Evans, of Native American ancestry (half Cherokee and one quarter Creek), was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma.
He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1931.

On 9 August 1941, he was assigned to the destroyer Alden, and was serving on her in the East Indies when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 of that year.
He became commanding officer of Alden on 14 March 1942, and held that position until 7 July 1943.
 While serving on Alden he participated in operations in and around Australia, New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.

In mid-1943 Evans was then ordered to duty in charge of fitting out the Fletcher-class destroyer Johnston at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Seattle, Washington.
 Commander Evans assumed command of Johnston at her commissioning on 27 October 1943.
 He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in action against a Japanese submarine on May 16, 1944.
Evans, of Native American ancestry (half Cherokee and one quarter Creek), was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1931.
On 9 August 1941, he was assigned to the destroyer Alden, and was serving on her in the East Indies when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 of that year. He became commanding officer of Alden on 14 March 1942, and held that position until 7 July 1943.  While serving on Alden he participated in operations in and around Australia, New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.
In mid-1943 Evans was then ordered to duty in charge of fitting out the Fletcher-class destroyer Johnston at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Seattle, Washington.  Commander Evans assumed command of Johnston at her commissioning on 27 October 1943.  He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in action against a Japanese submarine on May 16, 1944.
Ernest E. Evans