Last Stand Of The Tin Can Sailors

[Styrkyr]

For anyone who is interested, there is a book written about Taffy 3, a US task force comprised of destroyers and escort carriers. It is the story of the Battle of Samar and one of the greatest military reversals in history. It is excellently written, and gives a lot of information about WWII and the Pacific Theatre in general. Enjoy!

[flyingtaco]

good book, ship of ghost by same author is great as well

[madmanthan21]

there was a dogfights episode about this also

[BrushWolf]

Excellent book, amazing story.

[Abyssaltech]

Love that book, one of the best war stories ever.

[umpo777]

I actually heard stories from my grandmother. The battle was intense, she says. they hid in the mountains but still the roaring guns of those ships and the tora tora (Japanese zero) passing by were heard. she says that it was like a clash of angels and demons,and that they were all angry. I'm actually from Eastern Samar and reading this book would really tell what happened in details. tnx for sharing!!

[Ariecho]

It must have been quite an experience for your grandparents!  (+1)

[Rashall_Vetkay]

madmanthan21, on 23 November 2012 - 08:58 AM, said:

there was a dogfights episode about this also

Actually it was a Battle 360 episode if I remember correctly great shows both of them.

[Windhover118]

Achmed550, on 28 January 2013 - 03:52 AM, said:

Actually it was a Battle 360 episode if I remember correctly great shows both of them.

Actually you are both right. Dogfights and Battle 360 both had an episode covering this battle.

[brian333]

It is also a central exhibit in the WW2 Museum in New Orleans.

[EndlessSoul]

I have this book in my library. When I first heard of the plight of Taffy 3, my jaw literally dropped.

 

Endless "Flank speed, full left rudder" Soul

[utahman]

It's a truly awesome book. I read it several years ago, but I should probably go get it again and do another read through.

[NGTM_1R]

Recommend this and Neptune's Inferno by the same author, not so much Ship of Ghosts though.

[Crooked_Vulture]

This has to be hands down one of my all-time favorite Dogfights episodes. Those U.S. sailors had some big brass cahones.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=BDQagxQNpCo

[Gohibniu]

Good vid. Interesting to note how poor Japanese gunnery was. Far cry from early '42 when they were hot shots.

[Rainmaker55]

Gohibniu, on 01 February 2013 - 02:49 PM, said:

Good vid. Interesting to note how poor Japanese gunnery was. Far cry from early '42 when they were hot shots.

According to the book, part of the problem for the IJN is their armor piercing shells were going clean through the escorts and the escort carriers (hence "tin can).  Throw in the small size of the escorts along with their manueverability, and those poor Japanese guuners must have been as aggravated as all hell.

[Dunsscotus]

Styrkyr, on 23 November 2012 - 05:02 AM, said:

For anyone who is interested, there is a book written about Taffy 3, a US task force comprised of destroyers and escort carriers. It is the story of the Battle of Samar and one of the greatest military reversals in history. It is excellently written, and gives a lot of information about WWII and the Pacific Theatre in general. Enjoy!

This is a fabulous book and  a must for any student of WWII naval history.  Even if you think you know the topic completely, you'll learn something new.  For example, did you know that some of the survivors of Gambier Bay and the escorts floated all the way to Leyte and were rescued only after being carried ashore by the prevailing currents? A great read, as are Ship of Ghosts and Neptunes Inferrno.

[Riceygringo]

Gohibniu, on 01 February 2013 - 02:49 PM, said:

Good vid. Interesting to note how poor Japanese gunnery was. Far cry from early '42 when they were hot shots.

It wasn't that their gunnery got worse, Americans at that time had very advanced fire-control systems compared to the Japanese. So it's just a matter of perspective, while Japanese gunnery did not improve over the years, the Americans continually improved their ships.

[ccsquared]

indeed it gives alot of information. Very nice read if you like history.

[PrincessTerrik]

Rainmaker55, on 01 February 2013 - 11:57 PM, said:

According to the book, part of the problem for the IJN is their armor piercing shells were going clean through the escorts and the escort carriers (hence "tin can).  Throw in the small size of the escorts along with their manueverability, and those poor Japanese guuners must have been as aggravated as all hell.

also shows that a DD can withstand a handful of shells from a BB, so, especially at long range where accuracy will be poor, BB will prolly NOT be one-shotting DDs. . .

[utahman]

I doubt that the Japanese accuracy was helped by the fact that they mistook Taffy-3's Jeep Carriers and Tin Cans as Fleet Carriers and Heavy Cruisers. At least that is the understanding I got from the book. Once they figured out what they were fighting and switched to HE shells they were much more effective, but by that time the stiff resistance that the USN had put up convinced the Japanese to withdraw. If they had properly identified the American Warships in the opening stages this battle might have gone differently.

[Azumazi]

For the record, the book is up on Openlibrary.org to read if you register for it.

[BrushWolf]

utahman, on 03 April 2013 - 03:02 AM, said:

I doubt that the Japanese accuracy was helped by the fact that they mistook Taffy-3's Jeep Carriers and Tin Cans as Fleet Carriers and Heavy Cruisers. At least that is the understanding I got from the book. Once they figured out what they were fighting and switched to HE shells they were much more effective, but by that time the stiff resistance that the USN had put up convinced the Japanese to withdraw. If they had properly identified the American Warships in the opening stages this battle might have gone differently.

From what I have read many of the Japanese captains figured it out but the Japanese military culture was such that telling the flag he was wrong was not something that was done. The feroticy of the attack by the DD's Johnston, Hoel, Heermann, and the DE Samuel B. Roberts caught Kurita completely off guard which he never recovered from.

[BrushWolf]

Wow, just stumbled on this. http://www.navyhisto...off-samar-film/ I would like to know how I missed this for over a year?