The FReeper Foxhole Revisits Typhoon Cobra ~ Disaster at Sea (18 December 1944) - Dec. 27th, 2003

http://www.history.navy.mil ^

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

Typhoon Cobra~Disaster at Sea

18 December 1944

Thanks to Freeper Comwatch for sharing this story of his father.

In Memory of my Dad and his shipmates
USS HULL, USS MONAGHAN and USS SPENCE


As father and son go, we've known each other only in our hearts. You were all of 19 when the Lord called you into another service. Dad, thank you for giving me life and a proud lifetime memory. I love you.

On 17 December, 1944, my father's ship, DD-354 .U.S.S. Monaghan was steering toward Leyte Bay on a rendezvous course with the Pacific Task Forces 38 and 58. The Third Fleet was engaged in naval air strikes against Japanese forces in the Philippines. While the planes had been attacking central Luzon in support of the Mindoro invasion, the carriers and their destroyer protectors were in desperate need of fuel. Dad's ship was assigned to escort duty for the fuel ships of the fleet, an attractive enemy target. She ran at flank speed during the operations and was riding high in the seas from lack of fuel. Then she ran into Typhoon Cobra, described below as "more powerful than any western Pacific encounter with the Japanese."

"In December 1944 as Admiral William Halsey's Third Fleet was operating in support of General MacArthur's invasion of the Philippines, the Third Fleet encountered a tropical cyclone more powerful than any western Pacific encounter with the Japanese. The result was three destroyers (the USS HULL, USS MONAGHAN and USS SPENCE) sunk with 800 men lost, 26 other vessels seriously damaged, and 146 aircraft destroyed (16). The Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet Admiral Nimitz said, "It was the greatest loss that we have taken in the Pacific without compensatory return since the First Battle of Savo." Halsey himself described it best. "No one who has not been through a typhoon can conceive its fury," he wrote in his autobiography. "The 70 foot seas smash you. The rain blinds you. The battleship NEW JERSEY once was hit by a 5-inch shell and I did not even feel the impact. The MISSOURI had kamikaze crash on her main deck and repaired the only damage with a paint brush. But the typhoon tossed our enormous ship the MISSOURI as if she were only a canoe."



One eyewitness account speaks to the conditions my dad found himself and his shipmates facing.

"These destroyers were escorting the carriers, and they came out. We're trying to fuel them, and the seas are choppy; I mean, when I say choppy, they're twenty, twenty-five feet waves... They were going to move to another location and commence fueling in the morning again. Well, instead of taking us out of the typhoon they took us back into it. I'm talking about waves that were fifty and sixty feet high. Sometimes you'd see a destroyer, he'd be sitting up on top of a wave and the next time he would be down so low that you couldn't even see the mast. That's how deep the troughs were. There's no way those destroyers could fuel from the tankers."

Former President Gerald R. Ford in May 1943 served as a pre-commissioning detachment for a new light aircraft carrier, USS Monterey (CVL-26). This was one of the ships in may dad's group. The following is an official record of an account by Lt. Ford who served as the assistant navigator, Athletic Officer, and antiaircraft battery officer on board Monterey.

"Monterey was damaged by a fire which was started by several of the ship's aircraft tearing loose from their cables and colliding during the storm. During the storm, Ford narrowly missed being a casualty himself. After Ford left his battle station on the bridge of the ship in the early morning of 18 December, the ship rolled twenty-five degrees which caused Ford to lose his footing and slide toward the edge of the deck. The two inch steel ridge around the edge of the carrier slowed him enough so he could roll and twisted into the catwalk below the deck. As he later stated, 'I was lucky; I could have easily gone overboard.' "

The fueling day was the first of Typhoon Cobra that claimed 790 lives in the 3d Fleet, and sank Spence (DD-512), Hull (DD-350), and Monaghan. The six survivors, rescued by USS Brown after drifting on a raft 3 days, reported that Monaghan took roll after roll to starboard, finally going over. Of the 6 hands that survived the sinking, 3 perished after rescue.

From accounts passed on by one of his shipmates, my dad and other Monaghan crew members remained in the water because some of the men were injured and bleeding. Their being in the life raft was their only hope and the area was known to be shark invested. Quietly, on the night of the second day, without notice in the darkness and the rough seas, Dad joined the watery grave of the Spence, Hull and Monaghan.

Of the tragedy, Admiral Nimitz said, "represented a more crippling blow to the 3d Fleet than it might be expected to suffer in anything less than a major action." Veteran of so many actions against a human enemy, Monaghan fell victim to the sailor's oldest enemy, the perils of the sea.

Monaghan received 12 battle stars for World War II service.


Survivors from the Spence and the Hull

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[SAMWolf]

USS Monaghan (DD-354)

Named for Ensign John R. Monaghan, (1873-1899) who was killed in action against natives in Samoa, standing steadfastly by his wounded superior, Lieutenant Lonsdale, against a score of attackers. The second to bear the name, Monaghan (DD-354) was commissioned 19 April 1935. Thereafter, she operated primarily in the North Atlantic.

On 7 December 1941, however, Monaghan was ready duty destroyer in Pearl Harbor, and at 0751 was ordered to join Ward, who had just sunk an unidentified submarine off the entrance to Pearl Harbor. Four minutes later, before Monaghan could get underway, the Japanese air attack began. Monaghan opened fire, and at 0827 was underway to join Ward when notified of the presence of a midget submarine in the harbor. Monaghan headed for the trespasser, rammed and then sank the submarine with two depth charges. She headed on out of the harbor to patrol offshore for the next week and then joined Lexington in an unsuccessful attempt to relieve doomed Wake Island.

Monaghan's first major action came 7 May, when U.S. naval forces successfully threw back a Japanese fleet, including several transports guarded by the light carrier Shoho that was attempting to enter the Coral Sea. In early June she participated in the critical battle of the Pacific War, the Battle of Midway. Through the first 2 days of the battle, Monaghan screened Enterprise (CV-6). Then, on the evening of 5 June, she joined the group of destroyers struggling unsuccessfully to save the badly damaged aircraft carrier Yorktown, and guard her from further damage.

Monaghan served in the Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshall Islands operations, during which she guarded the carriers. From 13 April to 4 May 1943, she covered the Hollandia landings, and struck at Satawan, Truk, Ponape, and Saipan. On 11 November 1944 Monaghan served as escort for three fleet oilers bound for a rendezvous 17 December 1944 with TF 38, whose planes had been attacking central Luzon in support of the Mindoro invasion. The fueling day was the first of the great typhoon that struck the 3d Fleet and claimed 790 seamen and sank three destroyers, including the Monaghan. Six survivors, rescued after drifting on a raft for 3 days, reported that Monaghan took roll after roll to starboard, before finally going over. The tragedy, Admiral Nimitz said, "represented a more crippling blow to the 3d Fleet than it might be expected to suffer in anything less than a major action."

Veteran of so many actions against a human enemy, Monaghan fell victim to the sailor's oldest enemy, the perils of the sea. Monaghan received 12 battle stars for her World War II service.

Lieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey's Douglas TBD-1 "Devastator" torpedo bomber (Bureau # 0370) sinking astern of the carrier after a deck landing accident on 28 May 1942. Plane guard destroyer, USS Monaghan (DD-354) is in the left background. Enterprise was then en route to the Midway area. LCdr. Lindsey, Commanding Officer of Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6), was flying out with the rest of the air group to join the ship when the crash took place. He, and the other members of the plane's crew, were rescued by Monaghan.

Lieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey, USN, Commanding Officer of Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) Is assisted into a breeches bouy for transfer from USS Monaghan (DD-354) to USS Enterprise (CV-6) on 31 May 1942, while the ships were en route to the Midway area. He had been picked up by the destroyer on 28 May, after his TBD-1 "Devastator" torpedo bomber had crashed attempting to land on the carrier.

Aviation Radioman First Class Charles T. Granat is partially visible behind Lindsey, waiting his turn on the "high line". The other member of the plane's crew, Chief Aviation Pilot Thomas E. Schaeffer is standing with hands in pockets, just to left of the transfer group. Lindsey and Granat were killed in action attacking the Japanese fleet on 4 June 1942.

Aviation Radioman First Class Charles T. Granat, USN, Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) aircrewman prepares to ride a breeches bouy from USS Monaghan (DD-354) to USS Enterprise (CV-6) on 31 May 1942, while the ships were en route to the Midway area. He had been picked up by the destroyer on 28 May, after the TBD-1 "Devastator" torpedo bomber in which he was a passenger crashed attempting to land on the carrier. Granat was killed in action attacking the Japanese fleet on 4 June 1942.

[SAMWolf]

A gunner's mate striker, writing a letter near his machine-gun, brought the first of his ship's guns into play, shooting down one of two attacking torpedo planes. The Japanese announced that she had been sunk, but 30 December, battered yet sturdy, she entered the repair yard at Puget Sound Navy Yard.

At dusk on the 7th Maryland took her third hit from enemy planes in 10 months. A suicide plane loaded with a 500-pound bomb crashed the top of turret No. 3 from starboard. The explosion wiped out the 20mm. mounts, causing 53 casualties. As before, however, she continued to blast enemy shore positions with devastating 16-inch fire.

Now there was a "Fighting ship"!

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C.

Thanks for the reminder. Drinking and driving don't mix.

60's??? How'd you manage that?

[Light Speed]

Hello comwatch

Thankyou for sharing the naval history of your Father and your journey's of discovery.

Tin Can Sailors was helpfull in my quest to discover the history of a DD which carried our Families name in WW-2.

Thru contact was able to arrange meetings with the Navy dept in Washington D.C. and a special hands on research period at National Archives were pages brought boxes of photos from the War.

In time ..my persuit of learning would find me at Reunions for USS Isherwood and guest at many of the crews homes.

It is powerfull to be in their presence and see their emotions as they discuss the war at sea in WW-2.

For me..the journey never ends..always evolving in new directions....contact and sharing often enabling veterans to find rare things about their service and arangements to meet with veterans of other ships which sailed in their DD squadron or saw action in similar battles.

Seeing a 70 year olds eye's light up like a kid as he shares his life experience..

USS Isherwood was suicided by a Kamikaze off Okinawa...the aftermath was grizzly to say the least.
Many of the crew from the WW-2 period were scarred from the event...many sidestepped reunions and fellowship contact.

Research interaction did enable some to risk to fellowship ...the reunion in Frisco in 95 saw many first time veterans meet.
Alot of emotion and sharing....reflecting..healing was taking place,
many of the wives shared how happy they were to see their husbands attend.....something wonderfull was taking place.

It does count to risk...

FR Foxhole has been a great vehicle of sharing and learning for me....its my hope that others will risk to seek contact with veterans..often the return is more than they ever imagined for both parties.

DD 520 served in the Atlantic and Pacific ...9 months in the torrid waters of the Aluetians.

A few crew members shared their fears as ship sank in 20 ft trouphs and then rolled 48 degree's...water entered into the stack and snuffed boilers.

Best wishes in your journeys comwatch...may its reward continue : )

USS Isherwood Atlantic 43

[snippy_about_it]

It's a bottomless cup so drink as much as your heart desires..

Thank you. ;-)

[SAMWolf]

1944 General George S. Patton's Third Army, spearheaded by the 4th Armored Division, relieves the surrounded city of Bastogne in Belgium.

Four medium tanks roared up the tree-lined roadway. Machine guns sprayed the snow-crusted evergreens. Dark enemy forms ran and fell as red tracers played among them.

A concrete blockhouse ringed by pines loomed ahead of the onrushing tanks. First Lt. Charles Boggess, Jr., Greenville, Ill., commander of the lead tank, spotted the emplacement from the open hatch of his Sherman. Down in the turret, Cpl. Milton Dickerman, Newark, N. J., traversed the sights of his 75 on the blockhouse, kicked the trigger. The tank bounced from the recoil as the shell crashed into the concrete.

The breech of the 75 slammed shut as Pvt. James G. Murphy, Bryan, Tex., the loader, slapped in another round. Pvt. Hubert Smith, Cartersville, Ga., driver of the tank Cobra King, tromped on the throttle, squinted through his dirt-splattered periscope as the medium rolled up to the smoking blockhouse. Bow Gunner Pvt. Harold Hafner, Arlington, Wash., kept the hot barrel of his machine gun trained on the woods.

In the open fields beyond the pines, Lt. Boggess saw red, yellow and blue supply parachutes sprinkle the snow like confetti. He halted his clattering mediums.

"Come here, come on out !" he shouted to khaki-clad figures in foxholes. "This is the 4th Armored !"

No answer, Helmeted heads peered suspiciously over carbine sights. The tanker bellowed again. A lone figure emerged.

"I'm Lt. Webster of the 326th Engineers, l01st Airborne," the paratrooper said. "Glad to see you."

At 1645, Dec. 26, 1944, the 4th Armd. Div. had reached another objective—Bastogne.

Twenty-five minutes later, Maj. Gen. Anthony G. McAuliffe (then Brig. Gen.), commanding the l01st Airborne Div., shook hands with Lt. Col. Creighton W. Abrams, Agawam, Mass., and Capt. William A. Dwight, Grand Rapids, Mich., to celebrate the relief of Bastogne.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Feather.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you Sam.

It must have been a horrifying ordeal, very sad to think what they went through.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Mayor.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks for adding the USS Monaghan history.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Light Speed.

Thanks for encouraging others to research and remember. IMHO the rewards are worth the time and effort.

[Soaring Feather]

[snippy_about_it]

FR Foxhole has been a great vehicle of sharing and learning for me....its my hope that others will risk to seek contact with veterans..often the return is more than they ever imagined for both parties.

Thank you Light Speed.

The Foxhole has been fortunate that over the past year we've received letters from people who may not post but want to send along their related personal story and thanks for a thread covered here. It is then when we see clearly the fruit of our work and our dedication to this labor of love is refreshed.

[SAMWolf]

LOL! I'm supposed to give you the feathers.

[GATOR NAVY]

Only Halsey's popularity kept him from facing charges for this disaster. Another reason Spruance should have had the Navy's other fifth star rather than Halsey. Nimitz's lessons learned message to the fleet is a classic on basic seamanship that's still read in the Navy today.

"In conclusion, both seniors and juniors alike must realize that in bad weather, as in most other situations, safety and fatal hazard are not separated by any sharp boundary line, but shade gradually from one into the other. There is no little red light which is going to flash on and inform commanding officers or higher commanders that from then on there is extreme danger from the weather, and that measures for ships' safety must now take precedence over further efforts to keep up with the formation or to execute the assigned task. This time will always be a matter of personal judgment. Naturally no commander is going to cut thin the margin between staying afloat and foundering, but he may nevertheless unwittingly pass the danger point even though no ship is yet in extremis. Ships that keep on going as long as the severity of wind and sea has not yet come close to capsizing them or breaking them in two, may nevertheless become helpless to avoid these catastrophes later if things get worse. By then they may be unable to steer any heading but in the trough of the sea, or may have their steering control, lighting , communications, and main propulsion disabled, or may be helpless to secure things on deck or to jettison topside weights. The time for taking all measures for a ship's safety is while still able to do so. Nothing is more dangerous than for a seaman to be grudging in taking precautions lest they turn out to have been unnecessary. Safety at sea for a thousand years has depended on exactly the opposite philosophy."

Pacific Typhoon, 18 December 1944: Admiral Nimitz's Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter on Lessons of Damage in Typhoon

[GATOR NAVY]

Sorry, let's try that link again

Pacific Typhoon, 18 December 1944: Admiral Nimitz's Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter on Lessons of Damage in Typhoon

[snippy_about_it]

The time for taking all measures for a ship's safety is while still able to do so.

Thanks Gator Navy. Spruance and Halsey...so much is based on political decisions by those who are clueless rather than real deeds.

[snippy_about_it]

LOL. Thanks. I was going to search for it but you beat me to it! Good afternoon to you.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Gator Navy.

Thanks for the link. It's too bad some lessons are learned at such a high cost.

[GATOR NAVY]

Actually it's after 2:00 in the morning for me and now I'm going to hit the sack. Good night.

P.S. Nice pics from WASHINGTON. If the seas looked like that from a battleship, I'd hate to think what a destroyer saw.