NVVMF Tribute to

USS Frank e. Evans (DD-754)

On the early morning of June 3, 1969, the USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was participating in Operation Sea Spirit — a SEATO naval exercise in the South China Sea — with more than 40 ships from allied nations. The Evans had recently earned two Vietnam Service Medals for combat support in South Vietnam.

At about 03:15, the Evans was ordered to take a new station 1,000 yards astern of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. In the dark, under moonlight, the Evans sailed under Melbourne’s bow, where she was cut in half amidships. The forward section sank within three minutes, taking 74 of her crew to the bottom. Of those 74, only one body was recovered.

Among the lost were 4 Nebraskans, Garry Hodgson from Beatrice and the 3 brothers from Niobrara, Gary, Greg, and Kelly Jo Sage. The aft section remained afloat and was saved by the crew’s heroic efforts, with survivors rescued by other ships.

Adding to the tragic loss of the men of the USS Evans, without Congress changing the Vietnam War qualifying combat zone, the Department of Defense is unable to add those 74 souls' names to the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial because the accident occurred outside of the pre-designated qualifying area of operations, even though the ship had only a few days before been on the gunline off the coast of South Vietnam to give fire support to ground operations there.

To this day, the families of those 74 sailors continue to fight to have their boys' names added to the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial ("The Wall").  Here in Nebraska, we choose to include this tribute to the USS Evans because we feel these boys more than qualify to be recognized and need to be "Welcomed Home".  We've also added the 4 Nebraskan sailors from the USS Evans to our wall dedicated to those who gave their lives during the Vietnam War while in service to their country.  We will never forget.