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USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413)
Encyclopedia
USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) was a John C. Butler-class
destroyer escort
of the United States Navy
.
Samuel B. Roberts was part of the Battle off Samar
, an unlikely victory in which relatively light U.S. warships prevented a superior Japanese
force from attacking the amphibious invasion
fleet off the large Philippine
island of Leyte
. This destroyer escort, along with the handful of destroyer
s, destroyer escorts, and escort carriers of the unit called "Taffy 3", was inadvertently left alone to fend off a fleet of heavily armed Japanese battleship
s, cruiser
s, and destroyers in this crucial action off the Island of Samar, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf
of October 1944. Steaming aggressively through a gauntlet of incoming shells, Samuel B. Roberts scored one torpedo hit and numerous gunfire hits as she slugged it out with larger enemy warships before finally being sunk. After the battle, Samuel B. Roberts received the nickname "the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship."
Named for Coxswain
Samuel Booker Roberts, Jr.
, a Navy Cross
recipient, Samuel B. Roberts was laid down on 6 December 1943, at the Brown Shipbuilding
Company of Houston, Texas
. She was launched on 20 January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Roberts, and was commissioned on 28 April 1944, commanded by Lieutenant Commander
Robert W. Copeland
, USNR
. She was the first of three U.S. Navy ships to bear her name.
from 21 May-19 June. After spending time at Boston Navy Yard
, her port propeller shaft struck a large whale 150 nmi (277.8 km) off the coast of Maine while sailing on her way to Europe. This damaged her propeller shaft and delayed her deployment. Following repairs and repainting in Norfolk, Virginia
, Roberts departed July 22 going through the Panama Canal
27 July. She joined the Pacific Fleet
at Pearl Harbor
on 10 August.
Samuel B. Roberts conducted training exercises around the Hawaiian Islands
, and then steamed out on 21 August with a convoy that reached Eniwetok Atoll on 30 August. On 2 September, Roberts steamed back to Pearl Harbor, arriving there with a convoy on September 10. Following further training, the destroyer escort got underway on 21 September, escorted a convoy to Eniwetok, and arrived on September 30. Roberts next proceeded to Manus Island
in the Admiralty Islands
of the Southwest Pacific, and then joined Task Unit 77.4.3, nicknamed "Taffy 3". From there she steamed to the Leyte Gulf
area off the eastern Philippines
, and upon arrival, she commenced operations with the Northern Air Support Group off the Island of Samar.
ashore. These warships were steaming off the eastern coast of Samar when the Japan
ese Center Force — a 23-ship task force under the command of Vice Admiral
Takeo Kurita
— suddenly appeared on the horizon and opened fire. At 07:35, Roberts turned and headed toward the battle. She charged toward the heavy cruiser
. 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) of Chōkai, coming under fire from the cruiser's forward 8 in (203.2 mm) guns.
Roberts had moved so close, the enemy gunners couldn't move their guns low enough to hit her, the shells simply passing overhead. Many hit the carrier . Once within torpedo range, she launched her three Mark 15 torpedo
es. One blew off Chōkais bow. The American sailors cheered "that a way Whitey, we hit 'em" as if it were ballgame, as shells were still incoming. Roberts then 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, mauling Chōkais superstructure with her 40 mm
and 20 mm
anti-aircraft guns. At 08:51, the Japanese landed two hits, the second of which destroyed the aft gun turret. With her remaining 5 in (127 mm) gun, Roberts set the bridge of the heavy cruiser on fire and destroyed the "Number Three" gun turret, before being hit by three 14 in (355.6 mm) shells from the battleship
. The shells tore a hole 40 ft (12.2 m) long and 10 ft (3 m) wide in the port side of her second engine room.
Gunner's mate Paul H. Carr
was in charge of the aft 5 in (127 mm) gun mount, which had fired nearly all of its 325 stored rounds in 35 minutes before a breech explosion. Carr was found dying at his station, begging for help loading the last round he was holding into the breech. He was awarded a Silver Star
, and a guided missile frigate
was later named for him. The USS Copeland (FFG-25) and Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) guided missile frigates were also named for the ship and its captain. At 09:35, the order was given to abandon ship. She sank 30 minutes later, with 89 of her sailors.
The 120 survivors of the crew clung to three life rafts for 50 hours before being rescued. During the battle, Samuel B. Roberts — designed for 23 knot — reached 28.7 kn (15.6 m/s) by diverting all available steam to the ship's twin turbines.
Samuel B. Roberts was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 27 November 1944.
for her World War II
service.
.
John C. Butler class destroyer escort
The John C. Butler class destroyer escort originated during World War II. The lead ship was the , commissioned on 31 March 1944. The class was also known as the WGT type from their Westinghouse Geared Turbine drive...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Samuel B. Roberts was part of the Battle off Samar
Battle off Samar
The Battle off Samar was the centermost action of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history, which took place in the Philippine Sea off Samar Island, in the Philippines on 25 October 1944...
, an unlikely victory in which relatively light U.S. warships prevented a superior Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
force from attacking the amphibious invasion
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
fleet off the large Philippine
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
island of Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
. This destroyer escort, along with the handful of destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, destroyer escorts, and escort carriers of the unit called "Taffy 3", was inadvertently left alone to fend off a fleet of heavily armed Japanese battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s, cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s, and destroyers in this crucial action off the Island of Samar, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
of October 1944. Steaming aggressively through a gauntlet of incoming shells, Samuel B. Roberts scored one torpedo hit and numerous gunfire hits as she slugged it out with larger enemy warships before finally being sunk. After the battle, Samuel B. Roberts received the nickname "the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship."
Named for Coxswain
Coxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
Samuel Booker Roberts, Jr.
Samuel B. Roberts
Samuel Booker Roberts, Jr. was a U.S. Navy coxswain who was killed in the Battle of Guadalcanal, and became the namesake of three U.S. Navy warships....
, a Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
recipient, Samuel B. Roberts was laid down on 6 December 1943, at the Brown Shipbuilding
Brown Shipbuilding
The Brown Shipbuilding Company was founded in Houston, Texas in 1942 as a subsidiary of Brown and Root by brothers Herman and George R. Brown to build ships for the US Navy during World War II....
Company of Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. She was launched on 20 January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Roberts, and was commissioned on 28 April 1944, commanded by Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
Robert W. Copeland
Robert W. Copeland
Rear Admiral Robert Witcher Copeland served during World War II.Copeland was born in Tacoma, Washington. Enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1929, he was commissioned as a Naval Reserve officer in 1935. Copeland practiced law from 1935 until 1940, when he was ordered to active duty during the Navy's...
, USNR
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
. She was the first of three U.S. Navy ships to bear her name.
Service history
Samuel B Roberts had a shakedown cruise off BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
from 21 May-19 June. After spending time at Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
, her port propeller shaft struck a large whale 150 nmi (277.8 km) off the coast of Maine while sailing on her way to Europe. This damaged her propeller shaft and delayed her deployment. Following repairs and repainting in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Roberts departed July 22 going through the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
27 July. She joined the Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 10 August.
Samuel B. Roberts conducted training exercises around the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, and then steamed out on 21 August with a convoy that reached Eniwetok Atoll on 30 August. On 2 September, Roberts steamed back to Pearl Harbor, arriving there with a convoy on September 10. Following further training, the destroyer escort got underway on 21 September, escorted a convoy to Eniwetok, and arrived on September 30. Roberts next proceeded to Manus Island
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
in the Admiralty Islands
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
of the Southwest Pacific, and then joined Task Unit 77.4.3, nicknamed "Taffy 3". From there she steamed to the Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at . The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by...
area off the eastern Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and upon arrival, she commenced operations with the Northern Air Support Group off the Island of Samar.
The Battle off Samar
Shortly after dawn on October 25, Samuel B. Roberts was protecting Taffy 3's small escort carriers. These were serving as bases for small bombers and fighters that were supporting the ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
ashore. These warships were steaming off the eastern coast of Samar when the Japan
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
ese Center Force — a 23-ship task force under the command of Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Takeo Kurita
Takeo Kurita
Vice Admiral was a vice-admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.-Early life:Kurita was born in Mito city, Ibaraki Prefecture in 1889. He was sent off to Etajima in 1905 and graduated from the 38th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1910, ranked 28th out of a class of...
— suddenly appeared on the horizon and opened fire. At 07:35, Roberts turned and headed toward the battle. She charged toward the heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
. 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) of Chōkai, coming under fire from the cruiser's forward 8 in (203.2 mm) guns.
Roberts had moved so close, the enemy gunners couldn't move their guns low enough to hit her, the shells simply passing overhead. Many hit the carrier . Once within torpedo range, she launched her three Mark 15 torpedo
Mark 15 torpedo
The standard U.S. destroyer-launched torpedo of World War II, the Mark 15 was very similar in design to the Mark 14 torpedo except that it was longer, lighter, and had longer range and larger warhead. 9,700 were produced during the war....
es. One blew off Chōkais bow. The American sailors cheered "that a way Whitey, we hit 'em" as if it were ballgame, as shells were still incoming. Roberts then 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, mauling Chōkais superstructure with her 40 mm
Bofors 40 mm gun
The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
and 20 mm
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
anti-aircraft guns. At 08:51, the Japanese landed two hits, the second of which destroyed the aft gun turret. With her remaining 5 in (127 mm) gun, Roberts set the bridge of the heavy cruiser on fire and destroyed the "Number Three" gun turret, before being hit by three 14 in (355.6 mm) shells from the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
. The shells tore a hole 40 ft (12.2 m) long and 10 ft (3 m) wide in the port side of her second engine room.
Gunner's mate Paul H. Carr
Paul H. Carr
Paul Henry Carr was a U.S. Navy Gunner's Mate Third Class who received a Silver Star posthumously for his actions aboard USS Samuel B. Roberts at the Battle off Samar during World War II. Carr served as the gun mount captain of the Roberts aft 5-inch gun...
was in charge of the aft 5 in (127 mm) gun mount, which had fired nearly all of its 325 stored rounds in 35 minutes before a breech explosion. Carr was found dying at his station, begging for help loading the last round he was holding into the breech. He was awarded a Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, and a guided missile frigate
USS Carr (FFG-52)
USS Carr , an , is a ship of the United States Navy named for Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Paul H. Carr . Carr was awarded a posthumous Silver Star for his heroism on the destroyer escort during the Battle off Samar....
was later named for him. The USS Copeland (FFG-25) and Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58) guided missile frigates were also named for the ship and its captain. At 09:35, the order was given to abandon ship. She sank 30 minutes later, with 89 of her sailors.
The 120 survivors of the crew clung to three life rafts for 50 hours before being rescued. During the battle, Samuel B. Roberts — designed for 23 knot — reached 28.7 kn (15.6 m/s) by diverting all available steam to the ship's twin turbines.
Samuel B. Roberts was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 27 November 1944.
Awards
Samuel B. Roberts was included in the Presidential Unit Citation given to Task Unit 77.4.3 "for extraordinary heroism in action." Samuel B. Roberts earned one battle starService star
A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
for her World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service.
Memorials
At the U.S. Naval Academy, in Alumni Hall, a concourse is dedicated to Lt. Lloyd Garnett and his shipmates on Samuel B. Roberts who earned their ship the reputation as the "destroyer escort that fought like a battleship" in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.Successors
Three ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Samuel B. Roberts, in honor of Samuel B. RobertsSamuel B. Roberts
Samuel Booker Roberts, Jr. was a U.S. Navy coxswain who was killed in the Battle of Guadalcanal, and became the namesake of three U.S. Navy warships....
.
- The second , was a Gearing-class destroyer, commissioned in 1946 and struck in 1970.
- The third , is an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate, commissioned in 1986 and still active as of 2009. When it struck a mine in 1988, crewman running past a plaque commemorating the first ship touched the plaque for luck.
Further reading
- Samuel Eliot MorisonSamuel Eliot MorisonSamuel Eliot Morison, Rear Admiral, United States Naval Reserve was an American historian noted for his works of maritime history that were both authoritative and highly readable. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912, and taught history at the university for 40 years...
, History of United States Naval Operations in World War IIHistory of United States Naval Operations in World War IIThe History of United States Naval Operations in World War II is a 15-volume account of the United States Navy in World War II, written by eminent historian Samuel Eliot Morison and published by Little, Brown and Company between 1947 and 1962....
, Volume 12, "Leyte."