Awards
Johnston was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation as a unit of "Taffy 3" (Task Unit 77.4.3). Lt. Cmdr. Ernest E. Evans was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor: "The skipper was a fighting man from the soles of his broad feet to the ends of his straight black hair. He was an Oklahoman and proud of the Indian blood he had in him. We called him—though not to his face—the Chief. The Johnston was a fighting ship, but he was the heart and soul of her."
In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation, Johnston received six battle stars for service in World War II.
The second USS Johnston (DD-821) was a Gearing-class destroyer launched on 10 October 1945. On 27 February 1981, Johnston was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan). She served in the Republic of China Navy as ROCS Chen Yang, and was later reclassified a guided missile destroyer, DDG-928. Chen Yang was decommissioned on 16 December 2003.
USS Evans (DE-1023), was the Evans-class destroyer escort named for Ernest E. Evans. She was launched in 1955 and stricken in 1973. No current ship carries the name of Evans, or Johnston. By contrast, three current ships—USS Copeland (FFG-25), USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58), and USS Carr (FFG-52), all guided missile frigates—were named for Samuel B. Roberts and members of her crew.
Read more about this topic: USS Johnston (DD-557)