World's deepest shipwreck, WW2 Fletcher class destroyer, 20,000 feet under the sea

[bob10]

But which one? Johnston or the Hoel? Both were lost during the fight of " Taffy 3 " against overwhelming odds. I'm going to dig deeper to see what I can find out about Taffy 3 , and the battle of Leyte Gulf. A good video from the ROV research vessel. EDIT. the condition of the wreckage indicates the ship was blown to pieces, either a magazine blew up, or large calibre guns used against it. 141 men survived out of 327, a bloody miracle, I reckon.


World's Deepest Shipwreck Is WWII Destroyer Lost in the Philippine Sea
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Smart News
| Smithsonian (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-deepest-shipwreck-wwii-destroyer-philippine-sea-180973474/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20191105-daily-responsive&spMailingID=41047889&spUserID=ODU1Njc2OTEyODIyS0&spJobID=1640433569&spReportId=MTY0MDQzMzU2OQS2)

[bob10]

Ernest Edwin Evans, Native American, CO of USS Johnston, Medal of Honour.


Evans, Ernest Edwin (https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/modern-biographical-files-ndl/modern-bios-e/evans-ernest-e.html)

[bob10]

Good god. Taffy3 came up against the largest warship ever built up to that time , IJN Yamato. Yamato displaced more tonnage than the entire force of escort carriers and destroyers combined. And Yamato had support from other battleships , heavy & light cruisers and destroyers. It was suicide but Taffy 3 attacked. That showed as much courage as the 4 or 5 sub. patrol aircraft that had earlier attacked the Japanese fleet with depth charges. The reason for the courage in the face of overwhelming odds ? Taffy 3 was the only force between the Japanese and the American landing force at Leyte gulf, if the Japs got to the landing fleet, it would have been a slaughter. Admiral Halsey had gone off on a wild goose chase to find jap carriers reported to the north, taking every major USN fleet unit with him. The destroyers and escort carriers were it, and the planes on the carriers were loaded with ground attack bombs. I think this may have been the origin of the word SNAFU. Or not.


taffy3 leyte gulf ww2 you tube - Bing video (https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=taffy3+leyte+gulf+ww2+you+tube&view=detail&mid=6752E9C6A15F9086E36E6752E9C6A15F9086E36E&FORM=VIRE)

[NavyDiver]

Good god. Taffy3 came up against the largest warship ever built up to that time , IJN Yamato. Yamato displaced more tonnage than the entire force of escort carriers and destroyers combined. And Yamato had support from other battleships , heavy & light cruisers and destroyers. It was suicide but Taffy 3 attacked. That showed as much courage as the 4 or 5 sub. patrol aircraft that had earlier attacked the Japanese fleet with depth charges. The reason for the courage in the face of overwhelming odds ? Taffy 3 was the only force between the Japanese and the American landing force at Leyte gulf, if the Japs got to the landing fleet, it would have been a slaughter. Admiral Halsey had gone off on a wild goose chase to find jap carriers reported to the north, taking every major USN fleet unit with him. The destroyers and escort carriers were it, and the planes on the carriers were loaded with ground attack bombs. I think this may have been the origin of the word SNAFU. Or not.


taffy3 leyte gulf ww2 you tube - Bing video (https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=taffy3+leyte+gulf+ww2+you+tube&view=detail&mid=6752E9C6A15F9086E36E6752E9C6A15F9086E36E&FORM=VIRE)

HMAS Sydney book suggest Admiral Halsey was a chicken and refused to stay to provide air cover. FOG of war of course but his actions cost a lot of lives.

[bob10]

May as well keep on the theme, Nov.11 and everything. Battle of the Coral Sea. It turned out the side that made the least mistakes came out in front. In fact, the Japanese had a Tactical victory, but a Strategic loss. The result could have been so much different, if not for all the mistakes made by both sides.

taffy3 leyte gulf ww2 you tube - Bing video (https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=taffy3+leyte+gulf+ww2+you+tube&&view=detail&mid=22AE5540B7D181C2A65B22AE5540B7D181C2A65B&&FORM=VDRVRV) it says Leyte gulf but it is the Coral Sea.

[bob10]

The battle of Midway, from the Japanese perspective

YouTube (https://youtu.be/Bd8_vO5zrjo)