Taffy 3

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In support of the United States Navy’s Seventh Fleet during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, a prelude to the US’ invasion of the Philippines in World War Two, Taffy (short for “Task Force”) 3 consisted of escort carriers CVE-70 USS Fanshaw Bay', CVE-73 USS Gambier Bay, CVE-68 USS Kalinen Bay, CVE-71 USS Kitkun Bay, CVE-63 USS Saint Lo and CVE-66 USS White Plains. They were escorted by a light destroyer force composed of destroyers DD-533 USS Hoel, DD-557 USS Johnston and DD-532 USS Heermann, and the destroyer escorts DE-413 USS Samuel B. Roberts, DE-341 USS Raymond, DE-405 USS Dennis and DE-339 USS John C. Butler.

Early on the morning of 25 October 1944, Taffy 3 came face-to-face with a force from the Imperial Japanese Navy consisting of 11 destroyers, 2 light and 6 heavy cruisers and 4 battleships (including the Yamato, the largest battleship in existence), under the command of Admiral Takeo Kurita, that had broken through the American line. Kurita's Center Force - having survived almost continuous air attacks the previous day that had damaged or sunk several ships (including the Yamato's sister ship Musashi) - had managed to escape detection and had made a daring night-time passage of San Bernardino Strait north of Samar. Now they were headed toward the invasion beaches.

Separated from the bulk of the U.S. fleet, Taffy 3 faced the oncoming Japanese alone. The only support they could expect was the aircraft of Taffy 1 and Taffy 2. Despite being out-gunned and out-ranged by the attacking Japanese ships, the ships escorting the carriers attacked the Japanese formation with gunfire and torpedoes allowing the carriers time to launch their aircraft and then try to escape. Even after the planes ran out of bullets and the ships ran out of torpedoes, they continued to make attack passes at the Japanese ships, drawing fire away from the units that still had ammunition. Ironically, the Japanese ships were firing armor-piercing ammunition, most of which tended to pass completely through the American ships without exploding.

Closest to the Japanese ships was Escort Carrier USS Gambier Bay. She received a hit that put her engines out of commission. Alone and unable to maneuver, she absorbed tremendous punishment from the Japanese guns before eventually sinking, becoming the only U.S. carrier to be sunk by enemy naval gunfire.

For over two hours, the men and ships of Taffy 3 withstood a withering assault. Nevertheless, the furious defense mounted by Taffy 3 convinced Kurita that he was facing heavier forces than he actually was, prompting his decision to turn and retire from the area.

Shortly after the battle, the carriers of Taffy 1, Taffy 2 and the survivors of Taffy 3 came under attack by Japanese bomber and kamikaze aircraft. Several of the Escort Carriers were hit; the USS St Lo was damaged so severely that she sank.

Taffy 3 had prevented the Japanese forces from engaging the invasion forces in Leyte Gulf, and had undoubtedly saved the invasion fleet, but at a terrible cost. In addition to Gambier Bay and St. Lo, the destroyers Hoel and Johnston, and the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts were sunk. Over 1,000 sailors and airmen were lost that day, with hundreds of others wounded.

The Japanese suffered, too, and while the United States could easily absorb its losses, the Japanese losses (Battleships Yamato, Nagato and Kongo, the Cruisers Tone, Haguro, Kumano and Noshiro, the destroyers Fujiname, Hayashimo, Kishiname, Okiname, Hamakaze and Urakaze' all suffered damage from surface and air attack; Kumano's bow was blown off by a torpedo from the Johnston. The Cruisers Chokai and Chikuma were crippled and later scuttled. The Cruiser Suzuya suffered serious damage from air attack and succumbed to internal explosions) were insurmountable. The sunken ships could not be replaced, and the damaged vessels could not be repaired. Moreover, by that time in the war, the Imperial Japanese Navy no longer had the manpower required to sail those ships.

For their actions during the Battle of Samar, the men and ships of Taffy 3 were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation

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