MUSKOGEE â On April 1, the U.S. Navy, working with the company Caladan Oceanic, located the wreck of the USS Johnston in 21,000 feet of water off the Philippine island of Samar. The ship was lost during the Battle of Samar and was commanded by Cherokee Nation and Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen Earnest Edwin Evans. As commander of the USS Johnston, his aggressive nature and bravery helped win the battle against the Japanese navy in October 1944. Evans was born in Pawnee in 1908 and graduated from Muskogee High School in 1926. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1931. The USS Johnston was a 2,100-ton destroyer built in Seattle and was commissioned on Oct. 27, 1943. The day the Johnston was commissioned, Lt. Cmdr. Evans told his crew, âThis is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harmâs way, and anyone who doesnât want to go along had better get off right now.â