The City of Del City and the Del City Chamber of Commerce are proud to announce the annual Armed Forces Day and Shriners Parade is returning on May 15. This long-standing tradition of nearly three decades is one of the largest of its kind in Oklahoma.
Dozens of parade entries have already signed up for what organizers are preparing as a record-breaking turnout. The parade will feature military vehicles, India Shriners, veteran groups, community organizations and more.
The parade will start at 10 a.m. at SE 15th and Sunnylane. It will travel south on Sunnylane to SE 29th, where it will turn east and proceed to Vickie Drive.
Oklahomans of all ages are invited to line the streets in honor and celebration of the men and women serving in our armed forces.
Anyone who would like to take part in the parade is encouraged to fill out the application online at cityofdelcity.com/armed-forces-day-parade.
If you would like to participate in this year’s parade or additional information, please contact Monica Cardin via 405-671-2815 or email [email protected].

Enjoy summer sunsets, cool cocktails and wondrous wildlife at the Zoo’s annual 21 and up event series

Join the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden every Thursday evening beginning May 6 through June 24, from 6 to 10 p.m., for the second-annual Sip and Stroll presented by COOP Ale Works, 1800 Tequila and Kraken Rum. Guests 21-and-older are invited to explore an outdoor path that spans the majority of the OKC Zoo to discover amazing animals from around world and delicious drinks along the way. The Zoo will host a special PRIDE Sip and Stroll event on Thursday, June 24, with exclusive drinks and activities.
During this summer event series, guests can stop and enjoy one of six watering holes with two brand new locations. Each watering hole features custom cocktails inspired by the world’s wildlife and wild places including Zimbabwe, Guatemala and Belize. Guests will also have an opportunity to learn what the Zoo is doing to protect and preserve the natural world through global conservation partnerships with the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International and Turtle Survival Alliance. Guests can also enjoy the full menu of tasty favorites available for purchase at the Lotus Pavilion and Best of Oklahoma.
“We are really excited to host Sip and Stroll again this year after last year’s success,” said Jenna Dodson, OKC Zoo’s events manager. “This series gives the 21-and-up crowd a unique way to connect with friends, while exploring the Zoo and learning about wildlife and conservation.”
While the majority of the Zoo will be open for exploration, the giraffe loop and Oklahoma Trails will be closed for guest safety. As part of the event, guests will be able to purchase tickets to enjoy access to Flamingo Mingle, Stingray Bay and the Endangered Species Carousel.
Early bird tickets are available now for ZOOfriends members through Sunday, April 18. Tickets go on sale to the public starting Monday, April 19. Limited VIP admission is $40 per person and includes early entry to the event, a special sea lion presentation, Stingray Bay and Explorikeet Adventure plus, access to DINO SAFARI, an immersive experience featuring life-sized dinosaurs. General Sip and Stroll admission is $25 per person. Purchase admission early and receive $2 off per person through Sunday, April 26, with the code SIPANDSAVE. Learn more about the event and purchase tickets at okczoo.org/sipandstroll. Event entry times are spaced every 15 minutes to allow for maximum social distancing. Attendance is limited to 1,200 guests per night. Once checked in, guests are free to stay throughout the duration of the event.
Attendees can also pre-purchase a Drink Passport, good for one 5-oz featured drink sample at all six water holes for an additional $30 per person. Additional beverages will be available for purchase, including domestic beer, wine, mixed drinks, soda and water. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at okczoo.org/sipandstroll. Sip and Stroll tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, and the event will be held rain or shine.
Safari-fy your summer with Sip and Stroll! Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming Oklahoma Zoological Society members at ZOOfriends.org. To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

In any given year, Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City’s more than 300 volunteers log thousands of hours in service to our co-workers and patients. But for more than a year, almost all of those efforts came to a halt because of the pandemic. While some volunteers continued to knit baby caps for newborns from home and assist in vaccination clinics, most were unable to do the jobs they love. Now, as COVID-19 cases hit new lows, volunteers are eager to get back to work and serve.
“So many of our volunteers serve at Mercy because they truly feel they are called to do this work, and when they couldn’t serve during the height of the pandemic, it was a real challenge for them personally,” said Mel Henry, manager of volunteer services at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City, recognizing their contributions during National Volunteer Week. “They are often the first and last faces our patients and visitors see as they come in and out of our facilities and they are dedicated to plugging in and helping wherever they are needed. They do so much, and we have missed them tremendously.”
Mercy’s volunteer program was put on hold in spring 2020 as the pandemic began. A few volunteers were welcomed back in November, and more are returning feeling more comfortable after receiving their vaccination.
“Many of the jobs they did on patient floors before the pandemic are not available due to strict COVID-19 precautions, but these volunteers are so selfless that they always tell us to put them wherever they’re needed,” said Henry. “We’ve also been able to create new ways to serve throughout the hospital at screening stations, in the pharmacy and co-worker health.”
Around 100 of the approximately 300 volunteers have already returned to service.
“Our volunteers are truly invaluable,” said Jim Gebhart, president of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. “Many of our volunteers may not be able to return to our halls anytime soon, mostly because they have underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk for the virus. We are hopeful that others in the community will step in to serve and sign up to volunteer.”
Mercy volunteers include teenagers who want experience in the medical field, middle-aged people looking to give back, seniors who want to stay active and people with disabilities learning job skills. Volunteers commit to as little as one hour a month to as much as 40 hours a week. There are myriad ways in which volunteers serve.
“Studies have shown that when people volunteer, they improve physical health, reduce depression, increase self-worth and are likely to be more connected to their communities,” said Dr. Katherine Garland, an internal medicine physician at Mercy who has long believed that volunteering is a prescription for happiness. “Benefits can be seen at any age, but older adults who volunteer one to two hours a week experience lower rates of depression and an increased lifespan.”
To learn more about volunteering at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City, click here to visit mercy.net or call (405) 755-1515.

By James Coburn, Staff Writer

The regulatory challenge of working in long-term care is what appeals most to Danielle Wolfington, RN, Golden Age Nursing Home. Promoting quality is her forte.
“I love a challenge. There’s just something about having to deal with all the aspects of leadership,” Wolfington said. “At the hospital you just kind of go with the motions. There’s always a challenge here. There’s always some way to promote quality. That’s what I like.”
She has worked at Golden Age for five years. As the assistant director of nursing at the Guthrie home she is in charge of infection control and quality assurance. Wolfington was previously MDS coordinator.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in December at Northern Oklahoma College. She is currently in the master’s degree program for family nurse practitioner.
She worked a little bit at OU Medical Center, but was drawn back to long-term care.
She was only 16 when she became a CNA.
Today, you can see the smile in her eyes above her face mask as her admiration for coworkers shines through.
“I like the fact when I’m sitting in my office that I can hear my staff members talk to residents like they’re very close to them,” Wolfington said. “And the residents even reach for the staff member’s hand and stuff like that when they are at the window visiting. They tell their families how much they love the staff. So, it tells me that behind the scenes, they are making a positive experience. You know how tough long-term care is right now. I feel that they do the best they can to try to make situations a little better.”
Vaccinations against COVID-19 began for the residents and nursing staff on January 7.
“I think sometimes that we are too close, and it almost feels like, sometimes, that I am mad at my sister, she said with laughter,” she said.
“But you come back the next day and it’s like my family needs me.”
There are always challenges and a way to promote quality of life. She strives to make her work person-centered, she said, with preferences. Wolfington is efficient when handling expenses.
“I don’t so much like when surveyors come, but I like it when they say, ‘Oh, you did good on that,’” she continued.
In 2019 The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), the leading association for long term and post-acute care, recently held its 70th Annual Convention & Expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
“That’s one thing I love to show — that you have pretty good processes and quality of life,” she said.
One thing that touches her life in a painful way is the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. Coronavirus has changed Wolfington, she explained, because almost a year has past since residents have not been able to touch their families.
“It makes me very sad,” she said. “It really does.”
Indoor visits are prohibited, however, when the weather is nice, they are able to provide outdoor visits by using plexiglass booths to shield residents from possible contamination of coronavirus. They continue to do window visits with phones and have iPads to further facilitate the process. Nurses understand the human need of togetherness among families and loved ones.
Some nurses have worked 12-hour shifts day-after-day to care for the welfare of patients.
“They don’t want their residents to be without. They don’t want us to be short-staffed. They don’t want the residents to get anything less than they normally get,” Wolfington said.
Wolfington commends the frontline of CNAs for diligent work when missing holidays, weekends, and family events in order to care for the residents. CNAs show up for work when scheduled and not spend holiday times with families.
“I know that sounds sad to say, but honestly I think that’s pretty noble to do that.”
She is frank when telling nursing students that long-term care is hard work, especially with the pandemic.
“But you help people that count on you, and they love you,” she said. “And it’s a really good feeling, so I do usually bring that up. I always tell them to reach for more. Go back to school — get promoted.”
Little things in life build to help humanity when given with love. And love is not in short supply at Golden Age Nursing Home.

Our Life enrichment coordinator, Laura Leehan is an avid collector of thrift shop art and her office has literally been transformed into a small art gallery. Two years ago she purchased an original painting of wild pink roses at the Salvation Army for $17. Several weeks ago Laura took notice of a painting in a residents apartment that bore a striking resemblance to her pink roses.
Upon closer inspection she realized that the signature in the lower right corner of the painting, “Julie 79” was identical to the signature on her painting. She rushed to her office, grabbed the painting off the wall and could not wait to show Julie! Julie was thrilled to see her long lost art work and told us that in 1979 she began painting flowers. It was a brief but prolific season for her as an artist and most of her work was sold or given away. I would not be surprised if there are more pieces out there that may just catch your eye at the neighborhood second hand store or garage sale! It was such a joy to see Julie reunited with her beautiful painting and when Laura offered to return it to her, she declined and insisted that Laura keep it.

* As of this advisory, there are 447,393 (115 new today) cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
* 238 is today’s 7-day rolling average for the number of new cases reported.
* Today’s Provisional Death Count (CDC/NCHS): 8,230
* Additional hospitalization data can be found in the Hospital Tiers report, published evenings Monday through Friday.
* Register online to receive a notification when you’re eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov, or locate other vaccine opportunities at vaccinefinder.org.
* For more information, visit https://oklahoma.gov/covid19.html.

*The total includes laboratory information provided to OSDH at the time of the report. As a result, counts are subject to change. Total counts may not reflect unique individuals.
***The purpose of publishing aggregated statistical COVID-19 data through the OSDH Dashboard, the Executive Order Report, and the Weekly Epidemiology and Surveillance Report is to support the needs of the general public in receiving important and necessary information regarding the state of the health and safety of the citizens of Oklahoma. These resources may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be used in any way that would determine the identity of any reported cases.
Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. *As of 2021-04-27 at 7:00 a.m.

by Greg Schwem

I’ll admit it: I’m a great eavesdropper. A professional eavesdropper even.
I’ve elevated myself to the pro ranks. Not only is my hearing excellent when I’m within the vicinity of your cellphone conversation or public banter, but I will go to great lengths to be near you if I feel I’m going to overhear something of interest.
I’m not stalking you; at least I don’t believe I am. Full disclosure: I’m a full-time stand-up comedian and most of my material germinates from something I hear in passing from total strangers. A perfect example? The airline pilot, waiting for an incoming flight to arrive at O’Hare, telling the recipient of his cellphone conversation that he’d crave a “tall skinny blonde about now” Turns out he was placing a Starbucks order.
I thought it was funny. So did the audience that evening.
Years ago, I was exiting Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino when a red Ferrari pulled up to the valet entrance. I paused, expecting to see a movie star or famous athlete emerge, engulfed in a sea of paparazzi flashbulbs. Instead, two males, who looked as if they had yet to experience the ordeal of driver’s license renewal, exited.
I immediately made a beeline and went back inside, hoping to overhear something of interest. Certainly, two kids in their early 20s, and in possession of an automobile costing north of a quarter million dollars, would have SOMETHING interesting to say.
My plan disintegrated when the pair sat down at a bank of penny slots machines. I’m sorry but nobody playing penny slots has anything interesting to say. Most likely they are angry or depressed, perhaps because they blew all their money on a Ferrari.
Sadly, my penchant for eavesdropping is no longer fun. The reason? I already know what you’re talking about.
The vaccine.
What else do we have to talk about? After a year without live entertainment, exotic travel destinations and succulent restaurant meals, what’s left to share with our friends? Only our vaccine status.
Sometimes I don’t even have to get within earshot to know this is the topic of conversation. If I see you pointing to your left shoulder, I know you just got the vaccine. If you are waving your arm in a circular motion, I know you experienced pain after receiving a dose of the vaccine.
Prior to the pandemic, if I heard a stranger saying, “just got my first one,” my mind raced with endless possibilities. Your first what? Promotion? Social Security check? Online dating response? But I no longer need to guess. You just got your first shot, didn’t you?
If I detect the phrase, “which one?” you can only be referring to Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. If I hear “any issues?” I keep walking, because there’s nothing funny about sticking around listening to anyone mention their flu-like symptoms, persistent soreness or 24-hour fatigue.
What’s best for the country is the worst for me, when it comes to eavesdropping. As the vaccine becomes available to wider demographics, it’s no longer just senior citizens who are discussing it. Millennials, Gen Z and, in some states, teens are comparing their vaccine experiences, much to my dismay. It’s only a matter of time before I hear two toddlers adding words like “appointment” and phrases such as “lasting side effects” to their new vocabularies.
Don’t get me wrong, America; I’m passionate about vaccination. So passionate that, if I overhear somebody say, “I’m still on the fence…” I’m likely to stop and say, “Why are you hesitant? We have a chance to end this pandemic. GO GET VACCINATED.” Oh, sure, there’s a chance the recipient of my wrath could be talking about which highway commission candidate he or she is going to vote for in an upcoming municipal election, but I doubt it.
By the way, I have been vaccinated. But I’m not going to endlessly droll on about a single topic with everybody I’ve ever met or plan to meet.
That’s why Facebook was invented.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

Stephen M. Prescott, M.D., who led the largest expansion in the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s history, will retire as president.
Prescott, 73, made the announcement Tuesday at a meeting of OMRF’s board of directors. Prescott was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and said he was stepping down for health reasons. Since 2006, he has led the Oklahoma City-based nonprofit, which will mark its 75th anniversary later this year.
“The time I’ve spent at OMRF has been the capstone to a scientific career that has been immensely rewarding,” said Prescott, a physician and medical researcher. “I’ve been lucky enough to help guide this wonderful institution for 15 years. And nothing makes me happier than knowing the scientists of OMRF will continue the tradition of biomedical research excellence long after I’ve gone.”
Under Prescott, OMRF has three times earned designation by the National Institutes of Health as an Autoimmunity Center of Excellence, one of only 10 in the nation. Three life-changing drugs born at OMRF have earned FDA approval, including the first treatment for pain crises caused by sickle cell disease.
With the addition of a 186,000-square-foot research tower that included a multiple sclerosis clinic in 2011, Prescott engineered the largest campus expansion ever at OMRF. He also successfully completed a $100 million fundraising initiative that paid for that growth, then spearheaded the recruitment of more than 30 new principal scientists to fill the new labs and clinic space.
In rankings based on employee surveys, OMRF has earned a designation as one of Oklahoma’s Top Workplaces every year since the contest began in 2013. That includes a pair of blue ribbons among large employers in 2017 and 2019. During Prescot’s tenure, the foundation also received more than a dozen four-star rankings – the highest possible – from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of nonprofits.
“Dr. Steve Prescott’s leadership of OMRF has been transformative,” said Len Cason, chair of OMRF’s board of directors. “As a scientist and as a person, he dared not just to think big, but to transform those ideas into action. He challenged everyone at OMRF to reach new standards of excellence, and then he followed through and made sure it happened.”
Prescott was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2020. In his acceptance speech, he recalled how he’d been recruited to Oklahoma from the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute, where he’d served as executive director. “Len Cason told me that OMRF was the right place for me. He was right.”
The executive committee of OMRF’s board of directors will name an acting successor to Prescott soon. A nationwide search for a permanent replacement will follow.
“I’ve had the great fortune to live a charmed life. I’ve spent each day immersed in medical research,” said Prescott. “When you do something you love, you don’t work a day in your life.”

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]

Anytime you hear the word Santa Fe , it has to conjure up images. And if you have visited there it must illicit emotions and memories as well. With travel plans still up in the air a safe bet is a car trip, which at times can be cheaper and more reliable. My first visit to Santa Fe was in the late 1970s, when I was breaking in a new car and exploring the great American West.
Of course, I traveled a long day’s drive on I-40 West out of Oklahoma City , then took the highway 284 cut off at Clines Corners and entered Santa Fe on the Old Pecos Trail. That road soon turned into the Old Santa Fe Trail, where I drove along the narrow road with the old San Miguel Mission adobe church on my right and the famed Pink Adobe Restaurant on my left. The Old Santa Fe Trail offered a perfect first impression, as it was lined with atmospheric time worn structures, and not the modern franchise eateries and gas stations that hug the more traditional entry up north from Albuquerque, on Cerrillos Road.
I soon came into the parking lot of the relatively new, Inn at Loretto, replete in iconic Santa Fe adobe architecture. I was treated the next morning with a light dusting of snow and a hint of pinion in the air, as I pulled away from a town I’d hardly seen but ~ silently, subconsciously ~ vowed to see again. I have returned to Santa Fe many times since then and each time explored new venues with a salute to favorite places, which have become a traditional pilgrimage when visiting.
I can’t recall why I chose a one night stay at this particular hotel ~ must have been its appealing architecture and perhaps at that time availability. This time I found myself walking past the Spa and the aroma of relaxation made me regret my time on this visit was too short. My stay at the Inn at Loretto in the l970s, and in subsequent years has always been a pleasant tradition. This time was no exception.
Old traditional haunts include: the La Cantina Bar at La Sena Casa where waiters turn into opera and musical theatre singers about every ten minutes; the Pink Adobe Restaurant with its fine and sometimes spicy gourmet productions; Jackalope on Cerrillos road with its affordable southwestern flared garden and household offerings ~ along with the best and freshest string of red chili ristras in season; and the old haunts along the Plaza with its Indian jewelry market and a variety of upscale fashion shops.
New traditional offerings include the Balconies at the Plaza restaurant, which until a few years ago was the traditional Ore House Restaurant with the best and meatiest tasting salsa anywhere ~ needless to say I miss it; the Carol Kucera art gallery filled with expressive movement in colorful paintings from the personable artist; and an always must see at the top of Canyon Road the special 822 Gallery of bronzes by Joshua Tobey. These two galleries a have now moved out of Santa Fe, with others occupying their places.
Upon this recent trip I discovered the Santa Fe pickup, a free bus that circles the old town area, and is certainly a boon and must for those wanting to wander down Canyon Road as it will drop you off at the top. While my most recent autumn visit was blessed with perfect weather, I have climbed the road in scorching heat and can testify that the art is much more appealing starting at the top and meandering down.
Other must visits is the New Mexico Museum of Art and the New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors – both on the Plaza; and up on Museum Hill the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art . Of course a road trip out to Tesuque with its sculpture garden and the near by glass blowing gallery can be broken up with a respite at Bishops Lodge for libations and food with a dose of historical luxury. A Santa Fe visit is not complete without a stop at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and a tasting at is elegant restaurant.
I’m not sure if it’s the upscale art and fashion shopping, the authentic New Mexican cuisine, the fresh atmosphere and the nearly unspoiled vistas, or the essence of its history that permeates the soul, which beckons a perpetual return. Probably it’s all, and yet some indescribable something else that all visitors try to describe when remembering, Santa Fe.
For more information contact:
The Inn at Loretto – https://www.hotelloretto.com/ Joshua Tobey Bronzes: https://www.joshuatobeystudios.com/ and, https://www.santafe.org

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=terry+zinn
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=zinn
http://new.okveterannews.com/?s=TERRY+ZINN
www.martinitravels.com

Story and photos by Darl DeVault

May 31st is Memorial Day and Oklahoma’s Commander Ernest E. Evans is in the news again 76 years after his heroism and death at the hands of one of the largest Japanese naval armadas put afloat during World War II. His valiant actions in the Battle off Samar against a vastly superior force earned the Shawnee-born native American the only Medal of Honor awarded for this rare surface-ship battle in the war.
Evans’ ship, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Johnston, was sunk in late October 1944 after he repeatedly hurled it against devastating firepower in the Philippine Sea. It was first found in 2019 after the deepest dive to a shipwreck in history. Only in the last month was it positively identified in a second dive by a different group of researchers.
Showing personal initiative, the brave commander was the first of a submarine screen of three destroyers defending six thin-hulled, lightly armed escort carriers loaded with planes. The Taffy 3 task force was attacked by an overwhelming 23-ship Japanese force coming to destroy the Leyte landing.
Upon first spotting the huge Japanese fleet and without orders, the Johnston threw out a smoke screen while sailing at flank speed against an enemy whose largest gun turret outweighed the U.S. destroyer. In a valiant action, Evans and his sailors were able to torpedo a Japanese cruiser while inspiring the other two destroyers to follow him against the enemy.
Evans received shrapnel wounds and lost two fingers when the bridge of his Fletcher-class destroyer was blown apart. The severely wounded U.S. Naval Academy graduate, who grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from Muskogee High School, continued to captain his damaged vessel in battle while shouting orders from the stern. The overwhelming Japanese force soon reduced the ship to dead in the water, and Evans and his sailors abandoned the sinking warship. The Johnston skipper was never found.
The Johnston crew’s bravery in this action, part of the wider-ranging Battle of Leyte Gulf, is credited with convincing the Japanese fleet that it was attacking a much larger force of aircraft carriers. The Japanese commander ordered an unnecessary withdrawal, saving the vital jeep carriers of the Taffy 3 force from certain annihilation.
The Japanese’s four battleships, including the super-battleship Yamato, eight cruisers and a dozen or more destroyers were in route to attack the 200,000 American soldiers of MacArthur’s 6th Army landing on the beaches of Leyte Island. The massive American armada assigned to defend this landing, the U. S. Third Fleet commanded by Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, had been lured away by empty Japanese carriers used as decoys.
In 2019, a few days past the 75th anniversary of the Battle off Samar, researchers from Vulcan Inc.’s research vessel R/V Petrel believed they had found wreckage from the engagement’s famed Fletcher-class destroyer, USS Johnston (DD-557).
Images of twisted metal, a destroyed deck gun, a propeller shaft, and other less recognizable debris were posted to Petrel’s Facebook page, with a video narrated by Rob Kraft, Vulcan’s director of subsea operations, and Paul Mayer a submersible pilot with the team started by the late billionaire philanthropist Paul Allen.
In late March of this year, a crewed submersible filmed, photographed and surveyed the wreckage of the Johnston off Samar Island on two eight-hour dives. A Texas-based undersea technology company Caladan Oceanic made the identifying dive. Company founder Victor Vescovo, who piloted the submersible, released dramatic video of the shipwreck.
“Just completed the deepest wreck dive in history, to find the main wreckage of the destroyer USS Johnston,” tweeted Vescovo, a former Naval officer.
“We located the front two-thirds of the ship, upright and intact, at a depth of 6,456 meters (21,180 feet),” Vescovo reported. “Three of us across two dives surveyed the vessel and gave respects to her brave crew.”
The expedition found the bow, bridge and mid-section of the Johnston intact, along with two full gun turrets, twin torpedo racks, and multiple gun mounts. The ship’s hull number “557” is still visible, according to a statement by Caladan Oceanic.
The shipwreck is a well-preserved tomb. From Johnston’s complement of 327 officers and men, only 141 were saved. Of the 186 men lost, about 50 were killed by enemy action and 45 later died from wounds floating in the ocean. Ninety-two men—like Cmdr. Evans—got off before the boat sank in shark-infested waters and were never seen again.
Evans’ Medal of Honor citation reads in part: The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Commander Ernest Edwin “Chief” Evans (NSN: 0-70042), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. JOHNSTON (DD-557) in action against major units of the enemy Japanese fleet during the battle off Samar on 25 October 1944. The first to lay a smokescreen and to open fire as an enemy task force, vastly superior in number, firepower and armor, rapidly approached. Commander Evans gallantly diverted the powerful blasts of hostile guns from the lightly armed and armored carriers under his protection, launching the first torpedo attack when the JOHNSTON came under straddling Japanese shellfire. Seriously wounded early in the engagement, Commander Evans, by his indomitable courage and brilliant professional skill, aided materially in turning back the enemy during a critical phase of the action. His valiant fighting spirit throughout this historic battle will venture as an inspiration to all who served with him.
There were many other brave sailors and airmen from the escort carriers during those three hours of standing toe to toe with the biggest warships ever built. Besides the Johnston, the destroyer USS Hoel was also lost in the engagement. The captain of the USS Heermann, the only U.S. destroyer that remained afloat, became the first destroyer captain to survive engaging multiple battleships in a daylight battle. Only losing four sailors, Commander Amos Hathaway was awarded the Navy Cross for his skillful seamanship.
These actions by the destroyers and those of many other sailors and pilots of Taffy 3 saved the Navy from a near disaster. In addition to all earning Presidential Unit Citations, the sailors and pilots earned 22 Navy Crosses, two Silver Stars and two Bronze Stars for valor in the battle.
Evans was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2009. The following year the Oklahoma Historical Society published a long-overdue account of his life and heroics in a 2010 issue of the society’s historical journal, The Chronicles of Oklahoma.
Lt. Col. (ret.) Steve Reagan of Norman, Okla., has been raising funds for a memorial bust of Ernest Evans to commemorate this Native American naval hero from Oklahoma. The bust is planned to be located in Muskogee War Memorial Park. Anyone interested in information on these efforts or who would like to donate for this memorial should contact Steve Reagan at (405) 312-2270.