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted a first-of-its-kind demonstration of its short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability on the HMS Prince of Wales, a Royal Navy aircraft carrier, using the Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System. The demonstration took place on November 15, 2023, when the Prince of Wales was underway off the East Coast of the U.S., and the Mojave was controlled by an aircrew within a control station onboard the ship. The demonstration included takeoff, circuits, and approaches and ended with a landing back onto the carrier. 

“We applaud the Royal Navy’s foresight in embracing this unprecedented capability for its carriers,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “We knew our STOL capability would enable a UAS to safely take off and land on the Prince of Wales. Seeing our Mojave operate successfully in this environment opens myriad new ways our aircraft can be used to support multi-domain naval operations.”  

Mojave is a short takeoff and landing UAS demonstrator originally developed to prove STOL operations at unprepared landing sites. While Mojave shares common systems and components with GA-ASI’s Gray Eagle model, a STOL wing set option is likewise being planned for the larger, more capable MQ-9B aircraft, which includes SkyGuardian^®, SeaGuardian^®, and the new Protector RG Mk 1 currently being delivered to the UK Royal Air Force. The MQ-9B version, called MQ-9B STOL, is being considered by the Royal Navy and other navies that operate aircraft from large flat-deck warships without catapults and arresting gear.  

Royal Navy Director Develop, Rear Admiral James Parkin, whose team planned the trial, said: “The Mojave trial is a European first – the first time that a Remotely Piloted Air System of this size has operated to and from an aircraft carrier outside of the United States. The success of this trial heralds a new dawn in how we conduct maritime aviation and is another exciting step in the evolution of the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group into a mixed crewed and uncrewed fighting force.” 

Equipping UAS with STOL capability provides greater versatility and allows the aircraft to operate in areas previously deemed unsuitable for UAS operations, including landing onto and taking off from an aircraft carrier. MQ-9B STOL will be capable of carrying the same payloads and conducting the same missions as the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian, including maritime surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Airborne Early Warning (AEW), and surface strike. 

Release from the U.S. Navy 

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16 November 2023 

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Don Walsh, best known for his daring dive to the deepest spot on Earth, nearly 36,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, has died at age 92. 
 
Walsh was a co-pilot of the Trieste bathyscaphe, a deep submergence vehicle acquired by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in 1958. Two years later, on January 23, 1960, Walsh and Swiss engineer Jacques Piccard, son of the inventor of the bathyscaphe, became the first humans to descend into the Challenger Deep, located in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench. 
 
“ONR sponsored the Trieste, but it was then-Lt. Don Walsh who made the very daring decision to make the first descent into the deepest spot of the earth’s ocean. Walsh was a Navy officer, a submariner, an adventurer, and an oceanographer. To his family, we extend our deepest condolences and gratitude for allowing him to explore, and share his extraordinary experiences and knowledge with us,” said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus. 

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Don Walsh, best known for his daring dive to the deepest spot on Earth, nearly 36,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, has died at age 92. 
 
Walsh was a co-pilot of the Trieste bathyscaphe, a deep submergence vehicle acquired by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in 1958. Two years later, on January 23, 1960, Walsh and Swiss engineer Jacques Piccard, son of the inventor of the bathyscaphe, became the first humans to descend into the Challenger Deep, located in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench. 
 
“ONR sponsored the Trieste, but it was then-Lt. Don Walsh who made the very daring decision to make the first descent into the deepest spot of the earth’s ocean. Walsh was a Navy officer, a submariner, an adventurer, and an oceanographer. To his family, we extend our deepest condolences and gratitude for allowing him to explore, and share his extraordinary experiences and knowledge with us,” said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus. 
 
Years later, Walsh described his dive with Piccard in a 2016 Future Force interview as “a pretty big deal” and a big relief to Adm. Arleigh Burke, who had greenlighted the expedition. 
 
“Because he’d rolled the dice with us, just like ONR rolled the dice with us. He figured …they could probably do it. And we did it. And so he was pretty happy about that,” said Walsh. 
 
Walsh’s journey to the Challenger Deep is still believed to hold the record for deepest dive yet in a manned vehicle, and ushered in a “golden age” of manned underwater exploration in the 1960s and 70s. Walsh and Piccard, though, saw little when they hit the ocean floor. They only had 20 minutes to survey their surroundings, which had become a cloud of debris, before heading back to the surface. 
 
Walsh was a submariner, explorer and oceanographer, who also taught at the University of Southern California. His love of the ocean and advocacy for its exploration continued well after his Navy retirement in 1975. 
 
In 2010, the U.S. Navy presented its highest civilian recognition, the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, to Walsh for his achievement and service in the years following his Navy career. He had served as a U.S. policy adviser on State Department and federal science boards, authored more than 200 published contributions to marine literature and presented more than 1,500 lectures in 50 countries. 

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command 

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Nov. 17, 2023 

By Team Submarines Public Affairs 

WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – Over the last two months, the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) program team, in partnership with a critical network of Department of Defense suppliers, launched its 2023—2024 Talent Pipeline Program. In launching the next pipeline, a series of workforce trade skill events were held in key maritime centers of gravity including Philadelphia, PA, Hampton Roads, VA, Pittsburgh, PA, Boston, MA, and Long Island, NY. The Boston and Long Island pipeline projects are the newest additions to the Talent Pipeline Program as it enters its third year. 

Pipeline program participants gathered at orientation events to hear from senior leaders about the Navy’s generational journey to recapitalize its sea-based strategic deterrence, including the need to hire 100,000 new skilled trade workers into the submarine industrial base over the next 10 years. Attendees also heard testimony from SIB employers who have benefited from the talent pipeline program. 

The program’s goal is to enable employers in the SIB to hire and retain employees with critical trade skills by connecting with career and technical training providers and career-seeking students. 

“We need you. We need all of you,” said Ms. Stephanie Link, executive director, Program Executive Office for Attack Submarines, who spoke to pipeline participants at the inaugural Long Island orientation event about the critical mission of America’s submarine force. “Without a trained and talented workforce who understands the mission and wants to participate, we’re not going to meet demand. And I don’t think that in this threat landscape we can risk that.” 

The 2023-2024 Talent Pipeline Projects build on the success of the 2022-2023 season where more than 700 new workforce members participated in 2022-2023 Talent Pipeline Project Signing Day events earlier this summer. ‘Signing Days’ recognize trade skills students who have successfully completed training and are embarking on careers at small and medium-size defense industrial base suppliers that participated in the talent pipeline programs. 

In Philadelphia, Team Submarine’s Command Master Chief Jeff Hiscocks challenged suppliers to build the workforce needed to support the Navy’s submarine construction cadence of one Columbia Class submarine and two Virginia Class submarines by FY 2026 as part of the SIB’s demand signal. 

“I thank you for your continued participation in the Talent Pipeline Program,” said Hiscocks. “You can see some of the first year, second year teams who have been here since the beginning. The data doesn’t lie, you are seeing dramatic improvement in the retention of new hires.” 

Individuals and suppliers located in, and around maritime centers of gravity are encouraged to attend and engage with talent pipeline program events to include launch/orientations, career fairs, welding competitions, signing days, and more. 

For more information on the Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base Program’s Talent Pipeline Program visit: 

Talent Pipeline Program (dibtalentpipeline.com) 

Release from Naval Air Systems Command 

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NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md.–Born out of necessity and innovation, the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet introduced a level of aircraft superiority that had not been seen before and set the standard for future development of next-gen fighters. Now, celebrating the 45th anniversary of its first flight Nov. 18, the original strike fighter aircraft is affectionately referred to as the “Legacy.” 

Appropriately coined, the nickname encapsulates not only the cutting-edge capabilities of the aircraft at the time, but its place in history as the first in its class that would pave the way for future aircraft platforms. 

Before the creation of the Legacy Hornet, the Navy’s fighter air wing consisted of multiple aircraft, each with a specific skill set and mission. The arrival of the F/A-18 Hornet ushered in a generation of carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft that were all-weather and attack, designed for traditional strike applications and close air support without compromising fighter capabilities. 

“It showed a great understanding of what a strike fighter mission requires,” said Cmdr. Tim Tuschinski, Integrated Product Team Lead for Radar/Fighter Electronic Warfare in the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265). “It allowed pilots to move quickly and efficiently between the air-to-air combat mission and the air-to-ground mission; it’s the flip of a switch.” 

The Hornet cut its teeth during Operation Desert Storm, proving its lethality and versatility. Pilots could engage adversary fighters in the air and take out ground targets during the same mission. The aircraft’s survivability and easy repair only proved to further solidify its role as the preeminent aircraft in the carrier fighter air wing. 

This aircraft was born at Naval Air Systems Command and developed to be a strike fighter. 

“It’s fast! When you slick this thing up, it flies like a bat out of hell,” said Tuschinski. “It paved the way for the multimission platform aircraft that we see with the Super Hornet, the F-35 and the next generation fighters.” 

Originally created by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Grumman, the versatility of the aircraft came from its avionics, cockpit displays, excellent aerodynamics and its capability to carry a variety of weapons. It was built for pilot interface with a hands-on throttle and stick incorporation, as well as a digital cockpit. 

“The most rewarding missions were the ones when we were able to locate and neutralize high value assets to keep our guys on the ground safe,” said Tuschinski, when reflecting on his time in the cockpit. 

Today, the Legacy Hornet is no longer the preeminent strike fighter in the carrier air wing, that role has been passed along to its offspring, the Super Hornet. The Navy retired its last remaining legacy aircraft in the spring of 2023. However, the Hornet remains a workhorse for the U.S. Marine Corps and the militaries of several allied nations. 

“We’re poised to continue sustaining this platform, keeping it lethal and survivable until its sundown,” said Tuschinski. “It’s going to continue its mission for the Marine Corps.” 

Tuschinski flew the Legacy Hornet for 15 years and supported missions in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His squadron provided close air support for troops under fire and completed pre-strike missions to set up ground troops for success. He now works in PMA-265, leading the team focused on radar and electronic weapons for the F/A-18 and the EA-18G. 

This year not only marks the 45th anniversary of the Legacy Hornet’s first flight, but also the 50th anniversary of the establishment of PMA-265. For a half-century, the men and women of the program office have provided critical capabilities, cradle to grave, for the Hornet, Super Hornet and Growler. 

“Our team continues to move fast and take risks to support, sustain, and advance the fleet,” said Capt. Michael Burks, PMA-265 Program Manager. “The technologies and capabilities that we develop are reliable, maintainable, and upgradable, allowing constant improvement, so that we can best support the Sailors and Marines in the fleet.”    

The Hornet was just the beginning and set an expectation for fighter/attack aircraft that continues today. Over the past decade the U.S. Navy fully transitioned from use of the Hornet to the Super Hornet. This includes its use by the Blue Angels. The F/A-18 family of aircraft has surpassed 11 million flight hours. Through initiatives like Service Life Modification, the Super Hornet will be the numerically predominant aircraft in the carrier fighter air wing into the mid-2030s and will provide significant combat capability for the air wing into the 2040s.  

“It is a privilege to be at the helm of this esteemed, dedicated workforce,” said Burks. “PMA-265 continues to ensure responsiveness, innovation, expertise, professionalism and priority when addressing the needs of our warfighters and the challenges facing our international partners; that legacy continues.” 

Release from the Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs 

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15 November 2023

Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced, today, that a DDG 51 Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer will be named after World War II hero Ernest E. Evans, the first Native American in the Navy to earn the Medal of Honor and one of only two World War II destroyer captains to attain it.

Secretary Del Toro made the announcement during Native American Heritage month. Additionally, Secretary Del Toro announced that the ship’s sponsor will be U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary.

“Since our nation’s founding, Native Americans, such as Ernest Evans, have volunteered to serve in our armed services. From the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I and II, to Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Native Americans have fought with honor and distinction to preserve our union and defend our ideals of freedom and democracy, even during periods where they were not recognized as citizens of our country,” said Secretary Del Toro.”

“Today, we honor Commander Ernest Evans for his courage and ultimate sacrifice,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “While this nation has not always welcomed them, Native Americans have consistently and honorably served in disproportionately high rates across the Armed Forces to keep us safe at home and abroad. As we honor Commander Evans with this stunning vessel, we also honor the service of Indigenous servicemembers nationwide, past and present. Native American history is American history, and today’s designation ensures that our story continues to be told.”

Ernest Edwin Evans was born on Aug. 13, 1908, in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He graduated from Central High School in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on May 29, 1926. After a years’ enlisted service, he was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy, entered as a midshipman, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1931.

Evans spent his first decade of service in San Diego, Pensacola, and aboard seven ships. He was serving on his eighth in the East Indies when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, thrusting the U.S. into World War II.

In 1943, Cmdr. Evans assumed command of the USS Johnston, serving as its only commanding officer. During the commissioning ceremony, Cmdr. Evans reportedly told his crew and the audience assembled, “This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm’s way, and anyone who doesn’t want to go along had better get off right now.”

Oct. 25, 1944, off the coast of the Philippines, Cmdr. Evans and the crew of the USS Johnston found themselves in harm’s way during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On that day, Cmdr. Evans and his fellow destroyer captains launched an offensive attack against overwhelming odds against a much larger Japanese naval force, with the USS Johnston in the lead. Not waiting for orders, Evans commanded the crew to begin a torpedo run, drawing fire away from the carriers, directly taking hits from three powerful 14-inch guns. Despite severe damage to his ship and his own wounds from Japanese fire, he repeatedly put the USS Johnston between the enemy and more vulnerable U.S. ships, saving the lives of thousands of his fellow Sailors.

Ultimately, the USS Johnston was lost during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, with Cmdr. Evans going down with his ship. For his leadership and selfless service in the face of a superior enemy force, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

“And I am honored to announce that, in recognition of his heroic actions, our Navy will once again welcome a USS Ernest E. Evans into our fleet once again, as his name will adorn our future Arleigh Burke Flight III class destroyer DDG-141,” said Secretary Del Toro.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, Cmdr. Evans had the China Service Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, and was entitled to the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with six engagement stars, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Philippine Defense and Liberation Ribbons with the one star.

A destroyer escort vessel, USS Evans (DE 1023), was named in honor of Cmdr. Evans. Mrs. Hugh Hendrickson of Tulsa, Oklahoma, sister to Cmdr. Evans, sponsored the vessel at the launching at the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company, Seattle, Washington, on Sept. 14, 1955.