Clifton Sprague’s six escort carriers (known as Taffy 3)—guarded by three destroyers (including Johnston) and four destroyer escorts—face off against a. Roberts (DE-413), lost in a valiant sacrificial action off Samar. Roberts (DE-413), which sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944. 4. She was sunk in the Battle off Samar during the Battle of Leyte Gulf after helping to turn back a much larger attacking Japanese surface force. The USS Samuel B Roberts went down during the Battle Off Samar in the Philippine Sea in. The remains of the ship were found. She was one of sixteen small escorts carriers in Taskforce 74. Escort carrier HMS Audacity. The night before, the Third Fleet’s Admiral “Bull” Halsey took the fleet aircraft carrier group north in an effort to chase down the main Japanese fleet. The Navy confirmed the discovery of the wreckage site of destroyer escort USS Samuel B. USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier of the United States Navy. Navy destroyer escort sunk in a major World War II battle off the coast of the Philippines. S. 4 steaming sixty miles east of Samar island in the Leyte Gulf—protecting the invasion fleet which had landed the 6th Army on Leyte. skipper of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts, sunk in the Battle off Samar, was. Earlier this year, I suggested to then-CNO Admiral Richardson that the theme for this year’s Navy Birthday should be “No Higher Honor” in. Explorers have found the deepest shipwreck ever identified, a US navy destroyer escort sunk during WWII. Its capital is the city of Catbalogan. Date. Escort Carrier USS Gambier Bay, Destroyer Escort USS Raymond, and another Destroyer Escort, elements of Taffy 3, laying smoke before engaging the Japanese Center Force in the Battle Off Samar, Oct 25, 1944. Part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Philippines Campaign (1944–45), Pacific War (World War II) The escort carrier Gambier Bay, burning from earlier gunfire damage, is bracketed by a salvo from a Japanese cruiser (faintly visible in the background, center-right) shortly before sinking during the Battle off Samar. The Battle off Samar, one of the three naval engagements that comprised the Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944, was an especially bad day for Escort Carriers. Just after sunrise on 25 October, Rear Admiral Clifton A. 3—call sign “Taffy 3”—the northwesterly-most task unit, made up of six small escort carriers, three destroyers, and. She was the only American aircraft carrier sunk by enemy surface gunfire during World War II. The USS Samuel B. Samar is connected to the island of Leyte via the San Juanico Bridge. Roberts (DE-413) was located in the Philippine Sea and identified in June. The second stage of the battle occurred when a Japanese force led by admiral Kurita of battleships and cruisers came. Nearly 78 years after her loss during the 25 October 1944 Battle off Samar, the wreck of the USS Samuel B. Battle off Samar. They were steaming off the eastern coast of Samar. ” —Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison Download a PDF of H-Gram 036 (2. Explorers located the remains of a U. It is bordered by Northern Samar, Eastern Samar Leyte Gulf, and includes several islands in the . 5 MB). . The escort carriers were so thinly armored that some Japanese shells passed through one side of their hulls and out the other without detonating. In 1965, Northern and Eastern Samar were created. F. Heavy-caliber shells from Japanese ships bracket the escort carrier USS Gambier Bay during the battle off Samar. hull classification symbol CVE), also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the United States Navy (USN) or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the United States Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial. Battle Of Leyte-Samar. In 1768, Leyte and modern Samar were created out of the . Battle of Leyte Gulf, Battle off Samar, October 25, 1944. Sprague’s TG 77. S. USS Hermann (DD 532) and a destroyer-escort lay a smoke screen to protect their escort carrier group from attacking Japanese surface ships. . “In no engagement in its entire history has the United States Navy shown more gallantry, guts and gumption than in the two morning hours between 0730 and 0930 off Samar. Admiral Richardson readily agreed. . USS Samuel B. Already hit and on fire, the little escort carrier eventually rolled over and sank. In lauding the calm courage of his crew in the face of near-certain death, Copeland wrote that there was “no higher honor” than the privilege to lead such a gallant crew. The escort carrier or escort aircraft carrier (U. The "destroyer escort that fought like a battleship” was found four miles below the surface. She lies at a depth of 22,621 feet—making her the deepest shipwreck ever found, surpassing the record previously held by the wreck of the USS Johnston (DD-557. The Battle off Samar saw Rear Adm. It was sunk at the Battle off Samar after fighting a Japanese task force for two hours at near point. Roberts was assigned to protect Taffy 3’s small escort carriers, which were serving as bases for small bombers and fighters that were supporting the Army ground attack on the island.