TIN CAN SAILORS MAGAZINE FULL WELL THE

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.Hornfischer is especially skilled at introducing the reader, in a very personal way, to the key players in the unfolding drama. Unbelievable, stunning, courageous, without fear hardly begins to describe the epic moment in history. Our magazine, library, website, social media and by facilitating reunions of former.The bravery of the sailors and airmen of Taffy 3 is something out of a Rambo movie. The authorвЂ™s ability to combine official reports and eyewitness accounts in novellike prose makes this book a must read for those who are interested in naval history and ships that go into harmвЂ™s way.Find the best volunteer opportunities from TIN CAN SAILORS INC at. NavyвЂ™s finest hours, the monumental naval engagements of October 23-26, 1944, known collectively as the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

He views them as a sailor would, and he has an uncanny knack of personalizing them, just as he does the men. February 20, 2020.The author also does a commendable job of introducing the various ships that played such an integral role in the contest. Navy and Royal Australian Warships off Vietnam, 1965-1973. Added Book Review for Making of a Tin Can Sailor and On the Gunline U.S. This personalization of the participants adds a great deal of emotion to the drama as the battle is joined.March 2, 2020.

Halsey had departed the area with the majority of the surface ships in pursuit of the Japanese carriers. Sprague soon realized that Admiral William F. The Battle of the San Bernardino Strait opened with the simultaneous sighting by the two adversaries around 7 a.m. SpragueвЂ™s vastly outgunned force of escort carriers and destroyers. His detailed account of the daily work routine, the duties, food and entertainmentвЂ“not to mention the time-honored вЂњcrossing the lineвЂќ ceremonyвЂ“leaves the reader feeling like a member of the crew.Most of the book deals with the critical daytime surface engagement between the overwhelming firepower of the Imperial Japanese Center Force and Task Unit 77.4.3 (вЂњTaffy 3вЂќ), Rear Adm.

Tin Can Sailors Magazine Full Well The

50-caliber machine guns, the aviators descended upon the Japanese like a swarm of angry hornets.The combination of surface torpedo attacks from the destroyers and the harassing attacks from the air hindered a Japanese pursuit of the hapless carriers. Armed only with aerial depth charges, antipersonnel bombs and. Naval aviators were also ordered to attack and harass the enemy despite lacking armor-piercing bombs and torpedoes. Knowing full well the hopelessness of the situation, but also seeing the necessity of buying time, he ordered his destroyers to attack the vastly superior force of battleships and heavy cruisers. Adding to the peril, the Japanese ships enjoyed a speed advantage, denying Sprague the prudent course of flight.

Takeo Kurita in a true fog of war. The Japanese inability to close with the escort carriers had deprived them of the initiative and cloaked Vice Adm. Just after 9 a.m., the enemy commander ordered a withdrawal of his forces. Despite the early success of the American destroyers, their luck finally ran out after an hour of fighting as the Japanese gunners found their mark and methodically demolished one escort carrier, two destroyers and one destroyer escort.It was not in vain, however. The enemy answered the American fire with 8-, 14-, 16- and even 18.1-inch rounds.

He described how the men fought to save their ship and received inspiration from a bronze plaque listing the names of the men who had served on its namesake. Roberts (FFG-58) delivered an emotional speech describing the shipвЂ™s near destruction by a mine in the Persian Gulf during the IraqвЂ“Iran war. During the meeting, the former commanding officer of USS Samuel B. The survivors of the three destroyers were left to the mercy of shark attacks, dehydration and exposure as the men drifted helplessly on the high seas for 2 1/2 days.Hornfischer closes this epic by describing the reunion in 2001 of three of the tin can survivors. In addition to the enormous loss of life on the destroyers and escort carriers, another 116 men perished due to the poorly coordinated rescue efforts of Admiral Halsey and his staff.

They had participated in the NavyвЂ™s вЂњfinest hourвЂќ and had established a standard of heroism for all who go down to the sea in ships. With their legacy intact, the silver-haired veterans took solace in the fact that their sacrifices had not been in vain.