USS Samuel B Roberts: World's deepest shipwreck discovered (WW2)

Yahoo ^ | 6-24-22 | Jonathan Amos

[dynachrome]

Explorers have found the deepest shipwreck ever identified, a US navy destroyer escort sunk during WWII.

The USS Samuel B Roberts went down during the Battle Off Samar in the Philippine Sea in October 1944. It lies in 6,895m (22,621ft) of water.

Texan financier and adventurer Victor Vescovo, who owns a deep-diving submersible, discovered the "Sammy B" battered but largely intact.

The vessel is famed for a heroic final stand against the Japanese.

[oldvirginian]

“We’re making a torpedo run. The outcome is doubtful, but we will do our duty.”

Lt Commander Robert Copeland
USS Samuel B Roberts

[Chainmail]

Your description of the battle was spot on - but it was the Battle of Samar, and it was the anchorage at Leyte that was saved - and MacArthur’s landing in Luzon that was saved.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Nimitz should have sent Halsey home after his leaving the landing unprotected.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks dynachrome. The last survivor of the crew passed in March, and the short period the ship was in service is worth reading about (wikipedia). The Japanese tended to go all-in when they used their naval vessels, because they didn't have fuel to keep them operating all the time. Thus, Leyte (of which this was part) was their final big push.

Wow, slow week. Gold involved though. The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, chrono sort:

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  ---

• TG 77.4.3 ("Taffy 3") Presidential Unit Citation and Other Awards
• Task Force Taffy-3 — Badass of the Week

  This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can. —Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland, commanding officer, USS Samuel B. Roberts

[paddles]

Read “Neptune’s Inferno” before “Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.” The third in the trilogy by the recently departed Hornfischer is “The Fleet at Flood Tide.”

[Monkey Face]

The late Igor fought in the Pacific (he was MUCH older than I!) and in his memoirs he mentions several ships in his squadron. I would have to get it out to see if he mentioned this.

But thanks for posting. I’m always interested in underwater finds.

‘Face

;o]

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure. Let me know what you find.

[colorado tanker]

One of the WWII documentaries had a survivor of the Sammy B interviewed to tell his story. Riveting stuff.

Think about their courage in contrast to the "heroes" in Texas who stood by while children were being murdered.

[SuperLuminal]

Yes indeed...
When you are 88 years old, things can get fuzzy sometimes...🙄

My focus is always on Guadalcanal and the naval battles of Savo 1 & 2 and Cape Esperance... My Dad was there with the 1st Marine Division...