USS Johnston: World's deepest known shipwreck from World War II discovered

CNN via msn ^ | 02 Apr 2021 | Lilit Marcus and Brad Lendon

[blueplum]

The world's deepest known shipwreck, a World War II US Navy destroyer, has been fully mapped and filmed by a US-based crew.

The Johnston was captained by Cmdr. Ernest Evans, a Native American from Oklahoma. Along with two other US destroyers and four smaller destroyer escorts, Evans led the Johnston in attacking a far superior Japanese force ...

...After two-and-a-half hours of fighting, the Johnston was without power and surrounded by Japanese ships....

[PAR35]

Air Force Times.

A former Gannett property now owned by an investment banker. Not sure that you're improving much over CNN there.

[oldvirginian]

“This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm’s way, and anyone who doesn’t want to go along had better get off right now.”

Commander Ernest E Evans
Commanding Officer
USS Johnston DD-557

[marktwain]

Good point.

[stickandrudder]

Wish they would find the submarine Triton SS-201. I have a distant cousin on that one.

[kiryandil]

The American Indian warrior shone in World War II - Evans was Cherokee/Creek, and John C. Waldron was Oglala Sioux.

Neither of those guys were messing around.

[Afterguard]

Magnificent book.

[kiryandil]

Yep.

[Does so]

I read a Japanese Officer saluted the USS Johnston from the deck of his passing ship. I can believe it...

[fso301]

A WW2 era destroyer against a WW2 era battleship can be seen as something of an even fight as long as the destroyer has torpedoes.

The torpedoes have about the same range as the battleship's main and secondary guns. The destroyer operating at flank speed zigging and zagging can evade the battleship's incoming salvos just as a high flying bomber evades flak.

Every torpedo launched by the destroyer forces the battleship to invoke evasive maneuvers reducing the effectiveness of its gunfire.

[oldvirginian]

“If only 1 or 2 get through, carry the attack in.”

Quite a man.

[fso301]

She only had 5 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 cal. guns as main armament.

You are forgetting her torpedoes.

[Does so]

The Captain, CDR Ernest E. Evans, was badly wounded—seen afloat—but was said to soon disappear under the waves.

One of those WWII accounts you just can't ever close the pages.

[kiryandil]

Good point - but that was common currency on BOTH sides.

I think the Americans may have caught up with the superb Japanese torpedoes at this point in the war.

We have the utility of the torpedo hammered into us in The Destroyermen series [by Taylor Anderson]

[fso301]

I think the Americans may have caught up with the superb Japanese torpedoes at this point in the war.

The Japanese really had outstanding torpedoes. Even if somewhat inferior, the American torpedoes had about the same range as the main and secondary batteries of the Japanese guns.

At range, the destroyer at high speed could turn upon seeing a Japanese let loose a salvo and evade the incoming rounds. Every torpedo launched by the destroyer would force evasive maneuvers by the battleship.

[kiryandil]

Don't mess with Captain Reddy and The Walker...

[blueplum]

Amen. Men such as these were our heros growing up. Back when being patriotic was a given. :)

[Paul R.]

At range, the destroyer at high speed could turn upon seeing a Japanese let loose a salvo and evade the incoming rounds.

True, but then both sides begin to guess the other's evasive maneuvers, and eventually (skill / intuition / luck) will guess right, and when a battleship's or heavy cruiser's main batteries hit a light destroyer, much less a destroyer escort...

Except... The Japanese for whatever reasons thought they were engaging much larger ships, shelled accordingly, and their armor piercing shells often went right through the light "tin can" US ships, holing them but not doing large round explosive damage. This probably further confounded the Japanese: "We missed!" "What? Again?!" "See for yourself! No new explosions or fires." "Adjust!" This and superior US fire control helped even the odds a bit further.

[Theophilus]

God blessed us with audacious men!

[M.K. Borders]

Guess I was thinking a full feature film, like the movie “Greyhound”, but truthful.