A remarkable story of the kind of courage I hope I could muster. This is the story of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the last major naval battle between the US and Japan. But it is really the story of destroyers and the ethos of those charged with defense. Destroyers and their smaller and cheaper to build compatriots Destroyer Escorts were called Tin Cans because their playing with 3/4” thick (I may be off on this measurement but I think that’s what the author said). This means they don’t really have the defensive armor to withstand hits from naval guns. Additionally they only carry 5” guns, minuscule in comparison to the 18” guns or atleast 12” + guns of battleships. They had torpedoes but these were only effective in about half the range of the heavy cruisers and battleships, meaning they would have to sail under fire for thousands of yards before being able to launch at maximum range. They were meant to protect Aircraft carriers from submarines with depth charges and other aircraft with anti-air guns.

Therefore the adoptive ethos of the crews of these ships was immense pride in the daring required of their mission. This book details their finest hour. In October, 1944 a Japanese Fleet was able to detach the main fleet carriers of Admiral Halsey in a chase while a second force attacked the transports attempting to land in the Phillipines. All that stood in their way was Taffy 3, whose escort carriers were prime targets for the 4 battleships and 11 heavy cruisers baring down on them. What eventually cause Admiral Kurita to turn around is not well understood but Navy tradition and a good deal of service pride holds that the daring charge of the destroyers and destroyer escorts of Taffy 3 (4 of which sunk) blunted the advance of the Japanese assault and speed enough confusion as to cause Kurita to retreat.

This book tells their story.

Excellent book on the stand of Taffy 3, where men given the opportunity to run or fight chose to fight, despite the overwhelming odds and help change the course of the battle. Personal and down in the action style of writing helps make this read like a novel.

Super! Up close and personal and at the same time never losing sight of the overall battle. It's also a condemnation of Halsey's ego-driven excursion thereby failing to failure to guard the San Bernardino Strait.

The history of the U. S. Navy contains many stories of great valor -- from Stephen Decatur burning the frigate PHILADELPHIA in the harbor at Tripoli, through David Dixon Porter running the gauntlet of Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, to the attack of Torpedo Squadron 8 at Midway -- but few compare to the actions of USS JOHNSTON and USS HOEL off Samar in 1944. Commander Ernest E. Evans demonstrated the “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” worthy of his posthumous Medal of Honor. The sea battles known collectively as The Battle of Leyte Gulf may have been the U.S. Navy's finest hour.

There should always be a USS JOHNSTON, USS HOEL and a USS ERNEST E. EVANS at sea under the flag of the United States. Jim Hornfischer’s book does honor to all the Tin Can sailors. It is genuine Five Star material.

I had a conversation a while back with a soldier who'd distinguished himself in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. He observed to me that "A lot of heroes in a battle means someone screwed up bad." So it was in this tale of a desperate World War II naval battle against impossible odds that would have never occurred had the legendary Admiral "Bull" Halsey not been played for a sucker by the Imperial Japanese Navy.

While Halsey chased a decoy force in his obsession to sink another Japanese carrier, a massive force that included the two largest warships ever built as well as a variety of smaller battleships, heavy cruisers, and destroyers bore down on the helpless transports and supply ships landing MacArthur's invasion force in the Philippines. The only thing standing in their way was a collection of destroyers, tiny destroyer escorts, and a few small, slow, lightly armored "escort carriers" whose relatively small complement of planes was mostly outfitted for antisubmarine work and close air support of ground troops.

When they saw what was headed their way, the logical thing for the small ships of TFs One, Two, and Three would have been to run for cover. But their captains and crews realized that that would have left the invasion force at the mercy of the giant battlewagons. In an act of suicidal bravery, the destroyers and destroyer escorts charged right at the Japanese battle group, dodging and weaving and ducking in and out of rain squalls, hoping to get within torpedo range and at least try to inflict some damage as well as covering the retreat of the small "jeep carriers." The pilots from those carriers went after the Japanese fleet with what they had. In several cases they literally had nothing due to having to launch in such haste; some planes strafed battleships with their machine guns, others made "torpedo runs" with no torpedoes to drop, in hopes of at least intimidating the enemy into changing course. One particularly angry pilot rolled inverted over a Japanese cruiser with his canopy open and fired his .38 caliber revolver at the shocked sailors on the bridge.

The "small boys" of Task Force 3 took a particularly terrible mauling, and there are parts of this book that are not easy to read because of the description of exactly what happens to flesh and bone when massive high explosive rounds hit a lightly armored ship packed with men. The carnage was horrific, and it's even more affecting because of James D. Hornfischer's gift for telling the stories of individual sailors and officers in a way that makes the reader really care what happened to them. This is a great, moving story of men at war. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

I never thought I would use the term "gripping", but this book merits that description. This is a very intense recounting of the last major ship-to-ship action in naval history, the Battle of Samar. When a group of destroyer escorts and aircraft carrier escorts are patrolling the Leyte Gulf off the coast of the Philippines, they run smack into a group of Japanese battleships, including the Yamato, largest of her fleet. Hopelessly outgunned and unable to outrun the Japanese, the Americans adopted a "damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead" attitude and did their best to inflict as much damage as they could before they were sunk. What should have ended with a sound defeat instead became a victory for the Americans as the Japanese eventually beat a hasty retreat. American survivors floated for several days on the open ocean fighting hunger, thirst, hypothermia, and sharks before they were rescued. The author gives details on many of the crews' men, their histories, thoughts, and experiences, making them more than just notes in a history book.

On the morning of October 25, 1944, a Japanese surface force steaming from the San Bernardino strait to attack the landing transports in Leyte Gulf stumbled across Taffy 3, an American escort carrier group, initiating a running battle. The Japanese force consisted of four battleships (including Yamato), six heavy cruisers, three light cruisers and ten destroyers. Taffy 3 consisted of six escort carriers and was protected by a screen of four destroyers and three destroyer escorts, about half the size of a destroyer. Not surprisingly, Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, in command of Taffy 3, didn't expect to last more than fifteen minutes. Even so, the surprised Americans fought like berserkers, and after a three hour running battle the Japanese retreated.

The American losses consisted of one escort carrier, two destroyers and one destroyer escort. A second escort carrier would be lost in a Kamikaze attack later that same day. The Japanese lost three heavy cruisers. Most ships on both sides sustained some damage.

This book describes the battle in detail and focuses primarily on the actions of the destroyer Johnston, commanded by Commander Ernest Evans, and the destroyer escort Samuel Roberts, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Robert Copeland. These two ships in particular distinguished themselves before being sunk, and Commander Evans earned the one Medal of Honor awarded for this battle. Based on the deeds of courage described, probably more than on Medal of Honor should have been awarded, but apparently Navy policy had a limit of one award per action.

Interestingly enough, the Navy was embarrassed by this battle. Admiral Halsey, a courageous and aggressive commander whose photo had graced several magazine covers and who had become the public face of the Navy, had been responsible for guarding the San Bernardino strait but had left it unguarded while he pursued a Japanese decoy force with his entire fleet. The Japanese force should have been met by American fast battleships but instead had to be stopped by a group of tin cans. Like any other large organization, the Navy doesn't exactly like to admit its blunders.

The book was well written and respectful to the men of both sides of the battle, American and Japanese, who all fought bravely. I highly recommend it.

A fine book about the most valiant action ever fought by the U.S. Navy. As an Army guy from a Navy family, I really appreciate feeling that life on the great vast ocean in claustrophobic warships. This is as brilliant a piece of writing as you will find.

Military history that is as compelling a read as the best novel you've ever read. This book is at once a detailed telling of a part of the larger battle of Leyte Gulf and an excellent tribute to the naval service and to a small segment of the "Greatest Generation."

bringing a revolver in the cockpit from now on (just in case)

As a former crew member of the HOEL (DDG-13) the history surrounding the desperate battle at Samar is of great interest. This book captures the extreme peril that was accepted and overcome by the fearless Captains and their crews. Makes one realize that we owe a great debt to the "greatest generation" that we may never be able to repay.

The author makes you feel as though you are there during the Battle off Samar. This book pays fitting tribute to the heroic men of the U.S. Navy fighting a huge Japanese fleet with a few destroyers, destroyer escorts, and planes from carrier escorts.