The City of Long Beach will hold a special tribute in June to remember the 74 sailors who lost their lives in a naval accident onboard the USS Frank E. Evans during the Vietnam War.
On Tuesday, June 3, the City’s Office of Veterans Support will partner with the USS Frank E. Evans Association to host a public ceremony at Shoreline Aquatic Park. The event will begin at 10 a.m. at the Navy Memorial, located at 200 Aquarium Way.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t think about the Lost 74 and what their lives might have been if they hadn’t perished,” Steve Kraus, Evans survivor and current president of the Evans Association, said in a public statement.
This marks the first time that Long Beach’s public observance of Memorial Day and the Evans Association’s annual June 3 remembrance will be combined into a single community ceremony. The joint event aims to honor the lives lost aboard the Evans, as well as the city’s long-standing naval legacy.
Many family members of the deceased, as well as survivors and former crew, will travel from across the U.S. to take part in the event.
The ceremony will feature a speech from a survivor of the 1969 collision, a reading of the names of the Lost 74, a bell-ringing ritual, a wreath-laying presentation, a 21-gun salute and a water cannon tribute from a Long Beach Fire Department vessel. Attendees are welcome to stay afterward for a complimentary lunch, available while supplies last.
The USS Frank E. Evans departed from Long Beach on March 29, 1969 to join the Vietnam War. On June 3,1969, the ship collided with the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne in the South China Sea during a training exercise, resulting in the deaths of 74 sailors.
“This solemn ceremony will honor their memory, their service, and the profound sacrifice they made in defense of our nation. As we gather to commemorate the lives of these courageous service members, we do so with deep gratitude” Councilwoman Mary Zendejas said in a public statement. “Each of the 74 sailors we remember today was stationed right here in Long Beach. We invite our community to stand with us, to reflect, to honor, and to never forget their dedication and ultimate sacrifice.”
The Evans Association, made up of survivors, family members of the fallen, and former crew, continues to advocate for national recognition of the tragedy. The association has advocated for decades for the names of the Lost 74 to be added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC.
Among its efforts was also the successful push to name the Long Beach junction of State Route 710 and Pacific Coast Highway in honor of the lost sailors.
For additional event details or updates, visit longbeach.gov/veterans.
