Over fifty years have passed since the tragic collision involving the USS Frank E. Evans, yet families and lawmakers are still fighting to have the names of 74 sailors added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. The sailors lost their lives on June 3, 1969, when the USS Frank E. Evans collided with the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne during a nighttime training exercise in the South China Sea.
Efforts for Recognition
The USS Frank E. Evans Association, along with survivors and bipartisan lawmakers, has been advocating for years to honor these sailors. Despite their efforts, the Pentagon has not added the names to the memorial because the collision occurred outside the designated combat zone boundaries. However, survivor Bill Thibeault, who was 19 at the time, insists that the crew was actively supporting combat operations off the coast of Vietnam before the exercise.
“We were in the combat zone,” Thibeault stated. “The only reason those names are not on the wall in Washington is that technically we were about 100 miles outside of the combat zone at the time of the collision. Even though we were heading back to the gun line as soon as the exercises were over. We were in the war.”
Comparisons and Legislative Support
Supporters of the initiative argue that the sailors were participating in wartime operations and deserve the same recognition as other service members who died during the Vietnam War. The tragedy has drawn comparisons to the loss of the five Sullivan brothers during World War II, especially since three Sage brothers from Nebraska were among those killed aboard the Evans.
Lawmakers, including Chuck Schumer, have renewed bipartisan efforts in Congress to pressure the Pentagon to revise combat zone eligibility rules. They aim to ensure that the 74 sailors receive formal recognition on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, acknowledging their sacrifice alongside others who perished during the conflict.
Original reporting: 5NEWS / KFSM (Fort Smith) — read the source article.
