|
Posted on 05/30/2003 5:33:25 AM PDT by SAMWolf
|
|
 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
|
| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.
|
|
|
|
A Study In Heroism This week, as Canadians and Americans honor our war dead, remember the heros of `Taffy 3:'  At dawn, Vice-Admiral Takeo Kurita's Center Force of four battleships - including the world's largest, mighty `Yamato,' with 18.1 inch guns - 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, 11 destroyers, emerged off Samar. Before Kurita lay the entire US invasion fleet, horrifying unprotected: small escort carriers, troop transports, tankers, supply ships. Sink them, and US invasion force would be cut off and destroyed. All that stood between Kurita's capital ships and the beaches was a tiny American escort group: Task Group 77.43, better known as `Taffy 3:' 6 small escort, or `jeep' carriers(each with about 25 aircraft), 3 destroyers(DD), and 3 destroyer escorts(DE's). None had guns larger than 5-inch. Such small shells could not pierce the armor of Japanese battleships or heavy cruisers. As the Japanese bore down on the American ships, the jeep carriers launched their aircraft. Lacking armor-piercing bombs, these planes could only harass the Japanese warships with high- explosive bombs, some torpedoes, and machine-gun fire. Rear Admiral `Ziggy' Sprague issued an immortal order to the six destroyers: `small boys- intercept.'  The DD's and DE's made smoke to mask the carriers. Then, the escorts wheeled, and attacked the advancing Japanese fleet - six unarmored `tins cans' with popguns against the pride of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Not since Sir Richard Grenville took the HMS `Revenge' against the entire Spanish Armada had there been such a gloriously unequal battle at sea. DD-553 `Hoel, Cmdr Leon Kinterberger commanding, led the attack, followed by `Hermann' and `Johnston'. The three escort destroyers - led by `Samuel Roberts,' each with only 2x5-inch guns, followed. At 14,000 yards, the pagoda-masted Japanese battleship `Kongo,' opened fire on `Hoel' with its 14-inch main battery and secondary guns. The rest of the Japanese fleet raked the attacking destroyers, and pounded the fleeing jeep carriers. At 9,000 yards, `Hoel,' her bridge shattered by `Kongo's' 14-inch shells, launched torpedoes. Like nearly all of America's defective torpedoes, they missed. But they forced `Kongo' to turn violently, throwing off her gunnery and sowing confusion in the Japanese formation. Heavy and medium shells riddled `Hoel,' wrecking her port engine, and three of four turrets. Many of the big 14-inch armor-piercing shells passed completely through the thin skins of the unarmored destroyers without exploding.  Undaunted, the shattered, burning `Hoel' attacked a column of enemy heavy cruisers, firing five more torpedoes and her 40mm AA guns. A mortally wounded gunner held his spilling intestines in one hand while he rammed shells into the `Hoel's' last gun with the other. At 0855, after 40 more hits, `Hoel' sank, with 253 of her gallant crew, her battle flags still flying. While `Hoel' lay dying, the other DD's and DE's launched torpedoes at the Japanese battleships and heavy cruisers, charging in close to pepper them at close ranger with 5-inch rounds. The American tins cans were shredded by a storm of Japanese shells ranging from 5-18.1 inch. DD532 `Hermann' furiously attacked heavy cruisers `Haguro' and `Chikuma,' then battleship `Haruna,' then the monster, 71,000-ton `Yamato' with torpedoes, forcing the world's largest battleship to veer out of line. `Hermann's' gunfire, torpedoes, and air attacks from the jeep carriers finally sank cruiser `Chikuma.' Incredibly, `Hermann' survived to sail into Tokyo Bay for Japan's surrender in Sept, 1945.  DE `Johnston' attacked at point-blank range and was sunk. The other American ships were badly damaged. Enemy gunfire sank two of the jeep carriers. But the hopeless, unbelievably brave American attacks so confused and demoralized Adm. Kurita, he broke off the battle and withdrew, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Attacks on Kurita's force by US submarines and aircraft in previous days had sunk the admiral's flagship and broken his spirit. Hours before, Adm Jesse Oldendorf's old battleships, raised from the bottom of Pearl Harbor, crossed the enemy T at Surigao Strait, annihilating the second Japanese pincer, sinking two enemy battleships. History's greatest naval battle was won. Without the naval Thermopylae at Samar fought by the `small boys', Leyte would have been a disaster. A few courageous sailors turned it into a triumph that should be taught in every American school for as long as the republic survives. Eternal glory to heros of Taffy-3.
|
Unfortunately, many homeless are VETS. It's so sad.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
