Thank you for making this video. My brother was on that ship, and for about two days we didn't know if he was dead or alive. We finally got the word he was alive, and it was only through a twist of fate -- one of his shipmates had asked him to change watch with him, and that man died. Seeing the video allowed me to see what my brother went through in those hours. I am appalled that the men who died are not listed on the Vietnam War Memorial, and were not so lucky as us. They WERE at war!
My husband was on the USS Larson the night that the USS Evans was cut in half. I am appalled at our VA and Government for not putting these men's name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. It is outrageous. Again it shows the action of our government and the lack of respect they had for the men that were REQUIRED via DRAFT to serve in a war that destroyed lives then and still now.
Actually the USS Evans was operating as part of the Seventh fleet. Their names should be on the wall. I am a veteran of 20 plus years and served in country Vietnam.
As I recall there were two stations in Vietnam, Yankee and Dixie Station. Yankee being the Gulf of Tonkin and Dixie being in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta. The U.S.S. Frank E. Evans was providing artillery support for the Marines in II Corp, the Frank E. Evans WAS in combat and no matter what part of the South China Sea that Ship sank and for whatever reason it sank, those 74 heroes should dam right well be on that wall along with the other 58,195 warriors who gave thier lives!
As I recall there were two stations in Vietnam, Yankee and Dixie Station. Yankee being the Gulf of Tonkin and Dixie being in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta. The U.S.S. Frank E. Evans was providing artillery support for the Marines in II Corp, the Frank E. Evans WAS in combat and no matter what part of the South China Sea that Ship sank and for whatever reason it sank, those 74 heroes should dam right well be on that wall along with the other 58,195 warriors who gave thier lives!
JagerGSD's assertion that because the 74 were not directly engaged in combat and therefore not eligible for inclusion on the Wall could be considered correct. EXCEPT for the fact that the war zone and the definition of combat operations is VERY fuzzy. If you look on a map the line determining the combat zone is arbitrary. In Junly 1967 the USS Forrestal accidently caught fire in the Gulf of Tonkin. The names of the 134 dead are on the wall. The names of the 74 belong there too!
JagerGSD, now you are getting downright ridiculous. I have to agree with Bull0839. We were part of the Sixth Fleet and were fighting in country just prior to to the collision. The training exercise was only part of what the SEATO fleets were doing while deployed to the Vietnam War, and the Evans was indeed scheduled to go back to the gun line in support of the ground troops. So yes, the 74 should be on the wall.
OK, all you-all are right, let's open it up to anyone who was alive during the Vietnam War era, men, women, mascots, even kids who played with GI Joe. Vietnamese who died helping us or those who were slaughtered for helping us when the North rolled in.
We should put chances to have your name included on any military memorial in bottle caps; get three matching and have your name added. Having rules for who can be added to a war memorial is discrimination, yeah, that's it, discrimination.
I would think the 74 were 100% completely disabled by being part of the Sixth Fleet that placed them there probably on the way back to Subic Bay. Isn't the fact that they died in service for their country enough, and they were part of the force fighting long term in Vietnam. I think the criteria may be too harsh and people are being selfish about "Ownership
Unlike other naval casualties during the Vietnam War, the names of the 74 Evans crew killed are not inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.[40] Despite operating in Vietnamese waters immediately before deployment to Exercise Sea Spirit, and scheduled to return to activities supporting the war effort after the exercise. WHY NOT
If you had bothered to read the entire thread a reasonable person would realize I was talking to boazrg who rationalized his friends wearing the CIB because they took it upon themselves to wear it. BTW the Army did come up with an award for CS/CSS people who were under direct fire.
I really am sorry for your loss folks, but your buddies, shipmates, family members names aren't on the wall for a reason.
but died anyway? Oh, wait, lets include the war dogs who were killed in action and those who were shot as we left the country. So where does it end? How many people do you think are out there who can dream up some rationalization for adding names to the wall, heck, lets add the protesters from Kent State. Again, what separates these people from everyone else who's family and friends can come up with a reason to include more names on the wall?
left the country only to be killed later. Where's the cutoff? How long after they left does it still count? Or shall it be a function of distance? Anyone who was there but died later in a training exercise? Do we add those who died a car wreck while home on leave, while attending a school stateside, spooks who worked in bordering countries, civilian contractors, should we include the journalists who ensured we lost, and perhaps people who went home on leave so they could desert to Canada
(gosh how terribly clever of you and how sad that you lack the skill to think of insults on your own? How courageous of you to insult people from the safety of the internet, go ahead and order yourself a bronze star and wear it proudly)you need to ask when and or what is the criteria for the wall. Is it to honor those soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coastguard who died as a direct result of action in country or shall we open up the wall to include anyone who served in Vietnam but
They were not in the war or in the war zone when the accident happened. They left, they were somewhere else on a completely different mission and suffered a terrible accident. And yes, I felt Regan was wrong to include the people he did.
Given the criteria those of you who found it necessary to disparage me personally rather than reading the entire thread and thinking prior to making snarky remarks about if I served (I did, 20 years Armor 74-94 and I'm 100% disabled) or the location of my head
If you go to thewall-usa-com and look up the information page you will see that 9 groups of names have been added to the wall. From the information page "The bulk of the names in the first group of 68 were Marines killed when their R&R flight crashed in Hong Kong. (This exception to the criteria was ordered by President Ronald Reagan.)"
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
The crew was not engaged in the Vietnam War, period. Adding their names is tantamount to adding the name of a soldier who completed his tour in Vietnam and died during airborne school stateside later.
Wearing awards that you are not authorize just because you think you deserve it is reprehensible. What's next, someone feels the deserve the Congressional Medal of Honor so he goes to the PX and buys one? Maybe he wanted to be a SEAL really bad but didn't want to deal with BUDS, just wear it
While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I'm surprised, confused, and disappointed by your thoughts here.
They were most clearly involved in the war, not sure why you would say otherwise. Additionally, they were clearly still on active deployment when the accident happened.
Asking to be included in a memorial whose purpose is to honor and respect the fallen is in no way akin to pretending to be special forces. Suggesting so is a disservice to these men and their sacrifice.
These men were most certainly in the Vietnam War. How else would this terrible accident have happened if they were not there? These men were sent there by the Government to do a job....DURING the Vietnam War!!! You are entitled to your opinion and I feel I am entitiled to mine. I must add, I am the wife of one of the survivors. One of the 'walking wounded'. I know 1st hand how much pain is involved here. The 74 MUST be honored on that wall! Marie Buchner
Well Jager, as a proud veteran of the US Navy who spent two years aboard an ASW Carrier patroling the South China Sea during the Vietnam War, I beg to differ with you. These men were definately involved in that way. When and how did you serve that would give you the right to say such a thing? I think you are suffering from a severe case of suffocation caused by cranial rectal insertion
While technically the crew was not involved in the War at the time of the accident, the ship had been on the gun line just prior. As for wearing of awards not entitled I suggest you check the DD-214 of any of the dead or survivors and you will see that they are most certainly entitled to awards associated with the Viet Nam War. They most certainly do deserve to have their names on the Viet Nam Memorial. R. Buchner (a survivor)
I'm appalled that this information was completely overridden by all the losers attending the dope-out at Woodstock. When this happened, I was only 22 years old and newly married to a Marine who could never talk about his Vietnam experience ... it breaks my heart when I think of his pain (that I couldn't understand) and the pain of all these lost heroes and their families and friends ... in my prayers always and forever.
I served on SWIFTBOATS in Vietnam April 1968-April 1969. I think it is a shame to our nation not to have these men on the Vietnam wall. My name is James Hoffman of Oshkosh, WI.
Thank you so much for sharing this video. I was OOW in HMNZS Blackpool (F77) that fateful night. I will always remember seeing the incident, racing to rescue survivors, searching all the next day and the court of inquiry. Shameful you are still trying to get their names on the wall after 40 years. Bless you all.
I will never forget that day...thanks for making this video,.Tom. The 74 deserve to have their name on the Vietnam Memorial !!! I know that it will mean alot to their families and the survivors of the Evans. They've gone through hell for their country.
Very moving, and completely inexplicable. Reminds me of the medevac (Dustoff) pilots and crewmembers who, though they constantly flew into enemy fire to rescue the wounded, are still ineligible for a combat Medical Badge. Thanks for making this.
Not only that, what about all the guys in signals and engineers who were under the same fire and fought the same as the infantry? D.A. made a reg that only the infantry could be awarded the CIB. I know a lot of guys in signals and engineers who kept a record of how many days they were in fire fights and they said they would wear the CIB, and if D.A. did not like it, they could come and take it off their chest. That's just like the army!
Thank you for making this video. My brother was on that ship, and for about two days we didn't know if he was dead or alive. We finally got the word he was alive, and it was only through a twist of fate -- one of his shipmates had asked him to change watch with him, and that man died. Seeing the video allowed me to see what my brother went through in those hours. I am appalled that the men who died are not listed on the Vietnam War Memorial, and were not so lucky as us. They WERE at war!
triggerpointrelief 1 year ago
My husband was on the USS Larson the night that the USS Evans was cut in half. I am appalled at our VA and Government for not putting these men's name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. It is outrageous. Again it shows the action of our government and the lack of respect they had for the men that were REQUIRED via DRAFT to serve in a war that destroyed lives then and still now.
elaineuhlman 1 year ago
My Uncle David Inman was aboard the Frank E Evans when this happened. I wanted to share this with all of my FB Friends.
OctoberGypsy 1 year ago
So not one of those draft dodging politicians would even vote on the bill. Why am I not surprised.
Robkat3751 1 year ago
Well done, Tom. Very well done!
I posted this on my site. More people need to see this.
May they get on the wall.
realbogus 2 years ago
Comment removed
014649 2 years ago
Actually the USS Evans was operating as part of the Seventh fleet. Their names should be on the wall. I am a veteran of 20 plus years and served in country Vietnam.
TL23455 2 years ago
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As I recall there were two stations in Vietnam, Yankee and Dixie Station. Yankee being the Gulf of Tonkin and Dixie being in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta. The U.S.S. Frank E. Evans was providing artillery support for the Marines in II Corp, the Frank E. Evans WAS in combat and no matter what part of the South China Sea that Ship sank and for whatever reason it sank, those 74 heroes should dam right well be on that wall along with the other 58,195 warriors who gave thier lives!
jnizok 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
As I recall there were two stations in Vietnam, Yankee and Dixie Station. Yankee being the Gulf of Tonkin and Dixie being in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta. The U.S.S. Frank E. Evans was providing artillery support for the Marines in II Corp, the Frank E. Evans WAS in combat and no matter what part of the South China Sea that Ship sank and for whatever reason it sank, those 74 heroes should dam right well be on that wall along with the other 58,195 warriors who gave thier lives!
jnizok 2 years ago
Comment removed
jnizok 2 years ago
JagerGSD's assertion that because the 74 were not directly engaged in combat and therefore not eligible for inclusion on the Wall could be considered correct. EXCEPT for the fact that the war zone and the definition of combat operations is VERY fuzzy. If you look on a map the line determining the combat zone is arbitrary. In Junly 1967 the USS Forrestal accidently caught fire in the Gulf of Tonkin. The names of the 134 dead are on the wall. The names of the 74 belong there too!
rbporsche914 2 years ago 5
JagerGSD, now you are getting downright ridiculous. I have to agree with Bull0839. We were part of the Sixth Fleet and were fighting in country just prior to to the collision. The training exercise was only part of what the SEATO fleets were doing while deployed to the Vietnam War, and the Evans was indeed scheduled to go back to the gun line in support of the ground troops. So yes, the 74 should be on the wall.
BillThibeault 2 years ago
OK, all you-all are right, let's open it up to anyone who was alive during the Vietnam War era, men, women, mascots, even kids who played with GI Joe. Vietnamese who died helping us or those who were slaughtered for helping us when the North rolled in.
We should put chances to have your name included on any military memorial in bottle caps; get three matching and have your name added. Having rules for who can be added to a war memorial is discrimination, yeah, that's it, discrimination.
JagerGSD 2 years ago
I would think the 74 were 100% completely disabled by being part of the Sixth Fleet that placed them there probably on the way back to Subic Bay. Isn't the fact that they died in service for their country enough, and they were part of the force fighting long term in Vietnam. I think the criteria may be too harsh and people are being selfish about "Ownership
of The Wall"
Bull0839 2 years ago 2
Unlike other naval casualties during the Vietnam War, the names of the 74 Evans crew killed are not inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.[40] Despite operating in Vietnamese waters immediately before deployment to Exercise Sea Spirit, and scheduled to return to activities supporting the war effort after the exercise. WHY NOT
Bull0839 2 years ago
If you had bothered to read the entire thread a reasonable person would realize I was talking to boazrg who rationalized his friends wearing the CIB because they took it upon themselves to wear it. BTW the Army did come up with an award for CS/CSS people who were under direct fire.
I really am sorry for your loss folks, but your buddies, shipmates, family members names aren't on the wall for a reason.
JagerGSD 2 years ago
but died anyway? Oh, wait, lets include the war dogs who were killed in action and those who were shot as we left the country. So where does it end? How many people do you think are out there who can dream up some rationalization for adding names to the wall, heck, lets add the protesters from Kent State. Again, what separates these people from everyone else who's family and friends can come up with a reason to include more names on the wall?
JagerGSD 2 years ago
left the country only to be killed later. Where's the cutoff? How long after they left does it still count? Or shall it be a function of distance? Anyone who was there but died later in a training exercise? Do we add those who died a car wreck while home on leave, while attending a school stateside, spooks who worked in bordering countries, civilian contractors, should we include the journalists who ensured we lost, and perhaps people who went home on leave so they could desert to Canada
JagerGSD 2 years ago
(gosh how terribly clever of you and how sad that you lack the skill to think of insults on your own? How courageous of you to insult people from the safety of the internet, go ahead and order yourself a bronze star and wear it proudly)you need to ask when and or what is the criteria for the wall. Is it to honor those soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coastguard who died as a direct result of action in country or shall we open up the wall to include anyone who served in Vietnam but
JagerGSD 2 years ago
They were not in the war or in the war zone when the accident happened. They left, they were somewhere else on a completely different mission and suffered a terrible accident. And yes, I felt Regan was wrong to include the people he did.
Given the criteria those of you who found it necessary to disparage me personally rather than reading the entire thread and thinking prior to making snarky remarks about if I served (I did, 20 years Armor 74-94 and I'm 100% disabled) or the location of my head
JagerGSD 2 years ago
I was Petty officer of the watch onboard melbourne that night and witnessed the collision. I have never got over it till this day. mrphilra
MrPhilra 2 years ago
Well done. Whilst age will not weary the
74, we will remember them. Lest we forget.
buntingtosser 2 years ago 2
If you go to thewall-usa-com and look up the information page you will see that 9 groups of names have been added to the wall. From the information page "The bulk of the names in the first group of 68 were Marines killed when their R&R flight crashed in Hong Kong. (This exception to the criteria was ordered by President Ronald Reagan.)"
rbporsche914 2 years ago 2
Comment removed
JagerGSD 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
The crew was not engaged in the Vietnam War, period. Adding their names is tantamount to adding the name of a soldier who completed his tour in Vietnam and died during airborne school stateside later.
Wearing awards that you are not authorize just because you think you deserve it is reprehensible. What's next, someone feels the deserve the Congressional Medal of Honor so he goes to the PX and buys one? Maybe he wanted to be a SEAL really bad but didn't want to deal with BUDS, just wear it
JagerGSD 2 years ago
While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I'm surprised, confused, and disappointed by your thoughts here.
They were most clearly involved in the war, not sure why you would say otherwise. Additionally, they were clearly still on active deployment when the accident happened.
Asking to be included in a memorial whose purpose is to honor and respect the fallen is in no way akin to pretending to be special forces. Suggesting so is a disservice to these men and their sacrifice.
plki76 2 years ago 4
These men were most certainly in the Vietnam War. How else would this terrible accident have happened if they were not there? These men were sent there by the Government to do a job....DURING the Vietnam War!!! You are entitled to your opinion and I feel I am entitiled to mine. I must add, I am the wife of one of the survivors. One of the 'walking wounded'. I know 1st hand how much pain is involved here. The 74 MUST be honored on that wall! Marie Buchner
mnaveja 2 years ago 2
Well Jager, as a proud veteran of the US Navy who spent two years aboard an ASW Carrier patroling the South China Sea during the Vietnam War, I beg to differ with you. These men were definately involved in that way. When and how did you serve that would give you the right to say such a thing? I think you are suffering from a severe case of suffocation caused by cranial rectal insertion
SFP2 Jim B
jimbuhring 2 years ago
While technically the crew was not involved in the War at the time of the accident, the ship had been on the gun line just prior. As for wearing of awards not entitled I suggest you check the DD-214 of any of the dead or survivors and you will see that they are most certainly entitled to awards associated with the Viet Nam War. They most certainly do deserve to have their names on the Viet Nam Memorial. R. Buchner (a survivor)
mnaveja 2 years ago
Comment removed
JagerGSD 2 years ago
I'm appalled that this information was completely overridden by all the losers attending the dope-out at Woodstock. When this happened, I was only 22 years old and newly married to a Marine who could never talk about his Vietnam experience ... it breaks my heart when I think of his pain (that I couldn't understand) and the pain of all these lost heroes and their families and friends ... in my prayers always and forever.
freshstuff 2 years ago 2
I served on SWIFTBOATS in Vietnam April 1968-April 1969. I think it is a shame to our nation not to have these men on the Vietnam wall. My name is James Hoffman of Oshkosh, WI.
BenspidermanH 2 years ago 2
Thank you so much for sharing this video. I was OOW in HMNZS Blackpool (F77) that fateful night. I will always remember seeing the incident, racing to rescue survivors, searching all the next day and the court of inquiry. Shameful you are still trying to get their names on the wall after 40 years. Bless you all.
salty3411 2 years ago 2
Thank you for this exceptional video. I was sleeping in the fantail that night. I will never forget the 74 or that night.
rbporsche914 2 years ago 2
Thanks for posting this video. I was on the back half of the ship at the time.
It is a night that I' ll never forget.
BillThibeault 2 years ago 2
I will never forget that day...thanks for making this video,.Tom. The 74 deserve to have their name on the Vietnam Memorial !!! I know that it will mean alot to their families and the survivors of the Evans. They've gone through hell for their country.
offroadfan1429 2 years ago 2
Amazing Video tom. Very well done.
JoneserCraig 2 years ago
Very moving, and completely inexplicable. Reminds me of the medevac (Dustoff) pilots and crewmembers who, though they constantly flew into enemy fire to rescue the wounded, are still ineligible for a combat Medical Badge. Thanks for making this.
mwasson 2 years ago 2
Not only that, what about all the guys in signals and engineers who were under the same fire and fought the same as the infantry? D.A. made a reg that only the infantry could be awarded the CIB. I know a lot of guys in signals and engineers who kept a record of how many days they were in fire fights and they said they would wear the CIB, and if D.A. did not like it, they could come and take it off their chest. That's just like the army!
boazrg 2 years ago 3