“WWII Historian” This is must read for any WWII or Navy buff. It is incredible how the USS Samuel B. Roberts, destroyer escort, duels a heavy cruiser to a stalemate and blows off her number 3 turret while firing 600+ rounds of 54 pound 5 inch shells.

The Fletcher Class destroyers were the 5th greatest class of fighting ships in the world, according to the Military Channel’s show of the “Ten Greatest Fighting Ships”. The USS Johnston zigzagged into the teeth of the IJN Central Force and blew the bow off a heavy crusier with torpedos.

You feel like a sailor aboard the USS Johnston for her few minutes in the Battle of Samar and you also feel like a midshipman about the USS Samuel B. Roberts. Taffy 3 were the unsung naval heroes of WWII.

The Fletcher class destroyers were named after Admiral Frank Fletcher’s uncle Frank Friday Fletcher.

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Product Description

“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”

With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’s vulnerable invasion force were the Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history.

In the tradition of the #1 New York Times bestseller Flags of Our Fathers, James D. Hornfischer paints an unprecedented portrait of the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement unlike any other in U.S. history—and captures with unforgettable intensity the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory.

From the Hardcover edition.

Truly common boys, truly uncommon heroes
What an amazing, moving and inspiring book. It reads almost as a work of fiction, it moves so fluidly and thoroughly from character to character, ship to ship, and side to side. But every bit of it is true. It is hard to imagine that the white haired, slow-moving gentlemen we see at the malls or at church are some of the same who lived through the flames, the shrapnel, the bullets, the fear, and the courage. One has no idea of how brutal and violent war at sea can be unless they have either experienced it, but reading this book surely comes close to bringing it home. That so few small ships could make such a huge stand against what remained of the mighty Japanese navy almost seems like the script of a Hollywood movie, but no writer could have created such an incredible and courageous underdog story.

The author does a yeoman’s job of getting inside the command decisions of both the Japanese and American captains and officers. He explains the strategies and tactics in a way that any layman can easily fathom. One can argue that the Battle of Leyte Gulf was the greatest stand the US Navy took in World War 2. The Battle of Midway was certainly pivotal, but, not to at all diminish the bravery of the airman and sailors, was the product of much good luck for the US Navy and bad luck for the Japanese Navy. Leyte Gulf was all nerves and wills of steel for the Americans, and a realization for the Japanese that the end was nigh. It was the last great naval battle in history and the young men of the US Navy proved worthy of being the final victors.

For anyone who has an interest in naval warfare, profiles of personal courage, leadership, and general history — this is one of the most all-encompassing and engrossing books one can hope for. Highly, highly recommended….more info

Extraordinary men and ships.
“Resolution, sacrifice and success”, to quote words attributed to the men who fought what history may record as the greatest naval surface ship battle of the twentieth century. There truly are no words capable of expressing adequately the heroics of these sailors aboard their diminutive but mighty warships, the Tin Cans of the Pacific fleet, and of the aviators of the carriers all of whom comprised Taffy 1,2 and 3. However, Mr. Hornfischer has done a splendid job of recording these historic events so they won’t easily be forgotten. …more info

Gripping account of the US Navy’s finest hour
The Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 was the greatest naval battle in history, and had many facets. Unquestionably, the key moment was the battle off of Samar, in which a small group of lightly armored (and armed) destroyers, destroyer escorts and escort carriers tangled with the main Japanese surface fleet (including the superbattleship Yamato.) This astounding David-vs-Goliath combat is thrillingly recounted by Hornfischer, who makes heavy use of participants’ reminicences in telling the story.

The book starts with a background look at some of the key vessels and their personnel, gives a useful (but not overly detailed) background of the Leyte battle’s progress up to this point, then spends the heart of the book recreating Samar in page-turning prose that reads like a novel. And when the battle ends, the book does not; Hornfischer follows the survivors of the sunken ships as they struggle against the elements and the sharks, awaiting rescue.

The illustrations (including one of my favorite World War II photos, that of a US escort carrier under fire – in broad daylight – from a Japanese cruiser that is visible in the same frame) are excellent as well. This is one of the best books about the Pacific War I have read in a long time, and is a must-read for anyone even remotely interested in the Pacific theater of World War II or naval combat in general….more info

Very good, well done
This is a very good and compelling naval battle tale that really exposes the heroism of the men of the American Navy during WWII….more info