View source for USS Evans (DD-78)

{{Short description|Wickes-class destroyer}}
{{other ships|USS Evans}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:USS Evans 0507804.jpg|300px|USS Evans (DD-78)]]
|Ship caption=
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{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1940}}
|Ship name=USS ''Evans''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Bath Iron Works]]
|Ship laid down=28 December 1917
|Ship launched=30 October 1918
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=11 November 1918
|Ship decommissioned=29 May 1922
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship recommissioned=1 April 1930
|Ship decommissioned=31 March 1937
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship recommissioned=30 September 1939
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Transferred to United Kingdom 23 October 1940
|Ship notes=
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Mansfield''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=23 October 1940
|Ship decommissioned= 
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=*Loaned to [[Royal Norwegian Navy]] December 1940
*Returned to Royal Navy March 1942
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Norway
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Norway|navy}}
|Ship name=HNoMS ''Mansfield''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship acquired=December 1940
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Returned to Royal Navy March 1942
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Wickes|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement=1,090&nbsp;tons
|Ship length={{convert|315|ft|5|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|31|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|9|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
|Ship speed={{convert|32|kn|abbr=on}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=100 officers and enlisted
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*4 x [[4-inch/50-caliber gun]]s
* 12 x [[American 21-inch torpedo|21-inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
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The first '''USS ''Evans'' (DD–78)''' was a {{sclass|Wickes|destroyer}} in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War I]], later transferred to the [[Royal Navy]] as '''HMS ''Mansfield'''''.

== Construction and career ==
=== United States Navy ===

Named for [[Robley D. Evans (admiral)|Robley Dunglison Evans]], she was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 30 October 1918 by [[Bath Iron Works]], [[Bath, Maine]]; sponsored by Mrs. D. N. Sewell, granddaughter of [[Rear Admiral]] Evans. The ship was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 11 November 1918.

After a training and outfitting period which included a maiden voyage to the [[Azores]], ''Evans'' departed [[Newport, Rhode Island]] on 10 June 1919 for European waters, where she operated until 22 August, returning then to [[New York, New York|New York]]. She sailed once more on 11 September, and after patrolling off [[Central America]], reached her assigned home port, [[San Diego, California|San Diego]], on 14 November.

Through the next two years, ''Evans'' joined in a training schedule which found her ranging the eastern [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] from [[Valparaíso]], Chile, to [[Astoria, Oregon]]. She was placed in reserve at San Diego 6 October 1921, and [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] on 29 May 1922. Recommissioned on 1 April 1930, she operated out of San Diego for six months, then was assigned to duty training members of the naval reserve out of New York City, where she arrived 6 December 1930. She returned to San Diego 26 March 1932, to sail with the Battle Fleet on training cruises and in exercises along the west coast and in [[Hawaii]]an and [[Alaska]]n waters.

Once more out of commission from 31 March 1937 to 30 September 1939, ''Evans'' arrived at [[Key West, Florida|Key West]] on 11 December 1939 for [[Neutrality Patrol|neutrality patrol]] duty in the [[Antilles]], and exercises in various parts of the [[Caribbean]]. On 24 September 1940, she sailed from Key West for [[Halifax (former city), Nova Scotia|Halifax]], [[Nova Scotia]], where she was decommissioned 23 October 1940, and transferred to the [[Royal Navy]] in the [[Destroyers for Bases Agreement|land bases for destroyers exchange]].

=== Royal Navy and Royal Norwegian Navy service ===
[[File:HMS Mansfield 1942 IWM FL 3285.jpg|thumb|left|{{center|HMS ''Mansfield'' at a buoy on the [[River Medway|Medway]], August 1942}}]]
Commissioned as '''HMS ''Mansfield''''', a {{sclass2|Town|destroyer|1}}, the destroyer had a truly international career, for between December 1940 and March 1942; she was on loan to the [[Norwegian Armed Forces in exile|exiled]] [[Royal Norwegian Navy]]. As '''HNoMS ''Mansfield''''', she raided a fish oil factory in [[Nazi Germany|German]] hands at [[Øksfjord]] near [[Hammerfest]], Norway. Her landing party destroyed the factory's essential machinery, and attempted to capture the local [[quisling]] leader, but he escaped. With her Norwegian crew, she also served on escort duty in the North Atlantic, continuing in this vital assignment after she returned to the Royal Navy. ''Mansfield'' was modified for trade convoy escort service by removal of three of the original [[4-inch/50-caliber gun]]s and one of the triple [[torpedo tube]] mounts to reduce topside weight for additional [[depth charge]] stowage and installation of [[Hedgehog (weapon)|hedgehog]].<ref>Lenton & Colledge (1968) p.91</ref> In March 1942 she was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy operationally, but never commissioned, and served with the Western Local Escort Force based at Halifax and [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]]. With newer escorts available, in November 1943 the veteran of service in four navies was reduced to care and maintenance service at Halifax, and on 22 June 1944 she was paid off (decommissioned).

Her bell, still lettered USS ''Evans'', is preserved at the [[Maritime Museum of the Atlantic]] in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* {{cite book| title=British and Dominion Warships of World War II |author=Lenton, H.T. and Colledge J.J. |publisher=Doubleday and Company |year=1968}}
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/evans-i.html}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-e/dd78.htm Photos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224183635/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-e/dd78.htm |date=24 February 2012 }}
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/078.htm NavSource Photos]

{{Wickes-class destroyer}}
{{Town class destroyers}}
{{Norwegian destroyers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans (DD-78)}}
[[Category:Wickes-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bath, Maine]]
[[Category:1918 ships]]
[[Category:Town-class destroyers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Town-class destroyers converted from Wickes-class destroyers]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Town-class destroyers of the Royal Norwegian Navy]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of Norway]]