USS Samuel Roberts Located off Samar at 22,000 feet

[Diggin It]

U.S. News // 4 hours ago
Explorers find USS Samuel B. Roberts, world's deepest shipwreck
June 26 (UPI) -- The wreckage of the World War II U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Samuel B. Roberts, was found off the coast of the Philippines.

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Shortly after dawn on 25 October, Samuel B. Roberts was protecting Taffy 3's escort carriers whose aircraft were supporting the Army assault. The warships were steaming off the eastern coast of Samar when the Japanese Center Force, a 23-ship task force under the command of Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, appeared on the horizon and opened fire. At 07:35, Roberts turned and headed toward the heavy cruiser Chōkai.

The commanding officer, Copeland, announced "We're making a torpedo run. The outcome is doubtful, but we will do our duty." With smoke as cover, Roberts steamed to within 2.5 nmi (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) of Chōkai, coming under fire from the cruiser's forward 8 in (203 mm) guns.

Roberts had moved so close that the enemy guns could not depress enough to hit her and when in torpedo range, Roberts launched three Mark 15 torpedoes, with one blowing off Chōkai's stern. Roberts fought with the Japanese ships for a further hour, firing more than six hundred 5 in (127 mm) shells, and while maneuvering at very close range, hitting Chōkai's superstructure with her 40 mm and 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.[6][7]

At 08:51, the Japanese landed two hits, the second of which damaged the aft 5 in (127 mm) gun. This damaged gun suffered a breech explosion shortly thereafter which killed and wounded several crew members. With her remaining 5 in (127 mm) gun, Roberts set the bridge of the heavy cruiser Chikuma on fire and destroyed the Number Three gun turret. Roberts was then hit by three 14 in (356 mm) shells from the battleship Kongō, which tore a hole 40 ft (12 m) long and 10 ft (3 m) wide in the port side of her aft engine room.

At 09:35, the order was given to abandon ship. She sank 30 minutes later, with 90 of the crew dying. The 120 survivors of the crew clung to three life rafts for 50 hours before being rescued.

During the battle, Samuel B. Roberts, which was designed for 23–24 kn (43–44 km/h; 26–28 mph), managed 28.7 kn (53.2 km/h; 33.0 mph) by raising pressure to 660 pounds per square inch (4,600 kPa) and diverting all available steam to the ship's turbines.[8]

Samuel B. Roberts was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 November 1944.

USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MossRoad]

WOW! Thanks for the link.

May those that went down with the ship rest in peace.

 

[dodge man]

There were several other ships that had similar stories but the Samuel B. Roberts story was the best.

 

[ArlyA]

Locating the Roberts is a plus.

 

[Rich B1]

Read “Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors”. Good account of the battle. What a badly outgunned task force achieved is remarkable. Was also only time in history a carrier sank another ship with only gunfire.

RIP to some very brave men

 

[Moxie 15]

Sounds like Captain and Crew got every bit of everything she could give, and she performed exceptionally. I have always wondered were such bravery and devotion comes from in men. And the ship itself seemed to be devoted a small ship taking on a bigger ship, holding together with a hole big enough to drive the biggest truck through for long enough to get most of the crew off. It always makes me wonder

 

[dodge man]

Rich B1. Did you mean the only time a carrier was sunk by gunfire? I know a baby flat top got sunk that day by gunfire. I know planes from the small flat top harassed the Japanese ships that day but they weren’t armed with ordnance to do any major damage.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Cool stuff! May those heroes rest peacefully.

 

[bcp]

Fron:

Battle off Samar - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Battle off Samar has been cited by historians as one of the greatest last stands in naval history; ultimately the Americans prevailed over a massive armada—the Imperial Japanese Navy's Center Force under command of Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita—despite their very heavy casualties and overwhelming odds.
...
Although the battleship Yamato and the remaining force returned to Japan, the battles marked the final defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy, as the ships remained in port for most of the rest of the war and ceased to be an effective naval force.


Bruce

 

[ArlyA]

Rich B1. Did you mean the only time a carrier was sunk by gunfire? I know a baby flat top got sunk that day by gunfire. I know planes from the small flat top harassed the Japanese ships that day but they weren’t armed with ordnance to do any major damage.

I don't understand this statement as well. I'd also guess he meant "carrier was sunk by naval gunfire"