JOHNSTON - The Defenders of Taffy 3

YouTube ^ | Oct 18, 2014 | Byron Como

[WhiskeyX]

The Battle of Leyte Gulf from the deck of the USS Johnston. Photographed onboard the USS Kidd DD661 in Baton Rouge, LA

[Chainmail]

A truly great moment in American history.

[fella]

That’s some good history.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Some people wanted Halsey court-martialed for his role in this disaster. He was supposed to be guarding the northern approach, but had gone off chasing a Japanese diversionary force. Just as he was finishing off the last ships in the diversionary force, this attacked occurred and he was too far away to assist immediately. If Halsey had followed orders, the Japanese Center Force would have been destroyed by Halsey's Third Fleet and this entire engagement would have been a footnote to invasion of the Philippines.

TURKEY TROTS TO WATER GG FROM CINCPAC ACTION COM THIRD FLEET INFO COMINCH CTF SEVENTY-SEVEN X WHERE IS RPT WHERE IS TASK FORCE THIRTY FOUR RR THE WORLD WONDERS

[Jacquerie]

It has never been wise to punish battle commanders for mistakes in judgment. Few men will risk their necks if they suspect they'll have to fight two enemies.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Halsey’s ego grabbed hold of his judgment and his responsibility as an officer. If the Japanese Center Force had maintain course, after brushing off Taffy 3, they would have made mince meat of Luzon invasion force. The troops ashore would have been trapped without ammunition, food, medical supplies and air cover. It is only because of the extreme courage and sacrifice of the men of Taffy 3, and a criminally bad command decision by Admiral Takeo Kurita, that the Philippine invasion wasn’t even more of a debacle. Even so, Halsey’s insubordination cost nearly 1,000 lives. He placed “running up the score” by sinking Japanese carriers that had no pilots or aircraft or prospect of obtaining either ahead of his mission, which was to protect the lives of soldiers, and marines, and the sailors who were supporting them.

Kurita apparently thought that Halsey was leading him into a trap, it couldn’t be that easy. But Kurita’s orders were to destroy the Luzon invasion force or die trying. He just couldn’t believe that Halsey had fallen into the Japanese’s obvious trap and failed to take advantage of the unique opportunity. If he had, the blow to the American campaign in the Pacific and the home front would have been severe. As it was, the largest battleship ever built, the Yamato, went to bottom a few months later without ever having fired her 18 inch naval rifles in anger.