Battle off Samar

[barretcreek]

25 October 1944. The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer. Outnumbered but not outdone the destroyers and destroyer escorts took on the Japanese and sent them home to think again.

Well Done, Gentlemen.

[PWC]

Just looked it up.....What a deal, out numbered, out gunned, not out classed or out gutted, the US navy beat the Japanese and they went home and the Japanese navy ceased to be an effective force again, mostly because we tool their sources of oil.

[leftyo]

read the book not too long ago. thought it was pretty good.

[p246]

Destroyers and destroyer escorts with air support take on the Yamato, cruisers, and destroyers. Amazing win with much blood and sacrifice.

[barretcreek]

read the book not too long ago. thought it was pretty good.

Neptune's Inferno. Same author.

[tmark]

I am currently on chapter 24 of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. The Japanese central fleet is on its way heading east towards Leyte. What a great book about those destroyers and destroyer escorts. Interesting, that the airmen referred to the carrier escorts as Kaiser's coffins and jeep carriers.

I'm surprised Halsey got fooled into running after the Japanese north fleet.

[leftyo]

Neptune's Inferno. Same author.

have read that one too. another good book.

[Griff Murphey]

i have or (possibly had - he has disappeared) a 96 y.o. survivor of the sinking of the CVE USS GAMBIER BAY as a dental patient. He was driving himself until last summer but went into an assisted living deal, not sure if he is still with us or not. He was injured in the sinking, finished the war as a CPO, "I think they felt sorry for me!" he said. It is such an honor to meet these guys. He loved the ladies. Always had a new "friend" which he kept outliving. I mentioned my dwindling roster of WW-2 vets who are patients, including a WAVE. " I'd sure be interested in meeting the WAVE!" he said with a wink.

Right now I think I am down to two, a GI and the Captain's Yeoman of the AKA USS BOWIE. The ones that were officers were older and are long gone.

I had (just who come to mind quite at the moment) two PBY pilots, an SB2C pilot, a TBF gunner,ma B-17 Armorer Gunner, a combat glider pilot on CG-4s, a Pearl Harbor survivor off of USS CAISSON, sailors aboard USS NOA, USS BOWFIN, A light cruiser I forget, several GI's so many it's kind of painful to admit I have forgotten their names.

[jon_norstog]

My brother and I were off hunting, but we took time one evening (as we often do this time of year) to remember that sea fight, and the incredible spirit of the sailors and flyers who broke up the IJN Center Force. The whole US invasion force was on the beach at Leyte or shipboard in Leyte Gulf, sitting ducks for the guns of the Center Force. Johnny Horton should have written the song about it, but didn't get around to it.

jn