"All Hands to General Quarters"

By Bull Nav

So spoke CDR Ernest Evans, Commanding Officer of the USS JOHNSTON (DD557), as Kurita's Center Force bore down on TAFFYIII.

He continued:

Prepare to attack major portion of the Japanese fleet.
All engines ahead flank.
Commence making smoke and stand by for a torpedo attack.
Left full rudder.

And thus the CO and crew headed off into history and doom in the few short hours they had left. On his own initiative, before being ordered to do so, CDR Evans drove his ship towards the overwhelming Japanese force to defend the 6 jeep carriers he was escorting.

Sixty-three years ago today.

Five ships of 13 in TAFFY III lost. Over 1000 men killed.

Yet, the superior Japanese force which could have easily crushed them and then went on to slaughter the invasion force in Leyte Gulf turned around and ran.

After all was said and done, 1 PUC, 1 MOH, 29 Navy Crosses, 2 Silver Stars, and 2 Bronze Stars were awarded.

The story of the Battle Off Samar is well chronicled in James Hornfischer's Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.

Additionally, you can find more information at The Battle Off Samar website.

October 25, 2007 04:04 AM History ~ Navy

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://op-for.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1303

Comments

I got a little shiver reading this post.

{salute!}

Lawrence · October 25, 2007 05:43 AM

Outstanding. Them was fighting sailors! A good reminder of how a nominally inferior force can really shape events.

LtCol P · October 25, 2007 07:51 AM

There was nothing nominal about how heavily out-gunned the DDs and DEs were.

Doug (old Army Corporal) · October 25, 2007 08:21 AM

Give me a fast ship for I intend to go in harm's way! Commander Evans, and the officers and men of TAFFY 3 wrote one of the finest pages in the history of the United States Navy. Against all odds they charged a vastly superior Japanese force and forced the Japanese to break off their attack against the Leyte invasion fleet and retreat. With the help of God, and a few Marines, MacArthur returned to the Phillipines.

But if it hadn't been for unbelievable bravery of Taffy 3 it might well have been a differnet story.

Marine6 · October 25, 2007 08:43 AM

The History Channel has an episode of the series "Dog Fights" about Taffy III. It's got a CG recreation of the battle. If anyone is interested, it's available for download through iTunes. The episode is titled "Death of the Japanese Navy."

Jeremy · October 25, 2007 03:07 PM

"This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can." - Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland, Commanding Officer, DE-413 USS Samuel B. Roberts.

William Hughes · October 25, 2007 04:55 PM

A bunch of destroyers coming at a recongnized superior fleet with seeming reckless abandon had to have unsettled the Japanese Admiral. If I was he, I would be thinking it some kind of trap.

Had it been a trap, the Japanese Admiral would be considered tactically shrewd for extricating himself. Problem is he then abandoned the battle-field (or whatever you navy guys call it) instead of sending all of Taffy III to the bottom. Which to this day has everyon scratching their heads.

But I'm on the winning side so I'm not complaining, just reflecting on circumstance.

Lawrence · October 25, 2007 05:31 PM

I referenced this on another blog several days ago, and wrote that it was the battle off Samar with a "(?)" after it. I am so happy I got it right.

What was the name of the destroyer Captain who was last seen standing on the afterdeck yelling steering commands down through a hatch into the emergency steering compartment, as he headed at flank speed toward the Japanese battleships?

This is the exemplar of the American fighting man. Of course, he at least had the simple and honorable task of fighting the Japanese and dying at it. Today's fighters have to overcome not only the enemy but the treacherous Democrats and their allied media filth too.

sherlock · October 28, 2007 08:11 PM

"With the help of God, and a few Marines, MacArthur returned to the Phillipines."

The Philippines were retaken by the U.S. Army. I seem to remember that there was a Marine artillery unit involved in the campaign, but I have not been able to confirm that. The vast majority of the units that retook the Philippine Islands were Army. The quote "with the help of God and a few Marines" refers to Belleau Wood, in WWI.

Slab · October 28, 2007 09:15 PM

Sherlock - it was MOH winner CDR Evans on the JOHNSTON.

bullnav · October 29, 2007 04:12 AM

"Last Stand ..." is an excellent book; highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in this story.

exhelodrvr · October 29, 2007 11:56 AM