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USS EVANS (DD-78)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NEMS

CLASS - WICKES As Built.
Displacement 1,154 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 2 x 1pdr AA (1 x 3"/23AA In Some Ships), 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 24,200 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 103.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath Me. on December 28 1917.
Launched October 30 1918 and commissioned November 11 1918.
Evans was placed in reserve at San Diego October 6 1921
and decommissioned there May 29 1922. Recommissioned April 1 1930
Decommissioned again on March 31 1937. Recommissioned September 30
1939 and assigned to Neutrality Patrol US east coast until decommissioned for the last time.
Transferred to Britain October 23 1940.
Stricken January 8 1941. Renamed HMS Mansfield (G76).
Fate Broken up for scrap in 1945.

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Rear Admiral Robley Dunglison Evans (18 August 1846 - 3 January 1912), commanded the U.S. Navy's "Great White Fleet" on its world-wide cruise of 1907-1908. Born in Floyd County, Virginia, Evans was a member of the Naval Academy class of 1864. He was ordered to active duty in September 1863. In the attacks on Fort Fisher, North Carolina, he exhibited great gallantry under fire on 15 January 1865. He led his landing party of Marines through heavy fire to charge the Confederate defenses. Evans continued to fight even after his fourth wound, drawing his pistol and threatened to kill any man who attempted to amputate his leg in surgery when he was evacuated. Evans held numerous important sea commands during the 1890s. In 1891 and 1892, commanding Yorktown on the Pacific Station, he won great acclaim for his firm and skillful handling of a tense situation with Chile, becoming known as "Fighting Bob" Evans. During the Spanish-American War he commanded the battleship Iowa in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. Rear Admiral Evans commanded the Great White Fleet in its passage in 1907 and 1908 from the Atlantic through the Straits of Magellan to the Pacific, where he was relieved of command because of ill health.Bill Gonyo/Tony Cowart/Ron Reeves
Evans 112kUSS Evans (Destroyer # 78) In New York Harbor during the Victory Fleet naval review, 27 December 1918. Some of the fleet's battleships are visible in the background. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Joe Radigan
Evans 230kPost World War I San Diego image including the USS Walker (DD-163), USS Lea (DD-118), USS Gamble (DD-123), USS Montgomery (DD-121), USS Roper (DD-147), USS Ramsay (DD-124), USS Tarbell (DD-142), USS Thatcher (DD-162), USS Evans (DD-78), USS Crosby (DD-164), USS Jacob Jones (DD-130), USS Hazelwood (DD-107), USS Gillis (DD-260), USS McLanahan (DD-264), USS Howard (DD-179), USS Schley (DD-103), USS Dorsey (DD-117), USS Tattnall (DD-125), USS Wickes (DD-75), USS Laub (DD-263), USS Zane (DD-337), USS Perry (DD-340) and USS Alden (DD-211).Mike Mohl
Evans 133kUSS Evans (DD-78) Anchored off San Diego, California, circa the early 1920s. Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Evans 128kUSS Evans (DD-78) photographed circa the early 1920s. Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Paul Rebold
Evans 76kUSS Evans (DD-78) off San Diego, California, circa the early 1920s. Photographed by the Pier Studio, San Diego. Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Paul Rebold
Evans 77kUSS Evans (DD-78) At San Diego, California, circa the early 1920s. Photographed by the Pier Studio, San Diego. Courtesy of ESKC Joseph L. Aguillard, USNR, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Evans 108k"Old Hen and Chickens" USS Kanawha (AO-1) with thirteen destroyers alongside, off San Diego, California, during the early 1920s. Photographed by Bunnell, 414 E Street, San Diego. Ships present are (from left to right): USS Meade (DD-274); USS Evans (DD-78); USS Kennedy (DD-306); USS Aaron Ward (DD-132); USS Woolsey (DD-77); USS Wickes (DD-75); USS Buchanan (DD-131); USS Kanawha; USS Farquhar (DD-304); USS Paul Hamilton (DD-307); USS Thompson (DD-305); USS Reno (DD-303); USS Stoddert (DD-302) and USS Philip (DD-76) Collection of Chief Quartermaster John Harold, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Evans 131kSan Diego, April 26 1921, from the collection of Percy Fenner, USS Wyoming.Ann Moss
Red Lead Row 195kRed Lead Row, San Diego Destroyer Base, California. Photographed at the end of 1922, with at least 65 destroyers tied up there. Ships present are identified as: (left to right, in the right diagonal row): Stansbury (DD-180); MacKenzie (DD-175); Renshaw (DD-176); Howard (DD-179); Gillis (DD-260); Tingey (DD-272); McLanahan (DD-264); Swasey (DD-273); Morris (DD-271); Bailey (DD-269); Tattnall (DD-125); Breese (DD-122); Radford (DD-120); Aaron Ward (DD-132) -- probably; Ramsey (DD-124); Montgomery (DD-121); and Lea (DD-118). (left to right, in the middle diagonal row): Wickes (DD-75); Thornton (DD-270); Meade (DD-274); Crane (DD-109); Evans (DD-78); McCawley (DD-276); Doyen (DD-280); Elliot (DD-146); Henshaw (DD-278); Moody (DD-277); Meyer (DD-279); Sinclair (DD-275); Turner (DD-259); Philip (DD-76); Hamilton (DD-141); Boggs (DD-136); Claxton (DD-140); Ward (DD-139); Hazelwood (DD-107) or Kilty (DD-137); Kennison (DD-138); Jacob Jones (DD-130); Aulick (DD-258); Babbitt (DD-128); Twiggs (DD-127); and Badger (DD-126). (left to right, in the left diagonal row): Shubrick (DD-268); Edwards (DD-265); Palmer (DD-161); Welles (DD-257); Mugford (DD-105); Upshur (DD-144); Greer (DD-145); Wasmuth (DD-338); Hogan (DD-178); O'Bannon (DD-177); and -- possibly -- Decatur (DD-341). (Nested alongside wharf in left center, left to right): Prairie (AD-5); Buffalo (AD-8); Trever (DD-339); and Perry (DD-340). Minesweepers just astern of this group are Partridge (AM-16) and Brant (AM-24). Nearest ship in the group of destroyers at far left is Dent (DD-116). The others with her are unidentified. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. : NH 42539 Robert Hurst
Evans 75kUSS Evans (DD-78) in a harbor, circa the 1930s. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Paul Rebold
Evans 155kEvans (DD-78) at Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1931. Other vessels present include two Omaha-class light cruisers and minesweepers Rail (AM-26) and Vireo (AM-52). From the collection of CWO4 Cecil Wood USMC.Donald Wood
Evans 89kUSS Twiggs (DD-127), USS Philip (DD-76), USS Evans (DD-78) and USS Yarnall (DD-143) nested together while awaiting transfer to the Royal Navy. Photo from the Conrad Waters Collection as seen in "Conway's The War at Sea in Photographs: 1939-1945" by Stuart Robertson & Stephen Dent, circa 1940.Robert Hurst
On British Service
HMS Mansfield (ex-USS Evans, DD-78) handed over at Halifax on 23 October 1940 and started refit at Devonport a month later. On 16 December 1940 she was transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy for manning and completed her refit on 9 january 1941 to join 6th escort Group at Londonderry, after a brief spell in the Channel. Mansfield suffered a complete engine failure on 23 March 1941, being towed home by HMS Salisbury to repair at Liverpool for ten days. She completed just in time to take part in the Commando raid on Oksfjord on 11 April 1941, after which she rejoined her Group, by now based in Iceland. 6th Escort Group returned to Britain in June 1941, and Mansfield refitted at Liverpool in August 1941; further work being needed, she moved to Chatham 19 October and while there the ship paid off on 11 February 1942 and reverted to the Royal Navy. When the refit was completed on 11 May 1942, Mansfield went to Tobermory to work up. Whilst there she collided with the tanker British Lady and required repair at Liverpool from 6 June to 10 July after which she became part of the Liverpool Special Escort Division, making a return passage to Gibraltar. In August 1942 Mansfield was allocated to WLEF under RCN command based at Halifax, later she was to join in western Support Force in January 1943. She was heavily involved in the critical convoy actions of march 1943 with convoy HX229, landing survivors in the UK. The ship then refitted on the Thames prior to returning to the Western Escort Force as part of unit W7. Worn out by constant escort work in Atlantic weather, Mansfield paid off at Halifax in November 1943. She was offered to the USN as a source of spares for that service's own flush deckers, but the offer was declined and she therefore went onto the Disposal List on 22 June 1944 being sold on 24 October 1944 for breaking up. (History thanks to Robert Hurst.)
Evans 130kUndated photo of the crew of the Norwegian destroyer HMNS Mansfield (G 76) painting and cleaning the ship while in port. The ship, formerly the USS Evans (DD-78) became the HMS Mansfield (G-76), as part of the 1940 Lend-Lease Program. Between December, 1940 and March, 1942, the ship was loaned to the Royal Norwegian Navy. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM (A 5218).Mike Green
Evans 81kHMS Mansfield (ex-USS Evans, (DD-78) whilst under the Norwegian ensign. Note relevant pennant number obliterated by wartime censor.Robert Hurst
Evans 67kHMS Mansfield (ex-USS Evans, (DD-78), undated and location unknown.Robert Hurst
Evans 111kUnder loan to the Norwegian Navy, the HMNS Mansfield (G 76) moored to a buoy in 1941 at an unknown location with her hull number erased by a censor. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM (A 2727).Mike Green
Evans 67kAs the HMS Mansfield 1941.Marc Piché
Evans 71kHMS Mansfield circa August 1941 prior to her departure for Canadian waters and service with the WLEF.Robert Hurst
Evans 75kThe 'Town' class destroyer HMS Mansfield (ex-USS Evans, DD-78) is moored to a buoy on the River Medway, 6 August 1942. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, by Tomlin, H.W. (Lt), Photo No. © IWM (A 2724)Robert Hurst/Mike Green
Evans 43kthe "Town" class destroyer HMS Mansfield (G76) tied to a buoy on the river Medway, 6 August 1942. Photo No. FL 3285 from the Imperial War Museum collection No. 8308.Robert Hurst
Evans 91kStarboard view, and under loan to the Norwegian Navy, the HMNS Mansfield (G 76) is moored to a buoy on the River Medway, 6 August 1942. Unlike most photos of the ship duringthis time frame, her hull number has not been erased by a censor. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM (A 2726),Mike Green
Evans 165kHMS Mansfield (British/Canadian Destroyer, formerly USS Evans, DD-78) In icy seas, while on North Atlantic convoy duty in June 1943. Photographed from USS Greer (DD-145). Mansfield was serving in the Royal Canadian Navy at the time. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.Fred Weiss
Evans 117kShip's badge.Tommy Trampp

USS EVANS DD-78 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


CDR Frank Howard Sadler    Nov 11 1918 - Dec 2 1919 (Later RADM)

LCDR John Roy Palmer    Dec 2 1919 - Aug 21 1920

LT Myron Joseph Walker    Aug 21 1920 - Aug 26 1922

LT Ernest Adams Foote    Aug 26 1921 - May 29 1922       

(Decommissioned May 29 1922 - April 1 1930)

CDR Donald Flanner Patterson    Apr 1 1930 - Jan 10 1931

CDR Henry Davis McGuire    Jan 10 1931 - Apr 1 1931

LCDR Walter Moakler Anthony Wynne    Apr 1 1931 - Jun 26 1931

LCDR William Ewart Gladstone Erskine    Jan 2 1932 - Jun 1933

LCDR Cassin Young    Jun 1933 - Jul 20 1935

LCDR Rollin Van Alstine Failing    Jul 20 1935 - Jan 15 1937

LCDR Leon Samuel Kintberger    Jan 15 1937 - Mar 31 1937 (Later RADM)

(Decommissioned March 31 1937 - September 30 1939) 

LCDR Chauncey Moore    Sep 30 1939 - Oct 23 1940


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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