Posted on 06/26/2022 10:18:15 AM PDT by Coronal
MANILA, Philippines -- A U.S. Navy destroyer that engaged a superior Japanese fleet in the largest sea battle of World War II in the Philippines has become the deepest wreck to be discovered, according to explorers.
The USS Samuel B. Roberts, popularly known as the “Sammy B," was identified on Wednesday broken into two pieces on a slope at a depth of 6,985 meters (22,916 feet).
That puts it 426 meters (1,400 feet) deeper than the USS Johnson, the previous deepest wreck discovered last year in the Philippine Sea also by American explorer Victor Vescovo, founder of Dallas-based Caladan Oceanic Expeditions. He announced the latest find together with U.K.-based EYOS Expeditions.
“It was an extraordinary honor to locate this incredibly famous ship, and by doing so have the chance to retell her story of heroism and duty to those who may not know of the ship and her crew’s sacrifice," Vescovo, a former Navy commander, said in a statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
According to some records, the destroyer disabled a Japanese heavy cruiser with a torpedo and significantly damaged another. After having spent virtually all its ammunition, she was critically hit by the lead battleship Yamato and sank. Of a 224-man crew, 89 died and 120 were saved, including the captain, Lt. Cmdr. Robert W. Copeland.
Source: Navy Times.
They discovered the tomb of heroes, the real kind, not the kind that wear capes in comic books.
In the words of (British Major General) J. F. C. Fuller, on the outcome of the Battle of Leyte Gulf:
The Japanese fleet had ceased to exist, and, except by land-based aircraft, their opponents had won undisputed command of the sea. When Admiral Ozawa was questioned on the battle after the war he replied: "After this battle the surface forces became strictly auxiliary, so that we relied on land forces, special [Kamikaze] attack, and air power ... There was no further use assigned to surface vessels, with the exception of some special ships."And "Admiral Mitsumasa Yoni, Navy Minister of the Koiso Cabinet, said he realized that the defeat at Leyte 'was tantamount to the loss of the Philippines.' As for the larger significance of the battle, he said, 'I felt that it was the end.'"
Damnit! It’s USS Johnston, not Johnson,
As a point of comparison:
SS Daniel J Morrell-Lake Huron, November 1966-220 feet deep
SS Edmund Fitzgerald-Lake Superior, November 1975-530 feet
RMS Titanic-North Atlantic Ocean, April 1912-12500 feet
Bismarck-North Atlantic Ocean, May 1941-15700 feet
USS Indianapolis-Philippine Sea, July 1945-18000 feet
USS Johnston-Philippine Sea, October 1944-21180 feet
USS Samuel B Roberts-Philippine Sea, October 1944-22916 feet
Ugh
I thought this was a parody on John Roberts Chief Justice and his wing nut commentary on the ruling
I need to take the day off
PING
The The USS Johnston and USS Samuel B. Roberts took on suicide runs and were lost, but did hamper the Japanese fleet. It was called a Heroic action!
When George Custer did the same, in attacking a larger hostile Sioux-Cheyenne-Arapaho force, he was considered a villain.
For those who aren't aware, after the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Imperial Japanese Navy was finished as a fighting force.
The Japanese decided to go all-in, one huge push, at Leyte and paid the final price.
Yup, but they had no choice. If they couldn't stop us liberating the Philippines, it would be only a matter of time. And time was not on their side.
They threw everything they had dislodging our forces on Leyte, and it broke their navy.
By October 1944, we were subjecting Japan to constant bombing attacks, and the Japanese war economy was coming under severe stress. It was "use it or lose it" time for the IJN.
At first, I thought they were talking about the wreck that is USSC Just-us JOHN Roberts! My mistake.
We had developed our Navy to an effective and massive fighting force by then.
But luck never hurts either.
USS submarines Dace and Darter early on fired on Jap Admiral Kurita’s main Fleet (5 bb, 12 cv and 15 dd) and scored hits the on 3 ships , amazingly one was Kurita’s Flagship. It sank so quickly Kurita almost drowned and had to swim for some time. Not being a young man it likely had a telling effect on him later and might have contributed to losing his nerve right as a significant victory was at hand after he had finally defeated Taffy 13.’ (among other mistakes like issuing a vague order of “general attack” and having his command ship maneuver out of the fight to the degree he lost what control of the battle that he had left)
The captains of the Johnston and Roberts knowingly risked their lives; Custer was a fool who got his men killed through stupidity.
The Defeat of Taffy 3 was a pyhrric victory; it used time the Japanese couldn’t afford while giving them a bloody nose, and they knew the absent American fleet would crush them. Because they have such a cautious culture in which risk is frowned upon, they simply wouldn’t believe they weren’t falling into a trap. They didn’t have time to analyze the fact that the planes that attacked them were bearing the wrong ordinance (weapons for supporting the land forces instead of attacking ships), and they didn’t believe the forces throwing themselves desperately against them weren’t doing it as part of a larger scheme.
More here, with additional photos and video...
https://taskandpurpose.com/history/ww2-ship-samuel-b-roberts-found-deepest-shipwreck/
Ernest Evans and Robert Copeland and their crews did what they did because it was their one slim hope for survival. They had no other valid option. Custer did what he did because he was a fool.
You’re an idiot. Custer was not a fool. He probably saved the Battle of Gettysburg and thereby, the Union itself. No less than US Grant gave him the table where the surrender Appomattox was signed. You probably are barely fit to shine his shoes.
BRAVE American sailors died on that ship..
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