Uss johnston, a fletcher class destroyer of the united states navy, is this weeks subject. Nhhc photo johnston hit a heavy cruiser in its first run at the japanese, but it suffered widespread damage and casualties in the attack. What was the most courageous independent action by a u. Iii, 1968, navy department, office of the chief of naval operations, naval history division, washington, d. The wreck of us navy destroyer uss johnston has been found under 21,180 feet of water off the coast of the philippine island of samar. Apr 01, 2021 uss johnston dd557 off washington state 27 oct. Evans was posthumously awarded the congressional medal of honor. She was credited as the first ship of taffy iii to attack centre force and charged the four ships of cruiser division seven at 30 knots. During the operation to liberate the philippines, the small naval task force, taffy 3, was left to provide cover for the invading us army. Uss johnston dd557 caladan oceanic announced this morning that they successfully relocated and surveyed the wreckage of the destroyer off samar found by rv petrel back in 2019. She was a part in the battle of samar where she protected the u.
The under armed, outnumbered men of taffy 3 faced the most powerful force of. What the uss johnston accomplished against considerable odds was no small feat and is studied by naval historians to this day. Evans was born august, 1908 in pawnee, oklahoma, a 12 cherokee and 14 creek. Site on the uss johnston dd 557 and uss hoel dd 533, two valiant ships also sunk at taffy iii. Us navy destroyer uss johnston, sunk in wwii, deepest known. The ship was most famous for her bold action in the battle off samar. The task force was full of ships that performed very heroically that day, but johnston led the charge immediately begins dropping smoke to cover the escort carriers from the. Roberts, the uss hoel, and the uss heermann ignored their orders and their military discipline, turned around, and attacked the enemy in suicidal efforts. The uss johnston was lost in october 1944 during the battle of samar while heroically taking on a far more powerful fleet of japanese battleships and cruisers in a successful mission to protect the jeep carriers of taffy 3 supporting landing operations in the philippines. The actions of johnston, fellow destroyers, destroyer escorts and escort carrier task unit taffy 3 helped stop admiral kuritas center force from attacking vulnerable u. Fascinating and sobering images of the uss johnston dd557 recently explored in the depths of the philippine trench. Nov 12, 2019 uss johnston dd557 was a world war iiera fletcherclass destroyer in the service of the united states navy. Pacific battleship center battleship uss iowa facebook. This brief description doesnt do justice to the heroism of evans and his crew, reagan said.
Deepest wreck ever found is famous second world war. Uss johnston dd557 shortly after being launched in march 1943. Against this massive fleet stood six escort carriers, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts. Uss johnston dd557 196 scale us navy destroyer bkm vault.
Great book and a great source of pride to this old tin can sailor. The 1962 novel harms way bears many similarities to the battle. Uss johnston off samar the battle off samar, leyte gulf. A fifth ship from taffy 3, the escort carrier uss st. States naval operations in world war ii, i mapped out the tracks of taffy 3 and the. Lo cve63, was sunk in a kamikaze attack immediately following the japanese withdrawal. Vescovo, who said the first book that he borrowed from a library at the. Screening for taffy 3 were the destroyers hoel, heermann and johnston, and destroyer escorts dennis, john c.
During the operation to liberate the philippines, the small naval task force, taffy 3, was left to provide cover for the invading. Eyewitness to the battle off samar and the loss of the uss st. Taffy 3 had only six escort carriers and seven destroyers. Roberts, the uss johnston, the uss gambier bay the only carrier sunk by gunfire in ww ii, and the uss st. Apr 05, 2021 the wreck of us navy destroyer uss johnston has been found under 21,180 feet of water off the coast of the philippine island of samar. Uss johnston dd 557 the finest hour by mark karvon. Johnston was lost during the famous battle off samar as one of the escorts that defended the jeep carriers of taffy 3 against the japanese onslaught from yamato, nagato, haruna, kongo, and supporting forces. Leading the attack was the uss johnston, who helped sink the japanese heavy cruiser kumano and then went toetotoe. Uss johnston dd 557 the finest hour mark karvon art studios. The small tincan destroyer armed with nothing larger than 5 inch 127mm guns and torpedoes would lead the attack of a handful of light ships. The uss johnston, with the other ships and planes of taffy 3, fought so fiercely they surprised the japanese. The last stand of the tin can sailors, tells of an american squadron of three dds and four des escorting six small aircraft carriers called jeep carriers. The iconic destroyers of the fletcher class the inglorius. John moore to direct wwii naval battle movie come hell or.
Uss johnston one of the destroyers, uss johnston, having. Wreck of uss johnston dd 557 discovered at 20,000 feet. Taffy 3 was made up of escort carriers, affectionately known as baby. On this day, 75 years ago, taffy 3 fought kuritas forces in the battle. Sep 11, 2018 uss johnston off samar the battle off samar, leyte gulf, during wwii is chronicled in a book by james hornfischer. Im in my second reading of the las stand of the tin can sailors. Uss johnston, found at a depth of 21,180 feet, link pic fwiw 4221 19. A memorial to sprague and taffy 3 next to uss midway cv41 in san diego. Midway but few compare to the actions of uss johnston and uss hoel off sam.
Uss johnston, found at a depth of 21,180 feet, link pic. Uss heerman dd532 and a destroyer escort lay a smoke screen. Although most of taffy 3 spent the engagement trying to evade the japanese, four of the captains those commanding the uss johnston, the uss samuel b. Shepler, usnr, depicting an episode during the torpedo attacks by the tg 77. The battle off samar october 25, 1944 uss hoel ddg. Johnson leading the charge toward the japanese navy, heavily damaging at least two ships and then engaging enemy destroyers despite taking heavy damage. On the morning of october 25th admiral halsey took third fleet north to engage a japanese carrier. The deepest shipwreck ever found has been confirmed as a us. Uss johnston dd557 wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Sprague was under the erroneous impression that admiral. The main section of the uss johnston sunk 77 years ago during the battle of leyte gulfhas been discovered off the philippine coast. Dawn of 25 october 1944 found taffy 3 steaming northeast of samar operating as the northern air support group. Hoel got caught in bad spot sort of intentionally early.
The taffy 3 model ship builders are invited to neils house at 3pm on thursday for a taffy 3 buildcommissioning party. Explorers locate remains of wwii destroyer usa news express. At this point, taffy 3 s sister task units, taffy 1 and taffy 2 tg 77. During an anti submarine patrol, she sank i176 which, up until that point, has been the most successful sub of her class. Johnston the defenders of taffy 3 uss johnston, us navy ships. Retiree increases patriotic volunteerism senior news and living. Famed wwii destroyer uss johnston discovered 4 miles. Johnstons gunnery officer later reported, we felt like little david. We will be doing last minute repairs, ballasting ships in the float tank, eating pizza and beverages, and commissioning the taffy 3 fleet. Ive read two books on this battle, and this is a good summary.
The japanese force took considerable damage and made the decision to retire from the engagement. Uss johnston was part of taffy 3 which in spite of the odds stopped the largest japanese armada ever formed. Taffy 3s first contact with kuritas force was a visual sighting of. How those ships stayed afloat with so many pairs of large steel balls aboard is a miracle. Lots of great information nicely put together by bill mercer. In a privatelyfunded expedition, they were able to go deeper than petrel using the submersible dsv limiting factor, and discovered the main wreck, confirming the. Commanded by 1st native american to receive medal of honor, prevented japanese forces from attacking us forces liberating philippines. Explorers just found the remains of a wwii hero destroyer. Trumpeter models 50 fletcher fitted and painted for uss johnston, taffy 3. Roberts is another one who stood tall with the uss johnston and others of taffy 3 against a far larger adversary.
Despite being heavily outgunned, the uss johnston and her small carrier task force, designated taffy 3, took on a japanese center force of four battleships, seven cruisers, and no less. We plan on setting up our models in a secured room at the hotel at 5pm. The uss johnston is one of the many fletchers commissioned during world war 2. Aircraft from the carriers of taffy 1, 2, and 3, including fm2 wildcats, f6f hellcats and tbm avengers, strafed, bombed, torpedoed, rocketed, depthcharged, fired at least one. She had hoped to convince him to write a book about native american moh winners, but it was not to be. The skipper was a fighting man from the soles of his broad feet to the ends of his straight black hair.
The actions of johnston sunk in the actionand the lightly armed and lightly armored escort carrier task unit 77. She was the first navy ship named after lieutenant john v. Uss johnston dd 557 was a world war iiera fletcherclass destroyer in the service of the united states navy. One of those stories has always stayed in my mind, invoking awe, sadness and a great sense of pride.
She was a fighting ship and was mostly bombarding shorelines. The battle off samar taffy iii at leyte gulf robert jon cox on. The deepest shipwreck ever found has been confirmed as a. The ship was most famous for its bold action in the battle off samar. Aug 29, 2015 the johnston and her crew deserve a special place in the annals of warfare but then again, so does the whole of taffy 3. Just like that, three destroyer escorts and three destroyers were. Cmdr ernest edwin evans, moh recipient, and the battle off. Apr 05, 2021 if taffy 3 the task group the johnson was part of. The battle off samar was the centermost action of the battle of leyte gulf, one of the largest. They thought they were fighting a much larger american force and retreated. The 5th edition of my book 2010, the battle off samar taffy iii at leyte gulf at.
Despite being heavily outgunned, the uss johnston and her small carrier task force, designated taffy 3, took on a japanese center force of four battleships, seven cruisers, and no less than twelve destroyers in the leyte gulf. Apr 03, 2021 uss johnston, sunk 77 years ago during battle of leyte gulf, found more than 20,000 feet down. Though each escort carrier was small and carried an average of about 28 planes, that gave the 16 cves of the three taffies a combined total of approximately 450 aircraft, equivalent to five large. Johnston s supreme courage and daring in the battle off samar won her the presidential unit citation as a unit of taffy 3 task unit 77. Although its escorts were bound to protect the slow, unarmored escort carriers, taffy 2, commanded by rear admiral felix b. Minecraft uss johnston defender of taffy 3 youtube. Im on page 6 at the moment, just as taffy 3s tbm avengers are finding kuritas middle force. Steaming straight for taffy 3 were four battleships, seven cruisers, and at least 12 destroyers. Uss johnston off samar the battle off samar, leyte gulf, during wwii is chronicled in a book by james hornfischer. Roberts de4, and uss gambier bay cve73 a fifth ship from taffy 3, the escort carrier uss st. His destroyers generated a smoke screen and, johnston in the lead, began firing at their pursuers.
Im not a ww2 naval expert by any means, but lets examine a few key facts about the johnston during that action fletcherclass destroyer with 5inch guns and ten torpedoes goes stampeding ahead of the rest of taffy 3. Uss johnston off samar the battle off samar, leyte gulf, during. The uss johnston sank on october 25, 1944, during the battle of. Taffy 2 was in the central position patrolling off the entrance to leyte gulf, and taffy 1 covered the southern approaches to the gulf some 150 miles 240 km to the southeast of hoels taffy 3. One of the most prolific destroyers of all time, the uss johnston earned her fame during the battle off samar. Uss johnston dd 557 the finest hour mark karvon art. Aug 21, 2016 taffy 3 which was composed of 6 escort carriers, the fletcher class destroyers hoel, johnston, and heermann and 4 destroyer escorts was assigned the task of providing close air support for troops ashore and antisubmarine protection for transports. Uss johnston dd 557 received five battle stars for her service in world war ii. Apr 05, 2021 the johnston and hoel both fletchers and the samuel b. During the operation to liberate the philippines, the small naval task force, taffy 3. The nonfiction book the last stand of the tin can sailors. The pilots of taffy 1, 2, and 3 threw everything at them except the knives in the galley.
Hoel dd533, heermann dd532, and destroyer escorts samuel b. Taffy 3s three destroyers and four destroyer escorts possessed neither the. Of the thirteen ships of taffy 3, five were sunk, the uss hoel, the uss samuel b. The most ably commanded destroyer of taffy iii, johnston was repeatedly referenced by the japanese as a heavy cruiser.
Oct 31, 2019 the experts said they believed they had uncovered the resting place of the uss johnston, a member of the famous taffy 3 unit which steamed into battle against the imperial japanese navys. Naval institute news, couldnt determine the identity of the destroyer, which could have been uss johnston or her fellow taffy 3 escort, uss hoel, which also. With suicidal courage, commander ernest evans took on 4. This is recreated fletcher class destroyer from ww2 in minecraft that is called uss johnston. Despite the odds the courageous actions of uss johnston and her task unit, taffy 3.
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