The Battle of Leyte Gulf on 23 October, 1944. A three prong Japanese attack against the US troops on the beaches of the Philippines. Two ended in overwhelming victories for the US Navy but the third demonstrated such heroism that even Japanese had to acknowledge the valor of the US sailors. The Japanese fleet appeared in the early morning hours near the Philippine beaches. Their mission, to destroy the US navy consisting of jeep carriers and tin cans. Then they would proceed to shell the beaches where 100,000 US servicemen were fighting. The super battleship Yamato led the way. Against them were the six small boys of Taffy 3. As the jeep carriers prepared to flee at their top speed of 21 knots, the four tin cans and two destroyer escorts made smoke in front of the Japanese fleet drawing fire upon themselves. The speed of the Japanese fleet exceeded 30 knots so catching the carriers was just a matter of time. The captain of the Samuel B. Roberts, Cdr. Robert Copeland ordered a torpedo attack on the massive Japanese ships. 14 inch guns tear right through a tin can...and they did. Guns firing, torpedoes swimming, and damage being contained the six small ships were one by one sunk. Japanese casualties were light, the most significant was the heavy cruiser Kumano. The carrier Gambier Bay was sunk. The Japanese commander fearing the bulk of the US navy was only minutes away retreated. As the Japanese ships left they rendered aid to the sailors in the water rafts, food, and water. This was a first. Japanese officers were observed saluting the survivors. Imagine, a desperate enemy showing respect for a vanquished for like they were samurai as one Japanese officer described them.
Tom Hanks should produce a movie. Originally Posted by the_real_Barleycorn
I agree. Taffy 3 should be a movie. that battle in some ways is an oddity of war.
