This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
Gardner, Melvin Hollman, Jr., ST3.
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Contact Info
Home Town Southern Pines
Last Address Southern Pines, NC
Date of Passing Jun 03, 1969
Location of Interment Mount Hope Cemetery - Southern Pines, North Carolina
On 3 June 1969, while operating with the Royal Australian Navy between Saigon and Spratly Island, Evans was operating in company with the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. At flying stations, Melbourne signalled Evans, which was to port of the carrier, to take up the rescue destroyer position. The logical movement would be to make a turn to port and describe a circle taking up station on the carrier's port quarter. Inexplicably, instead of turning to port, Evans turned to starboard, cutting across Melbourne's bow and was cut in half in the ensuing collision. Her bow section sank instantly, taking 74 of her crew down with it. At the time of the collision Evans's captain was asleep. The officer of the deck (a junior officer who was not qualified to stand watch, having failed at his previous board) failed to notify him when he executed the station change as required by the Commanding Officer's standing orders. Evans was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1969. The stern section was sunk as a target in Subic Bay on 10 October 1969
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Other Comments:
To the memory of all sailors who ever served aboard the Destroyer USS Frank E. Evans DD - 754. A special commemeration to the Crew who sailed with her on that fateful morning, June 3, 1969 when USS Frank E. Evans DD-754 collided with the Australian Aircraft Carrier HMAS Melbourne (R21) and was cut in half. The forward section of USS Frank E. Evans DD-754 sank in 1100 fathoms of water within two minutes. Seventy-four lives were lost. USS Frank E. Evans DD-754 was struck from the Navy Register in 1969. May we never forget the ship, The men who proudly sailed with her, And those who paid the ultimate price in service Aboard USS Frank E. Evans DD-754.
USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754) collision with HMAS Melbourne
From Month/Year
June / 1969
To Month/Year
June / 1969
Description At around 3 a.m. on 3 June 1969, between Vietnam and Spratly Island, Frank E. Evans was operating with the Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy in company with Melbourne which was in the process of going to flying stations and all ships in the formation were running without lights. Melbourne radioed Evans, then to port of the carrier, to take up the rescue destroyer position. The logical movement would be to turn to port and make a circle taking up station on the carrier's port quarter. However, since the conning officer on Evans misunderstood the formation's base course and believed they were starboard of Melbourne, they turned to starboard, cutting across the carrier's bow twice in the process. Frank E. Evans was struck at a point around 92 feet from her bow on her port side and was cut in two. Her bow drifted off to the port side of Melbourne and sank in less than five minutes taking 73 of her crew with it. One body was recovered from the water, making a total of 74 dead. The stern scraped along the starboard side of Melbourne and lines were able to be attached by the crew of Melbourne. Around 60-100 men were also rescued from the water.
At the time of the collision the commanding officer of Frank E. Evans was asleep in his quarters having left instructions to be awakened if there were to be any changes in the formation. Neither the officer of the deck nor the junior officer of the deck notified him when the station change was ordered. The bridge crew also did not contact the combat information center to request clarification of the positions and movements of the surrounding ships.[
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
June / 1969
To Month/Year
June / 1969
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories At around 3 a.m. on 3 June 1969, between Saigon and Spratly Island, Evans was operating with the Royal Australian Navy in company with Melbourne which was at flying stations. Melbourne signalled Evans, then to port of the carrier, to take up the rescue destroyer position. The logical movement would be to turn to port and describe a circle taking up station on the carrier's port quarter. Inexplicably, instead of turning to port, Evans turned to starboard, cutting across Melbourne's bow, and was cut in half in the ensuing collision. Her bow section sank instantly, taking 74 of her crew with it. At the time of the collision Evans's captain was asleep. The officer of the deck (a junior officer who was not qualified to stand watch, having failed at his previous board) failed to notify him when he executed the station change, as required by the Commanding Officer's standing orders. Evans was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1969. The stern section was sunk as a target in Subic Bay on 10 October 1969.
