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This date in 1944


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The battle of Leyte Gulf, Taffy three against units of the Combined Fleet( BB's, CA's, CL's, DD's). Taffy three was a support unit for invasion of the Phillipines, comprised of "jeep" carriers( small flight decks on merchant hulls), some DD's and DE's. Our "small boys" took on this task force in defense of the carriers, along with air units from the other Taffy's. One carrier sunk, along with three of the small boys( Johnston, Hoel, Samuel B. Roberts). They caused such a ruckus that the Japanese commander eventually called off the attack, saving the ships of the landing force. The night before, another force was wiped out by the old BB's and other craft of the 7th fleet( bombardment force). These old BB's were the raised Pearl Harbor BB's taking revenge.Only one ship of the Japanese force escaped.

 

Also on this date, the U.S. submarine Tang was sunk during a night attack on a convoy. Under the command of Richard O'Kane she had distinguished herself during the single year she was in action. A victim of her 24th and last torpedo that was a circular run. Some of the crew including her commander survived and ended the war in a Prisoner of War camp :FlagAm:

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Indeed! An unbelievable story of courage in the face of overwhelming odds. The Japanese Center Force included IJN Battleships Yamato, Nagato, and Kongo, and well as 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, and 11 destroyers, commanded by Admiral Takeo Kurita. "Taffy 3" put up such a fight and inflicted so much damage, that the Japanese believed they were engaged with the main American fleet, and withdrew.

 

The definitive read on the subject is: "The Last Stand Of the Tin Can Sailors" by James D. Hornfischer

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A friend of my late uncle, the late RAdm (Ret)A.C. Burrows, who commanded the U.S.S. Whale in WWII told me he had a "circular shot" that just missed the conning tower! Because of lack of funds to do proper testing prior to the war, and the obstinancy of senior Navy brass, our torpedos were just plain BAD during the early years of the war. The magnetic exploders malfunctioned; the torpedos ran too deep, going under the keels of targeted ships; or they broached and exploded prematurely. When they hit dead-on, they failed to explode, whereas angled strikes did explode. It wasn't until "Swede" Momson conducted tests at Pearl, that the firing pins were found to be the problem, and lighter ones were modified, that anything approaching reliability occurred.

 

The actions of the "small boys" during the Battle of Leyte Gulf was heroic beyond belief. Adm. William Halsey's task force had been lured to follow a decoy force of heavy ships, and was in no position to guard the Leyte landing force, leaving it to the "tin cans" and "jeep carriers" to do the job against heavy Japanese forces. All hail to those brave sailors!

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I don't believe it is an exaggeration to say that Taffy 3 prevented what would have been one of the worst, if not the worst, disasters suffered by the U.S. in WWII.

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Fairly typical of the Japanese leadership from the middle to the end of that war.

 

Kurita had 4 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers and 11 destroyers.

 

Taffy 3 was 6 escort carriers, 3 destroyers, and 4 destroyer escorts. Escort carriers were nothing like full size carriers. Their original mission was delivering a/c to the fleets. In combat trim they'd carry around 20-some a/c. Not very imposing forces. Adm. Sprague sent 3 of his escorts at Kurita, and all the planes the Jeeps could get into the air. The bombs they used were not armor piercing and not really suited to anti-ship.

 

And Kurita turned and ran.

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Oh, it is also the 598th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt!

Twang!!

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It's a related topic! Both battles occurred on the same day, and both involved small forces prevailing over larger, superior forces.

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Tangent, huh.....

 

OK this is the day the Three Earp brothers and Doc Holliday faced off iwith the Clantons and McLaurys in a shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, 1881.

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Tangent, huh.....

 

OK this is the day the Three Earp brothers and Doc Holliday faced off iwith the Clantons and McLaurys in a shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, 1881.

 

Well, you need to be specific or you confuse people like me! Today being October 26, 1881. Good information, though. It is interesting how often we let some interesting and even historically important dates go by without notice or comment.

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