Uss johnston taffy 3 book

Roberts, the uss hoel, and the uss heermann ignored their orders and their military discipline, turned around, and attacked the enemy in suicidal efforts. Uss bainbridge dd1 tin cans are still the greyhounds of the sea the first greyhound of the sea, also known as a tin can, was commissioned december 23, 1903. The battle off samar october 25, 1944 uss hoel ddg. This page will basically stay the same until it becomes unfeasible in this format. The uss johnston and its kamikaze captain, took on 4 battleships, 8 cruisers, and 11 destroyers at leyte gulf the uss johnston was saluted by a japanese destroyer captain as it was sinking, after spending nearly 3 hours squaring off against 23 japanese ships, including 4 battleships, 8 cruisers, and 11 destroyers. Worlds deepest shipwreck is wwii destroyer lost in the. Tin can sailors the national association of destroyer veterans over 24,000 members and growing. Taffy 3 might not have survived if kuritas ships had not been under air attack during the entire samar engagement. May 01, 2015 johnston was the first of taffy 3s screening ships to generate smoke. With suicidal courage, commander ernest evans took on 4.

Online shopping from a great selection at books store. She was very active in the pacific during 1944, participating in the marshalls, marianas, palaus and leyte campaigns. Im not a ww2 naval expert by any means, but lets examine a few key facts about the johnston during that action fletcherclass destroyer with 5inch guns and ten torpedoes goes stampeding ahead of the rest of taffy 3. The ship was named after coxswain samuel booker roberts, jr. Make smokecaptain ernest evans and the uss johnston off samar. Tin can sailors the national association of destroyer veterans. The skipper was a fighting man from the soles of his broad feet to the ends of his straight black hair. A memorial to sprague and taffy 3 next to uss midway cv41 in san diego. Steaming straight for taffy 3 were four battleships, seven cruisers, and at least 12 destroyers. Some folks criticized the style, but i found it was exceptional. Rating is available when the video has been rented.

Smart news keeping you current worlds deepest shipwreck is wwii destroyer lost in the philippine sea a private mission found the mangled debris of what is likely the u. Uss johnston dd557, fletcherclass destroyer in world war ii. Yamato displaced about as much as all of taffy 3 combined. What the uss johnston accomplished against considerable odds was no small feat and is studied by naval historians to this day. United states forces, including most of the third and seventh fleets, arrived in leyte gulf to begin the longawaited invasion of the philippine islands. Tin can sailors the national association of destroyer. We will be doing last minute repairs, ballasting ships in the float tank, eating pizza and beverages, and commissioning the taffy 3 fleet.

With uss johnston as the subject other wise there is a very good chance that it will be sent to the junk file and then deleted. The battle off samar the saga of taffy 3 october, 1944. Uss johnston, a 2100ton fletcher class destroyer built at seattle, washington, was commissioned in october 1943. Lo, uss johnston, uss hoel, and uss samuel b roberts. The over all format of the officers and crew pages will be changed when more crews are compiled.

Oct 30, 2019 wreckage of a fletcherclass destroyer believed to be uss johnston dd557. Uss johnston the warship equivalent of a loyal housedog. Uss johnston dd 557 was a world war iiera fletcherclass destroyer in the service of the united states navy. The task force was full of ships that performed very heroically that day, but johnston led the charge immediately begins dropping smoke to cover the escort carriers from the. Im not a ww2 naval expert by any means, but lets examine a few key facts about the johnston during that action. After three long years, general douglas macarthur had returned.

Wreckage of a fletcherclass destroyer believed to be uss johnston dd557. My great unclelost during the engagement of taffy 3 i thinkanyone remember himhave info about that battle. I just finished reading the battle off samar taffy iii at leyte gulf which was written by a nephew of a survivor of the great battle. This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. Evans was posthumously awarded the congressional medal of honor. The uss gambier bay and the other ships and aircraft of taffy 3, aided by planes of taffy 2, gallantly fought and stopped the powerful japanese center force, and inflicted significant losses on the enemy. Although most of taffy 3 spent the engagement trying to evade the japanese, four of the captains those commanding the uss johnston, the uss samuel b. The battle of leyte gulf the defenders of taffy 3 youtube. After bringing task force 34 away from samar with a decoy, leaving only the cannonfodder destroyers and escorts of taffy 3 between the massive center force and american troops taking samar, center forces flagship, the yamato by itself, and not counting the 3 other smaller battleships with it, outmassed the entirety of taffy 3. Lo, a speech by captain hagen in which he recounted the improbable u. The taffy 3 model ship builders are invited to neils house at 3pm on thursday for a taffy 3 buildcommissioning party.

The ship was built in 1944 and was immediately sent to assist the task force 77. I have to say this is how a battle book should be written. One of the pilots flying patrol after dawn alert of 25 october 1944 reported the approach of japanese center force. As a result of his leadership off samar his six escort carriers, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts saved the day at leyte gulf.

Nov 05, 2019 smart news keeping you current worlds deepest shipwreck is wwii destroyer lost in the philippine sea a private mission found the mangled debris of what is likely the u. The japanese force took considerable damage and made the decision to retire from the engagement. She was the first navy ship named after lieutenant john v. The defenders of taffy 3 book about the battle of leyte gulf. A japanese surface force of battleships and cruisers, battered earlier in the larger battle and thought to have been in retreat, instead turned around unobserved and encountered the northernmost of the three groups, task unit 77. Evans was maneuvering johnston in between taffy 3 and the enemy vessels, using his smoke to mask the carriers and give them a chance to escape as they made their way eastward. By the time the guns of the battle off samar fell silent five of taffy 3 s ships. The uss bainbridge had a crew of four officers and 69 sailors and was armed with two 3inch guns, five 6.

Part of battle of leyte gulf, philippines campaign 194445, pacific war world war ii. Jul 12, 2010 this is to the men who died on uss johnston. According to the veteran destroyerman, the triumph against overwhelming odds was an allhands effort. The united states begins a massive invasion of the philippines and the japanese will stop at nothing to destroy it. The task force was full of ships that performed very heroically that day, but johnston led the charge. At a 2007 reunion of two of taffy 3s carriers, the uss gambier bay and st. Johnstons supreme courage and daring in the battle off samar won her the presidential unit citation as a unit of taffy 3 task unit 77. Uss johnston the warship equivalent of a loyal housedog that manages to fight off a bunch of bears. Evans, commander of the uss johnston destroyer was awarded the medal of honor in this battle and the entire taffy 3 was awarded the presidential unit citation. Wreck of famed wwii destroyer uss johnston may have been.

The escort carrier gambier bay, burning from earlier gunfire damage, is bracketed by a salvo from a japanese cruiser faintly visible in the background, centerright shortly before sinking during the battle off samar. Fletcherclass destroyer with 5inch guns and ten torpedoes goes stampeding ahead of the rest of taffy 3. Taffy iii was one of three task units assigned to task group 77. Taffy 3 courage beyond measure posted on october 25, 2011 october 28, 2014 by mister mac in the annals of us naval history, there are a number of instances that demonstrate the courage and determination of a committed group of dedicated officers and men. The following post has been updated to correct the number of ships involved in the battle. The most ably commanded destroyer of taffy iii, johnston was repeatedly referenced by the japanese as a heavy cruiser. She was credited as the first ship of taffy iii to attack centre force and charged the four ships of cruiser division seven at 30 knots. A warriors destiny naval history magazine october 2009. Evans at the commissioning ceremonies of uss johnston, seattle, washington, october 27. Rear admiral clifton ziggy sprague, usn was the otc of task unit 77. This is a series of books about the battle off samar island, the defenders of taffy 3. The ship is widely known for her bold action in the battle off samar.