What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour
"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.
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.
499 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2003
1614 people are currently reading
10496 people want to read
About the author
James D. Hornfischer
16 books403 followersJames D. Hornfischer was an American literary agent, author, and naval historian.
A one-time book editor at the publishing company HarperCollins in New York, Hornfischer was later president of Hornfischer Literary Management, a literary agency in Austin, Texas.
A one-time book editor at the publishing company HarperCollins in New York, Hornfischer was later president of Hornfischer Literary Management, a literary agency in Austin, Texas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 735 reviews
May 19, 2022
“When a heavy round from a naval rifle hits a ship and explodes, the energy released pulverizes the hardened steel of the shell and swirls up the shattered remnants of surrounding metal decks and bulkheads. All of this metal rushes outward on the edge of a wave of blast pressure that a typical shipboard compartment cannot hope to contain. The sudden and overwhelming ‘overpressure’ turns the compartment itself into a weapon, its remains churning up into a superheated storm of fragmented or liquefied metal. The blast wave’s effect on people is horrific. It collapses body cavities, crushes organs, and blows flesh from bone…”
- James D. Hornfischer, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
The Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944 is a curious incident to categorize. On the one hand, as James Hornfischer argues, it was the United States Navy’s “finest hour,” a heartening epic of an outgunned and outnumbered force sacrificing their lives for the greater good. On the other hand, it was an embarrassing near-catastrophe borne out of gross tactical negligence that sent a lot of good men to the bottom of the Philippine Sea.
In The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, you will hear a lot about the former, and almost nothing of the latter. As a result, this is a very good book with some serious limitations.
Taking place as a piece of the larger battle of Leyte Gulf – one of the biggest naval clashes in all history – the Battle off Samar pitted a Japanese force of massive battleships (six total), heavy cruisers (six total), and destroyers (eleven total) against a collection of thirteen United States ships, including six escort carriers (small, slow, poorly armored), three destroyers (small, fast, relatively lightly armed, and poorly armored), and three destroyer escorts (relatively fast, poorly armed, and poorly armored) in an old-fashioned surface action reminiscent of the days of Nelson.
The encounter came about as part of a three-pronged push by the Japanese to get their fleet to the landing beaches of Leyte Gulf, to destroy the transports disgorging American troops bent on retaking the Philippines. A Japanese force under Admiral Ozawa feinted from the north, enticing the over-aggressive Admiral William Halsey into giving chase with his fleet carriers and fast battleships. Meanwhile, from the west, two Japanese naval columns attempted to force the San Bernardino and Surigao Straits. The Japanese were stopped dead at Surigao, but the Center Force under Admiral Takeo Kurita managed – with an assist from American bungling – to pop through San Bernardino in such a surprising fashion that they were almost within big-gun range of Task Unit 77.4.3 (Taffy 3) before they were spotted.
With the escort carriers taking fire and unable to outdistance the faster Japanese ships, the destroyers and destroyer escorts of Taffy 3 tried to buy time by making a headlong series of torpedo runs, right into the teeth of the Japanese force (which included the Yamato, the largest battleship ever constructed). After expending their torpedoes, the American ships tried to bang it out with the Japanese, despite the self-evident futility.
Ultimately, two American escort carries were sunk (one by kamikaze, the other by naval gunfire), as well as two destroyers and a destroyer escort. Yet the sacrifice of the destroyers and destroyer escorts (the “tin cans” of the title) bought enough time for the other carriers to escape. It also convinced the fatigued, emotionally spent Admiral Kurita to pull back, even though he was on the verge of a smashing victory.
Roughly the first third of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is dedicated to setting up the context in which the Battle off Samar took place. This includes the usual strategic overview that you would expect. It also includes, however, a rather detailed look at many of the ships – especially the destroyers and destroyer escorts – and men involved. For example, Hornfischer introduces us to Lieutenant Commander Robert Copeland, a Naval reservist called into action to command the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts. By providing an efficient look into Copeland’s background, as well as that of several of his men – both officers and enlisted men – he gives you a pertinent reason to pay attention during the battle to come. While naval warfare can be shockingly impersonal, with violent death flung by huge guns over many miles, Hornfischer makes the results of that warfare painfully intimate.
(Hornfischer also provides a dramatis personae, so that you can quickly reference the ships involved, as well as their commanders. While this won’t help you remember the dozens of enlisted men that are introduced, it is helpful as an abbreviated order of battle).
Just as important to an understanding of the Battle off Samar is Hornfischer’s descriptions of the various ships involved. By explaining the virtues and deficits of destroyers and destroyer escorts, he demonstrates the kind of courage it took for them to dash into the teeth of the Japanese battle group. It’s not simply a matter of big versus small; it is a matter of what a sixteen-inch naval shell can physically do to a destroyer escort’s 3/8 inch steel decks.
The Battle off Samar takes up a majority of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, and Hornfischer proves himself a master of the battle narrative. The retelling is visceral, forceful, and graphic. Especially well told are the anxious moments as the small U.S. ships make their initial torpedo runs, soaked in the spray of near-misses, waiting for the fatal blow to fall. Hornfischer covers the frantic efforts of pilots – many of them flying with antipersonnel rather than anti-ship ordinance – to harry and distract the large Japanese warships as they sought an angle to catch the American carriers. He describes the brutal gunnery duels, including the ghastly, deformative results of a solid hit.
In some ways, this is an old-fashioned book, highlighting the glory and damn-the-torpedoes heroics of the engagement. Nevertheless, the interpretation that Hornfischer presents is unvarnished and frequently ugly, with torn limbs, battered bodies, and blood running in the scuppers. I only have two minor criticisms of this section. First, it goes on too long. For the sake of comprehensiveness, Hornfischer checks in on just about every American ship, which ultimately tends to bludgeon the reader into exhaustion with repetitious accounts of mangled, sinking ships. Second, Hornfischer occasionally forgets that the exploits of Taffy 3 speak louder than words. In so forgetting, his prose subsequently veers into purple melodrama that is frankly unnecessary to achieve the emotional impact he seeks.
To tell his story, Hornfischer interviewed approximately sixty participants or relatives of participants. These interviews appear to have taken place between 2001 and 2003 (this was published in 2004). Due to actuarial realities (enlisted men being younger than officers), most of the eyewitness accounts come from the lower ranks. While you might lose some of the command perspective, you definitely get a feel for what it was like to be on one of those small, often-doomed ships. (Some of the stories, however, stretch credulity. For instance, the recollection of the pilot who claimed to have emptied his .45 while flying inverted over a Japanese ship requires more corroboration).
The only true shortcoming of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is that it is not interested in why the Battle off Samar took place at all. The reality in October 1944 was that America had an overwhelming superiority in the air and on the sea. They had, in many ways, assembled the greatest maritime armada ever. On the other side, the Japanese were out of oil; the operation of their planes and ships was greatly curtailed; and they were resorting to suicide tactics to save on fuel and avoid training new pilots.
Yet somehow, despite American advantages and Japanese disadvantages, the Japanese managed to gain local superiority, showing up on Taffy 3’s figurative doorstep with almost no warning. They sank an aircraft carrier with gunfire, which was unprecedented. Even Hornfischer admits – though he underplays the admission – that the sacrifices of the American destroyers and destroyer escorts would not have mattered if Kurita had not lost his nerve. The Battle off Samar was kind of a disaster; only good luck for the Americans and bad decisions by the Japanese kept the disaster from being widespread.
Most students of the battle blame Admiral “Bull” Halsey, who despite numerous blunders ended his career with five stars (while the cerebral Spruance, who won Midway back when the Japanese and U.S. were at parity, gained only four). One is tempted to ponder whether Halsey’s reputation comes more from his drop-the-mic quotes than from his actual abilities. It is a question for which Hornfischer displays zero interest.
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors wants you to think of selfless courage, of gutsy panache. It does not want you to think of the gaffes that made such courage and panache necessary. I found this an unfortunate authorial decision. Brave men died because of the poor judgment of others. They might have died because of one man’s penchant for chasing personal accolades. They deserve to be remembered, which Hornfischer has helped ensure.
They also deserve a reckoning, however paltry.
- James D. Hornfischer, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
The Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944 is a curious incident to categorize. On the one hand, as James Hornfischer argues, it was the United States Navy’s “finest hour,” a heartening epic of an outgunned and outnumbered force sacrificing their lives for the greater good. On the other hand, it was an embarrassing near-catastrophe borne out of gross tactical negligence that sent a lot of good men to the bottom of the Philippine Sea.
In The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, you will hear a lot about the former, and almost nothing of the latter. As a result, this is a very good book with some serious limitations.
Taking place as a piece of the larger battle of Leyte Gulf – one of the biggest naval clashes in all history – the Battle off Samar pitted a Japanese force of massive battleships (six total), heavy cruisers (six total), and destroyers (eleven total) against a collection of thirteen United States ships, including six escort carriers (small, slow, poorly armored), three destroyers (small, fast, relatively lightly armed, and poorly armored), and three destroyer escorts (relatively fast, poorly armed, and poorly armored) in an old-fashioned surface action reminiscent of the days of Nelson.
The encounter came about as part of a three-pronged push by the Japanese to get their fleet to the landing beaches of Leyte Gulf, to destroy the transports disgorging American troops bent on retaking the Philippines. A Japanese force under Admiral Ozawa feinted from the north, enticing the over-aggressive Admiral William Halsey into giving chase with his fleet carriers and fast battleships. Meanwhile, from the west, two Japanese naval columns attempted to force the San Bernardino and Surigao Straits. The Japanese were stopped dead at Surigao, but the Center Force under Admiral Takeo Kurita managed – with an assist from American bungling – to pop through San Bernardino in such a surprising fashion that they were almost within big-gun range of Task Unit 77.4.3 (Taffy 3) before they were spotted.
With the escort carriers taking fire and unable to outdistance the faster Japanese ships, the destroyers and destroyer escorts of Taffy 3 tried to buy time by making a headlong series of torpedo runs, right into the teeth of the Japanese force (which included the Yamato, the largest battleship ever constructed). After expending their torpedoes, the American ships tried to bang it out with the Japanese, despite the self-evident futility.
Ultimately, two American escort carries were sunk (one by kamikaze, the other by naval gunfire), as well as two destroyers and a destroyer escort. Yet the sacrifice of the destroyers and destroyer escorts (the “tin cans” of the title) bought enough time for the other carriers to escape. It also convinced the fatigued, emotionally spent Admiral Kurita to pull back, even though he was on the verge of a smashing victory.
Roughly the first third of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is dedicated to setting up the context in which the Battle off Samar took place. This includes the usual strategic overview that you would expect. It also includes, however, a rather detailed look at many of the ships – especially the destroyers and destroyer escorts – and men involved. For example, Hornfischer introduces us to Lieutenant Commander Robert Copeland, a Naval reservist called into action to command the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts. By providing an efficient look into Copeland’s background, as well as that of several of his men – both officers and enlisted men – he gives you a pertinent reason to pay attention during the battle to come. While naval warfare can be shockingly impersonal, with violent death flung by huge guns over many miles, Hornfischer makes the results of that warfare painfully intimate.
(Hornfischer also provides a dramatis personae, so that you can quickly reference the ships involved, as well as their commanders. While this won’t help you remember the dozens of enlisted men that are introduced, it is helpful as an abbreviated order of battle).
Just as important to an understanding of the Battle off Samar is Hornfischer’s descriptions of the various ships involved. By explaining the virtues and deficits of destroyers and destroyer escorts, he demonstrates the kind of courage it took for them to dash into the teeth of the Japanese battle group. It’s not simply a matter of big versus small; it is a matter of what a sixteen-inch naval shell can physically do to a destroyer escort’s 3/8 inch steel decks.
The Battle off Samar takes up a majority of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, and Hornfischer proves himself a master of the battle narrative. The retelling is visceral, forceful, and graphic. Especially well told are the anxious moments as the small U.S. ships make their initial torpedo runs, soaked in the spray of near-misses, waiting for the fatal blow to fall. Hornfischer covers the frantic efforts of pilots – many of them flying with antipersonnel rather than anti-ship ordinance – to harry and distract the large Japanese warships as they sought an angle to catch the American carriers. He describes the brutal gunnery duels, including the ghastly, deformative results of a solid hit.
In some ways, this is an old-fashioned book, highlighting the glory and damn-the-torpedoes heroics of the engagement. Nevertheless, the interpretation that Hornfischer presents is unvarnished and frequently ugly, with torn limbs, battered bodies, and blood running in the scuppers. I only have two minor criticisms of this section. First, it goes on too long. For the sake of comprehensiveness, Hornfischer checks in on just about every American ship, which ultimately tends to bludgeon the reader into exhaustion with repetitious accounts of mangled, sinking ships. Second, Hornfischer occasionally forgets that the exploits of Taffy 3 speak louder than words. In so forgetting, his prose subsequently veers into purple melodrama that is frankly unnecessary to achieve the emotional impact he seeks.
To tell his story, Hornfischer interviewed approximately sixty participants or relatives of participants. These interviews appear to have taken place between 2001 and 2003 (this was published in 2004). Due to actuarial realities (enlisted men being younger than officers), most of the eyewitness accounts come from the lower ranks. While you might lose some of the command perspective, you definitely get a feel for what it was like to be on one of those small, often-doomed ships. (Some of the stories, however, stretch credulity. For instance, the recollection of the pilot who claimed to have emptied his .45 while flying inverted over a Japanese ship requires more corroboration).
The only true shortcoming of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is that it is not interested in why the Battle off Samar took place at all. The reality in October 1944 was that America had an overwhelming superiority in the air and on the sea. They had, in many ways, assembled the greatest maritime armada ever. On the other side, the Japanese were out of oil; the operation of their planes and ships was greatly curtailed; and they were resorting to suicide tactics to save on fuel and avoid training new pilots.
Yet somehow, despite American advantages and Japanese disadvantages, the Japanese managed to gain local superiority, showing up on Taffy 3’s figurative doorstep with almost no warning. They sank an aircraft carrier with gunfire, which was unprecedented. Even Hornfischer admits – though he underplays the admission – that the sacrifices of the American destroyers and destroyer escorts would not have mattered if Kurita had not lost his nerve. The Battle off Samar was kind of a disaster; only good luck for the Americans and bad decisions by the Japanese kept the disaster from being widespread.
Most students of the battle blame Admiral “Bull” Halsey, who despite numerous blunders ended his career with five stars (while the cerebral Spruance, who won Midway back when the Japanese and U.S. were at parity, gained only four). One is tempted to ponder whether Halsey’s reputation comes more from his drop-the-mic quotes than from his actual abilities. It is a question for which Hornfischer displays zero interest.
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors wants you to think of selfless courage, of gutsy panache. It does not want you to think of the gaffes that made such courage and panache necessary. I found this an unfortunate authorial decision. Brave men died because of the poor judgment of others. They might have died because of one man’s penchant for chasing personal accolades. They deserve to be remembered, which Hornfischer has helped ensure.
They also deserve a reckoning, however paltry.
October 28, 2025
I was passingly familiar with the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the controversies by Admiral Halsey, but I didn't know about the Battle off Samar, in which a handful of American escort ships charged and, incredible as it sounds, beat back a large Japanese fleet full of Goliaths like the Yamato, the largest-ever warship at the time.
The courage and guts of this small naval battlegroup, called Taffy 3, reads like pure fiction, yet it isn't. A bunch of outnumbered and outgunned "peashooter" tin cans making a hopeless last stand before heavy cruisers and giant battleships, and being sunk as expected but not before inflicting so much damage that Japan's Admiral Kurita had to retreat on the brink of victory! That could've come from the fevered imagination of a Hollywood screenwriter.
There's lots of scenes that don't read real but from a war film, scenes where American aviators are charging the Japanese ships without a single torpedo or bomb onboard, running low over the ships and pretending to 'drop' non-existent bombs on them just to distract the crew and make their life miserable, buying time for the US carriers to outrun the Japanese to safety. In one such scene, a pilot throws a Coca-Cola bottle at the Japanese ship because he had nothing to drop on them anymore; and in another scene, the same pilot commandeers at gunpoint ammo from the Army's airbase when he's denied help by the stiff-backed officer in charge, so he could go back into the fight rearmed.
I wish more history books were written in such an engaging and engrossing way, probably more people (and schoolchildren) would be into reading history. This book has its ponderous and slow parts, full of details about the Navy and the ships, proceedings, weaponry, etc.; but all that boatload of details is necessary to get the context. I live far from the sea now, and can't tell a ship from another, but here I learnt the functions and shapes of each type of warship thanks to Hornfischer's penchant for giving you all the details. It helps that there's diagrams and drawings in-between the pages where you'll need them to visualise what the text says. All in all, it's an excellent micro-history book.
The courage and guts of this small naval battlegroup, called Taffy 3, reads like pure fiction, yet it isn't. A bunch of outnumbered and outgunned "peashooter" tin cans making a hopeless last stand before heavy cruisers and giant battleships, and being sunk as expected but not before inflicting so much damage that Japan's Admiral Kurita had to retreat on the brink of victory! That could've come from the fevered imagination of a Hollywood screenwriter.
There's lots of scenes that don't read real but from a war film, scenes where American aviators are charging the Japanese ships without a single torpedo or bomb onboard, running low over the ships and pretending to 'drop' non-existent bombs on them just to distract the crew and make their life miserable, buying time for the US carriers to outrun the Japanese to safety. In one such scene, a pilot throws a Coca-Cola bottle at the Japanese ship because he had nothing to drop on them anymore; and in another scene, the same pilot commandeers at gunpoint ammo from the Army's airbase when he's denied help by the stiff-backed officer in charge, so he could go back into the fight rearmed.
I wish more history books were written in such an engaging and engrossing way, probably more people (and schoolchildren) would be into reading history. This book has its ponderous and slow parts, full of details about the Navy and the ships, proceedings, weaponry, etc.; but all that boatload of details is necessary to get the context. I live far from the sea now, and can't tell a ship from another, but here I learnt the functions and shapes of each type of warship thanks to Hornfischer's penchant for giving you all the details. It helps that there's diagrams and drawings in-between the pages where you'll need them to visualise what the text says. All in all, it's an excellent micro-history book.
February 16, 2016
5 Battle Stars! There are few books that will impact you physically as well as mentally. This is one of them. I sit drained and awe-inspired. Hornfischer will take you into the heart of this final major sea battle off the coast of the Philippine Islands, a battle that should have been a slaughter of American ships by a vastly more powerful Japanese force. But a small force of destroyers/destroyer escorts and swirling naval air attacked, and attacked, and attacked until the Japanese force finally withdrew. The writing is so intense, I had to take breaks. Even after the battle, the American survivors fight to survive for 3 nights and 2 days when the rescue forces go to the wrong location. This surface battle and the naval air battle overhead filled me with awe at the sheer courage displayed. I can't think of another battle history that exceeds the power of this story. All time best book!
February 9, 2015
What do you do when you’re a relatively small group of light aircraft carriers, destroyers, and destroyer escorts and you’re suddenly faced with the biggest ships in the Japanese Navy? Japanese ships that are faster, sturdier, and have guns that can fire long before you’ll be in range to fire back?
You can:
A) Curse Admiral Halsey for chasing a decoy group of Japanese ships and leaving your flank exposed.
B) Accept the fact that you are probably going to die.
C) Charge the Japanese line anyway, even if all your plane has are depth charges (because you were on anti-submarine patrol) or if all your ship has are guns that will bounce off the larger ship’s armor.
D) Somehow pull off a miraculous victory through one of history’s most impressive shows of courage, determination, and sacrifice.
E) All of the above.
As you can guess, the men of the group (Taffy 3) did all of the above. American planes swarmed the Japanese cruisers, destroyers, and battleships, sometimes even when they didn’t have any weapons, because it might make the ships swerve and slow them down. The destroyers and destroyer escorts attacked even though the Japanese ships were far more powerful, hoping to give the aircraft carriers (six of them) a chance to escape. And in the end, the Japanese turned around without annihilating Taffy 3 and without attacking recently landed US ground forces under MacArthur. If you want to know how they managed it, you’ll have to read the book.
I’ve read a few books dealing at least in part with the war in the Philippines, but this is the first one I’ve read about the naval action in October 1944 and I enjoyed reading about something new. Hornfischer did an excellent job showing the readers the horrors of naval combat without being gory. He also did a good job explaining things so that readers without a naval background (like me) could understand the events, but I never felt he was hitting me over the head with information I already knew.
The men of Taffy 3 were true heroes. The book starts off a teeny bit slow, but it quickly becomes absorbing. Highly recommended.
You can:
A) Curse Admiral Halsey for chasing a decoy group of Japanese ships and leaving your flank exposed.
B) Accept the fact that you are probably going to die.
C) Charge the Japanese line anyway, even if all your plane has are depth charges (because you were on anti-submarine patrol) or if all your ship has are guns that will bounce off the larger ship’s armor.
D) Somehow pull off a miraculous victory through one of history’s most impressive shows of courage, determination, and sacrifice.
E) All of the above.
As you can guess, the men of the group (Taffy 3) did all of the above. American planes swarmed the Japanese cruisers, destroyers, and battleships, sometimes even when they didn’t have any weapons, because it might make the ships swerve and slow them down. The destroyers and destroyer escorts attacked even though the Japanese ships were far more powerful, hoping to give the aircraft carriers (six of them) a chance to escape. And in the end, the Japanese turned around without annihilating Taffy 3 and without attacking recently landed US ground forces under MacArthur. If you want to know how they managed it, you’ll have to read the book.
I’ve read a few books dealing at least in part with the war in the Philippines, but this is the first one I’ve read about the naval action in October 1944 and I enjoyed reading about something new. Hornfischer did an excellent job showing the readers the horrors of naval combat without being gory. He also did a good job explaining things so that readers without a naval background (like me) could understand the events, but I never felt he was hitting me over the head with information I already knew.
The men of Taffy 3 were true heroes. The book starts off a teeny bit slow, but it quickly becomes absorbing. Highly recommended.
February 7, 2010
This should be required reading for all those who serve in the Navy--on or above the sea. It is the story of Taffy 3, a WWII force of America's smallest ships--Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts. Tasked with protecting the carriers that were part of MacArthur's return to the Philippines, they ended up the front line against Japan's largest collection of battleships and the island nation's last gasp to turn the tides of WWII. No one expected these tiny ships--therein lies the name, 'tin cans'--to face down Japan's massive force of light cruisers, heavy cruisers and carriers. In fact, one of the Destroyer captains said, "This will be a fight against overwhelming odds, from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can."
And damage they did. They flitted in, their tiny guns booming and flashing. When they had no more torpedoes (each only carried 10), they charged anyway, shooting their small caliber deck-mounted guns. Wave after wave of aircraft buzzed the Japanese ships, American pilots continuing to attack even when their bombs ran out, hoping to frazzle and frighten the enemy. Despite the bravado, the sailors knew they had no chance to stop such a superior force. They could do little but pray for the best, understanding if the enemy got past them, they would get to the carriers.
But this isn't as much an historic account of the Battle of Leyte Gulf--that can be found in other books--as it is the story of the men who fought, their all-American roots, their unquestioning commitment to fight the good fight, their bottomless courage. They joined the war in response to Pearl Harbor, giving their brains and muscle to defend what was most important to them, and ended up giving their lives.
Hermon Wouk wrote of this battle, "The vision of Sprague's (the commander of Taffy 3)three destroyers--the Johnston, the Hoel, and the Heermann--charging out of the smoke and the rain straight toward the main batteries of Kurita's battleships and cruisers, can endure as a picture of the way Americans fight when they don't have superiority. Our schoolchildren should know about that incident, and our enemies should ponder it."
When the battle ended, Japan lost almost 10,000 men while America lost 800+ brave sailors, three of the tin cans and only one of our carriers--the only American carrier ever sunk in a naval battle. When the tiny ships sank and the sailors tredded water, fought off the sharks who smelled their blood, one incident stood out: A Japanese heavy cruiser approached. The stranded sailors didn't know if they'd be killed or captured. Instead, as the ship sailed by, the Japanese lined the side and saluted the bravery of their enemy.
If you are an American soldier or the parent of one, read this to see what will be expected of him or her. If you are our enemy, read this and beware.
And damage they did. They flitted in, their tiny guns booming and flashing. When they had no more torpedoes (each only carried 10), they charged anyway, shooting their small caliber deck-mounted guns. Wave after wave of aircraft buzzed the Japanese ships, American pilots continuing to attack even when their bombs ran out, hoping to frazzle and frighten the enemy. Despite the bravado, the sailors knew they had no chance to stop such a superior force. They could do little but pray for the best, understanding if the enemy got past them, they would get to the carriers.
But this isn't as much an historic account of the Battle of Leyte Gulf--that can be found in other books--as it is the story of the men who fought, their all-American roots, their unquestioning commitment to fight the good fight, their bottomless courage. They joined the war in response to Pearl Harbor, giving their brains and muscle to defend what was most important to them, and ended up giving their lives.
Hermon Wouk wrote of this battle, "The vision of Sprague's (the commander of Taffy 3)three destroyers--the Johnston, the Hoel, and the Heermann--charging out of the smoke and the rain straight toward the main batteries of Kurita's battleships and cruisers, can endure as a picture of the way Americans fight when they don't have superiority. Our schoolchildren should know about that incident, and our enemies should ponder it."
When the battle ended, Japan lost almost 10,000 men while America lost 800+ brave sailors, three of the tin cans and only one of our carriers--the only American carrier ever sunk in a naval battle. When the tiny ships sank and the sailors tredded water, fought off the sharks who smelled their blood, one incident stood out: A Japanese heavy cruiser approached. The stranded sailors didn't know if they'd be killed or captured. Instead, as the ship sailed by, the Japanese lined the side and saluted the bravery of their enemy.
If you are an American soldier or the parent of one, read this to see what will be expected of him or her. If you are our enemy, read this and beware.
November 8, 2019
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.
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.
April 4, 2022
My dad read this book probably around the time it came out nearly 20 years ago. He gave me his copy and said it was a pretty good book. My dad wasn't much of a reader and I'm not all that interested in WWII history for reasons I've mentioned in other reviews. So I took the book and put it on a shelf and forgot about it. In the course of several moves to new residences the book was either lost or given to charity but I no longer had it and never missed it until recently. The review of a GR friend was so good that it made me curious and piqued a desire to read the book that I was sure I still owned. A thorough search revealed otherwise and I was forced to buy a new copy. Now I know why my dad, the non-reader, thought it was a good book. The book is about a naval battle that took place off the island my father was stationed on during the war. He was in the navy but I know he could not have been involved in this battle since he was a diver on a minesweeper and no such vessel was involved in the events depicted in this book. Another reason he probably thought the book was good was because it was about a naval battle of immense significance that received very little notice or historical attention.
I have read about the naval engagements surrounding the invasion of the Philippine Islands in several books. In those previous readings the navy task forces known as Taffy 1,2, and 3 were mentioned but never in the detail and depth of this book and that is more than simply a shame it is almost a crime. As the author indicates it would seem that to have placed the events of this battle before the public would have made the navy and a particular "naval hero" look like a bunch of incompetents and showboaters. The engagement depicted in this book involved 6 escort carriers, CVEs, which are smaller and less armored than fleet carriers and the 7 destroyers and destroyer escorts assigned to protect these "jeep carriers". Jeep carriers are support ships and as such are usually held in the rear and away from frontline activity. These 13 ships were designated as Taffy 3 and they were part of the rear element of the Third Fleet. The Third Fleet had just handed the Central Force of the Japanese Navy a devastating blow in their attempt to attack the American invasion force landing at Leyte Island in the Philippines. after being seriously mauled the Japanese Central Force apparently decided to retreat and turned away from the American Fleet. Seeing this reversal the commander of the American Third Fleet, Admiral Halsey, learned of another Japanese force coming from the North with the remainder of the Japanese carrier force. Unknown to Halsey this was a decoy fleet whose purpose was to lure Halsey away from Leyte. The decoy worked. The retreating Japanese fleet was then given orders to turn around and continue its mission. Halsey left no ships to guard the northern approach to the invasion force. With the way cleared of the opposing fleet Admiral Kurita, commander of the Japanese fleet, sailed to stop the invasion. Enroute Kurita ran into Taffy 3, 6 lightly armored jeep carriers with 7 small destroyers and destroyer escorts. Kurita's force contained 2 of the largest battleships on the planet at the time as well as an assortment of heavy and light cruisers and destroyers. Every sailor in Taffy 3 knew that they had a snowball's chance in hell of surviving the impending battle. What happened before, during, and after this battle is what this book is about.
As for the book I have to say my ignorance of the plight of Taffy 3 made me less tolerant of the first part of the book. When a book is titled The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors you expect the book to be about destroyers and their crews. The first 140 pages are more about naval aviation, aircraft carriers, and thumbnail biographies of what I assumed were major players in the events of the story. There was very little about destroyers if anything. Then you have part two and it is realized that part one was merely setting the stage for a naval engagement likes of which I have never read before except in the fictions of naval engagements of the Napoleonic Era. If you would like to gain some idea of the horror of a modern naval engagement then this book is a must. This battle wasn't merely a David vs Goliath event it was more like Goliath and David's baby brother and the results were horrendous and should have been far worse. So after the the first part of the book the story becomes a page turner with many very short chapters that makes the reading pace even faster. The third and fourth parts of the book are about what happened after the shooting stopped and what happened to the survivors and their after war lives. This is a sensational book about a naval event that the author correctly ranks with the major naval battles of history but because of a PR decision it is unknown. Sad.
I have read about the naval engagements surrounding the invasion of the Philippine Islands in several books. In those previous readings the navy task forces known as Taffy 1,2, and 3 were mentioned but never in the detail and depth of this book and that is more than simply a shame it is almost a crime. As the author indicates it would seem that to have placed the events of this battle before the public would have made the navy and a particular "naval hero" look like a bunch of incompetents and showboaters. The engagement depicted in this book involved 6 escort carriers, CVEs, which are smaller and less armored than fleet carriers and the 7 destroyers and destroyer escorts assigned to protect these "jeep carriers". Jeep carriers are support ships and as such are usually held in the rear and away from frontline activity. These 13 ships were designated as Taffy 3 and they were part of the rear element of the Third Fleet. The Third Fleet had just handed the Central Force of the Japanese Navy a devastating blow in their attempt to attack the American invasion force landing at Leyte Island in the Philippines. after being seriously mauled the Japanese Central Force apparently decided to retreat and turned away from the American Fleet. Seeing this reversal the commander of the American Third Fleet, Admiral Halsey, learned of another Japanese force coming from the North with the remainder of the Japanese carrier force. Unknown to Halsey this was a decoy fleet whose purpose was to lure Halsey away from Leyte. The decoy worked. The retreating Japanese fleet was then given orders to turn around and continue its mission. Halsey left no ships to guard the northern approach to the invasion force. With the way cleared of the opposing fleet Admiral Kurita, commander of the Japanese fleet, sailed to stop the invasion. Enroute Kurita ran into Taffy 3, 6 lightly armored jeep carriers with 7 small destroyers and destroyer escorts. Kurita's force contained 2 of the largest battleships on the planet at the time as well as an assortment of heavy and light cruisers and destroyers. Every sailor in Taffy 3 knew that they had a snowball's chance in hell of surviving the impending battle. What happened before, during, and after this battle is what this book is about.
As for the book I have to say my ignorance of the plight of Taffy 3 made me less tolerant of the first part of the book. When a book is titled The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors you expect the book to be about destroyers and their crews. The first 140 pages are more about naval aviation, aircraft carriers, and thumbnail biographies of what I assumed were major players in the events of the story. There was very little about destroyers if anything. Then you have part two and it is realized that part one was merely setting the stage for a naval engagement likes of which I have never read before except in the fictions of naval engagements of the Napoleonic Era. If you would like to gain some idea of the horror of a modern naval engagement then this book is a must. This battle wasn't merely a David vs Goliath event it was more like Goliath and David's baby brother and the results were horrendous and should have been far worse. So after the the first part of the book the story becomes a page turner with many very short chapters that makes the reading pace even faster. The third and fourth parts of the book are about what happened after the shooting stopped and what happened to the survivors and their after war lives. This is a sensational book about a naval event that the author correctly ranks with the major naval battles of history but because of a PR decision it is unknown. Sad.
January 11, 2013
My grandfather was in this battle, on the USS Hoel. He was a survivor. I've had the HONOR and OPPORTUNITY in meeting these brave men who fought along side him on these "Tin Cans" at Leyte Gulf and have heard the most amazing stories from them. Sam Lucas, Bill Mercer, Glenn Parkin, and others. This is a great book on their accounts. Also, my family and I attended the monument dedication in San Diego in 1996, and its an amazing site. If you're a history buff like myself, you wont be disappointed., pick it up.
July 27, 2016
Exceptional story of courage
My father served in the Navy in World War II. Reading this gave me an idea of what he faced as a 17 year old shipped out to the Pacific. Well worth the time to read and appreciate
My father served in the Navy in World War II. Reading this gave me an idea of what he faced as a 17 year old shipped out to the Pacific. Well worth the time to read and appreciate
August 19, 2022
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."
May 21, 2022
This is not normally a book I would choose to read because I’m not particularly a fan of naval battle details and statistics. However, the book is invariably on lists of best books on WWII in the Pacific and remains on the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Professional Reading Program list. A number of the books on that list I would leave for others, i.e. A Brief Guide to Maritime Strategy by James Holmes. Each to their own.
As Hornfischer says in The Last of the Tin Can Soldiers, this was a battle of firsts and lasts. The action took place off Samar in the Philippines and was a part of the greater battle of Leyte Gulf. A map of the area would be helpful to keep handy. Very briefly, American forces were there to support MacArthur’s return to the area. The Japanese, although clearly losing the larger war, still needed oil and rubber from Malaysia and Indonesia and needed to keep the Americans at bay.
The Japanese under Admiral Kurita were pursuing their part of the battle plan in enormous battleships and heavy destroyers when they came upon American aircraft carriers supported by lighter ships, the “tin cans” of the title. The tin cans appeared to have a suicide mission, distracting the overwhelming Japanese force, laying smoke and generally harassing the giant. In the end, the book describes their heroic efforts, many individual stories and their scrappiness that saved the all important carriers (one lost). Why Admiral Kurita didn’t press his overwhelming advantage isn’t clear.
The book is probably not read as a strategy book unless it is for historical reasons. Hornfischer’s lasts: last lined up ship to ship battle shoot out and the last use of battleships. The firsts: an American carrier sunk by surface engagement and the first ship sunk by a kamikaze. Heroism definitely. Waste, yes. Halsey is barely mentioned although the obvious skunk here. By choosing to chase after a decoy, he abandoned the vulnerable off Samar and there was a huge loss of life.
Good book. A little long. Slow start for me.
As Hornfischer says in The Last of the Tin Can Soldiers, this was a battle of firsts and lasts. The action took place off Samar in the Philippines and was a part of the greater battle of Leyte Gulf. A map of the area would be helpful to keep handy. Very briefly, American forces were there to support MacArthur’s return to the area. The Japanese, although clearly losing the larger war, still needed oil and rubber from Malaysia and Indonesia and needed to keep the Americans at bay.
The Japanese under Admiral Kurita were pursuing their part of the battle plan in enormous battleships and heavy destroyers when they came upon American aircraft carriers supported by lighter ships, the “tin cans” of the title. The tin cans appeared to have a suicide mission, distracting the overwhelming Japanese force, laying smoke and generally harassing the giant. In the end, the book describes their heroic efforts, many individual stories and their scrappiness that saved the all important carriers (one lost). Why Admiral Kurita didn’t press his overwhelming advantage isn’t clear.
The book is probably not read as a strategy book unless it is for historical reasons. Hornfischer’s lasts: last lined up ship to ship battle shoot out and the last use of battleships. The firsts: an American carrier sunk by surface engagement and the first ship sunk by a kamikaze. Heroism definitely. Waste, yes. Halsey is barely mentioned although the obvious skunk here. By choosing to chase after a decoy, he abandoned the vulnerable off Samar and there was a huge loss of life.
Good book. A little long. Slow start for me.
July 12, 2007
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.
August 22, 2019
Thursday, August 22, 2019
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
by James D. Hornfischer
This is the third Hornfischer book I have read this year and in addition to a few other books about the U.S. Navy it describes the gallantry of the Navy. He mentions that unlike the ground soldiers Sailors had no foxhole to dive into during attack.
I wonder whether my generation and later appreciate the sacrifices made by the veterans of WWII. World War II was a war that needed to be fought. Japan and Germany were brutal regimes bent on destroying civilization. The United States responded in a gallant and admirable way. The veterans deserved to be saluted.
I did not enjoy reading about the survivors of the battle floating in the ocean for a few days and the troubles they had and I wish the Navy had devoted more resources to rescuing these survivors. I have read other accounts of the efforts by the Navy to recover pilots shot down and the efforts by submarines to rescue them. Also Hornfischer states near the end that the Navy and Nimitz played down the battle in order to save the reputation of Bill Halsey. This book is a testament to the bravery and actions of the sailors abroad these ships and is an ignoble testament to the actions of the Naval leaders.
I am not a fan of narrative history but this one worked for me. Hornfischer captures the heroism and terrifying moments of these battles.
One of the astounding things about this battle is that at this time in the war the United States had a vastly superior and more powerful Navy than the Japanese, but the last battle between theses 2 navies would pit small American Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts against the Battleships and Cruisers of Japan.
This book is an excellent addition to any reading list of the war in the Pacific during WWII.
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
by James D. Hornfischer
This is the third Hornfischer book I have read this year and in addition to a few other books about the U.S. Navy it describes the gallantry of the Navy. He mentions that unlike the ground soldiers Sailors had no foxhole to dive into during attack.
I wonder whether my generation and later appreciate the sacrifices made by the veterans of WWII. World War II was a war that needed to be fought. Japan and Germany were brutal regimes bent on destroying civilization. The United States responded in a gallant and admirable way. The veterans deserved to be saluted.
I did not enjoy reading about the survivors of the battle floating in the ocean for a few days and the troubles they had and I wish the Navy had devoted more resources to rescuing these survivors. I have read other accounts of the efforts by the Navy to recover pilots shot down and the efforts by submarines to rescue them. Also Hornfischer states near the end that the Navy and Nimitz played down the battle in order to save the reputation of Bill Halsey. This book is a testament to the bravery and actions of the sailors abroad these ships and is an ignoble testament to the actions of the Naval leaders.
I am not a fan of narrative history but this one worked for me. Hornfischer captures the heroism and terrifying moments of these battles.
One of the astounding things about this battle is that at this time in the war the United States had a vastly superior and more powerful Navy than the Japanese, but the last battle between theses 2 navies would pit small American Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts against the Battleships and Cruisers of Japan.
This book is an excellent addition to any reading list of the war in the Pacific during WWII.
March 8, 2015
This was probably the best book about a naval battle that I have ever read. No, it was the best book that I have ever read. There was literally never a dull moment. The author did a great job setting up the battle by developing the characters and explaining all the events that led up to the battle of Samar/Leyte Gulf.
The actual battle was described in vivid detail through the eyes of the American aviators and sailors who fought it. Your heart will leap when the tin can sailors of the USN Samuel B. Morris and the Johnston score torpedo hits on the Japanese cruisers. You will gnash your teeth as the sailors of the Hoel and the other American Tin Cans slug it out with their 5" guns against heavily armored Japanese cruisers and battle ships including the Yamato which carried 18.1" guns! You will soar with the Naval Aviators who out of desperation were using ordinance designed to sink submarines or kill infantry. They were doing their best to harass the Japanese assailants. One pilot even inverted his plane and fired his pistol at a battle ship. This was a fight to the death by two desperate foes. The last ditch effort of the Japanese surface navy vs a screen of American destroyers and tiny destroyer escorts who's primary mission was to pick up downed pilots and protect the jeep carriers from enemy submarines.
You will sob as the brave men of the tiny destroyers - after doing their job - are forced to abandon ship. They spend several days drifting in the water, succumbing to hypothermia, drowning, having delusions from the salt water they were drinking and being eaten by the sharks.
Finally, a tribute to Captain Earnest Evans of the USN Johnston: Your name should be celebrated by this country in the same breath as John Paul Jones. After scoring the first hit by the Americans with a torpedo to a Japanese cruiser and operating at half power with most of your 5" guns either silenced or firing manually, You put your Fletcher class destroyer in line with the other destroyers to draw fire away from your brethren so that their torpedo attacks may be successful too - all the time making smoke to screen the carriers you were committed to protect. I salute you sir. You are an American hero. Somehow, the medal of honor doesn't seem like enough for what you did.
Somewhere at the back of the book the author suggests that this story of the men of Taffy 3 should be told to our school children and enemies alike. It demonstrates American resolve and what Americans can do even when they are outgunned and surprised with their backs to the wall. Maybe, our president should read this book as well?
This was a great book and an easy read. I loved the organization and layout of the book with it's short chapters. As Captain Evans said when he first laid eyes on his overwhelming foe, "flank speed, full left rudder" run out and get this book.
The actual battle was described in vivid detail through the eyes of the American aviators and sailors who fought it. Your heart will leap when the tin can sailors of the USN Samuel B. Morris and the Johnston score torpedo hits on the Japanese cruisers. You will gnash your teeth as the sailors of the Hoel and the other American Tin Cans slug it out with their 5" guns against heavily armored Japanese cruisers and battle ships including the Yamato which carried 18.1" guns! You will soar with the Naval Aviators who out of desperation were using ordinance designed to sink submarines or kill infantry. They were doing their best to harass the Japanese assailants. One pilot even inverted his plane and fired his pistol at a battle ship. This was a fight to the death by two desperate foes. The last ditch effort of the Japanese surface navy vs a screen of American destroyers and tiny destroyer escorts who's primary mission was to pick up downed pilots and protect the jeep carriers from enemy submarines.
You will sob as the brave men of the tiny destroyers - after doing their job - are forced to abandon ship. They spend several days drifting in the water, succumbing to hypothermia, drowning, having delusions from the salt water they were drinking and being eaten by the sharks.
Finally, a tribute to Captain Earnest Evans of the USN Johnston: Your name should be celebrated by this country in the same breath as John Paul Jones. After scoring the first hit by the Americans with a torpedo to a Japanese cruiser and operating at half power with most of your 5" guns either silenced or firing manually, You put your Fletcher class destroyer in line with the other destroyers to draw fire away from your brethren so that their torpedo attacks may be successful too - all the time making smoke to screen the carriers you were committed to protect. I salute you sir. You are an American hero. Somehow, the medal of honor doesn't seem like enough for what you did.
Somewhere at the back of the book the author suggests that this story of the men of Taffy 3 should be told to our school children and enemies alike. It demonstrates American resolve and what Americans can do even when they are outgunned and surprised with their backs to the wall. Maybe, our president should read this book as well?
This was a great book and an easy read. I loved the organization and layout of the book with it's short chapters. As Captain Evans said when he first laid eyes on his overwhelming foe, "flank speed, full left rudder" run out and get this book.
June 26, 2019
What a powerful piece of our history. An event that is slowly being forgotten as time goes by. This story covers the details of the Naval battle in Samar (during the conquest to retake the Philippines from the Japanese) in which, against overwhelming odds, a small group of ships under Admiral Sprague defeated a massive Japanese imperial fleet. It was from this battle that Herman Wouk used for his classic, War and Remembrance.
I served in the Navy, so obviously this hits home for me. I can relate to the surroundings, having served aboard a ship, the USS Jouett CG-29, and toured in the Philippines, but I was never in a conflict such as the battle at Samar. Very few have and because of todays technology we may never see another naval battle of its kind.
A great piece of military history.
December 12, 2009
I was standing in the bookstore contemplating buying when an older gent on a cane told me I should read it. Turned out he was on one of the ships at the time and his photo was in the book. I shook his hand, thanked him for his service and bought the book. An excellent read for anyone interested in Naval History.
November 28, 2012
As a WW-II history buff, I had read long ago about the part played by Taffy 3 in the overall Battle of Leyte Gulf. Even a "mundane" report of the incredible heroics sent chills up the spine, and brought tears -- and this wonderfully-researched account is far, far beyond mundane. As a writer, I know how difficult it is to move smoothly between viewpoints when the action is widespread and changing fast, and author Hornfischer does a fine job. (That's one of the many strengths of this book.)
An added bonus, for me, was the author's more nuanced description of the pressures that plagued the Japanese commander, Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita. Many accounts paint Kurita as a boob or a coward -- however unlikely that seems given his fine record earlier in the war. Hornfischer's more balanced explanation makes Kurita's decision to withdraw much more understandable.
My only slight quibble is with the search and rescue efforts after the battle. That began to feel somewhat repetitious, and might been tightened up a bit. (Of course, having interviewed these men, and basically "lived" with them for awhile, he no doubt wanted to give each his due.)
The closing chapters, where he shows what happened to many of these men after the war, were also wonderful. It provides perspective as to who these men really were -- "ordinary" guys who rose to extraordinary heights of valor and determination.
An added bonus, for me, was the author's more nuanced description of the pressures that plagued the Japanese commander, Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita. Many accounts paint Kurita as a boob or a coward -- however unlikely that seems given his fine record earlier in the war. Hornfischer's more balanced explanation makes Kurita's decision to withdraw much more understandable.
My only slight quibble is with the search and rescue efforts after the battle. That began to feel somewhat repetitious, and might been tightened up a bit. (Of course, having interviewed these men, and basically "lived" with them for awhile, he no doubt wanted to give each his due.)
The closing chapters, where he shows what happened to many of these men after the war, were also wonderful. It provides perspective as to who these men really were -- "ordinary" guys who rose to extraordinary heights of valor and determination.
May 11, 2009
I've written before that I am easily annoyed by Tom Brokaw's assertion of the GI Generation as "The Greatest Generation" especially when applied selectively to only Americans. I in no way mean to demean WWII vets (quite the opposite), but I feel like today's young men and women would make the same sacrafices if called upon.
Usually.
The story of Taffy Three is the first time in a WWII history that I have found myself this amazed at the courage under fire of American servicemen. The courage of Army Rangers at Cabanatuan isn't to be questioned. Neither are the sacrifices of Polish patisans in Warsaw or British paratroops at Arnhem. But either this is what they trained for, or they really had no choice but to fight.
For the pilots from Taffy 3's escort carriers and the sailors on the destroyers and escort carriers, it was a bit different. Yes, they trained to fight, but no one trained them to go after the the main battle line of the Imperial Japanese Navy. They were supposed to be support, ground support, sub chasing, nothing glamorous. Yes, it was their duty to attack...the first time. But once your bombs or torpedos are gone, most folks would turn around and high-tail it for safety. This was clearly an option for the pilots and probably an option for the DDs and DEs too.
It wasn't an option for the escort carriers (or jeep carriers as Hornfischer refers to them). Nobody would blame those pilots or sailors for getting out of Dodge. WWII Army Air Corps pilots used to say they were flying for Uncle Sam until they dropped their bombs; then they were flying for themselves. Not these men. They went back, again and again, flying dry runs at Japanese battleships in the hopes that the big ships would swerve and give the carriers another few minutes. One pilot figured he made more than 19 torpedo runs in a plane that only carries one torpedo. The destroyers did the same, running in against heavy cruisers with their 5-inch guns blazing away.
It never should have made a bit of difference.
But it did. The Japanese commander, already spooked by having one ship shot out from under him the day before, became convinced he was casing fast carriers he could never hope to catch, and facing elite pilots in great numbers, and reciving fire from enemy cruisers instead of tin cans with pop-guns. Kurita retreated.
On one of the carriers, a 19-year-old look-out saw the largest a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese... ever afloat turn away and said "They're getting away!"
Usually.
The story of Taffy Three is the first time in a WWII history that I have found myself this amazed at the courage under fire of American servicemen. The courage of Army Rangers at Cabanatuan isn't to be questioned. Neither are the sacrifices of Polish patisans in Warsaw or British paratroops at Arnhem. But either this is what they trained for, or they really had no choice but to fight.
For the pilots from Taffy 3's escort carriers and the sailors on the destroyers and escort carriers, it was a bit different. Yes, they trained to fight, but no one trained them to go after the the main battle line of the Imperial Japanese Navy. They were supposed to be support, ground support, sub chasing, nothing glamorous. Yes, it was their duty to attack...the first time. But once your bombs or torpedos are gone, most folks would turn around and high-tail it for safety. This was clearly an option for the pilots and probably an option for the DDs and DEs too.
It wasn't an option for the escort carriers (or jeep carriers as Hornfischer refers to them). Nobody would blame those pilots or sailors for getting out of Dodge. WWII Army Air Corps pilots used to say they were flying for Uncle Sam until they dropped their bombs; then they were flying for themselves. Not these men. They went back, again and again, flying dry runs at Japanese battleships in the hopes that the big ships would swerve and give the carriers another few minutes. One pilot figured he made more than 19 torpedo runs in a plane that only carries one torpedo. The destroyers did the same, running in against heavy cruisers with their 5-inch guns blazing away.
It never should have made a bit of difference.
But it did. The Japanese commander, already spooked by having one ship shot out from under him the day before, became convinced he was casing fast carriers he could never hope to catch, and facing elite pilots in great numbers, and reciving fire from enemy cruisers instead of tin cans with pop-guns. Kurita retreated.
On one of the carriers, a 19-year-old look-out saw the largest a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese... ever afloat turn away and said "They're getting away!"
February 12, 2016
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.
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.
January 6, 2025
I wasn't that big of a fan of Hornfischer's Guadalcanal, but now I do understand why this book is so liked, especially among westerners and Americans.
Battle of Leyte Gulf is probably one of my favorite battles of the World War 2. It is filled with "what ifs", stupid mistakes, unbelievable quotes and it's complexity and sheer size make it feel like it wouldn't be plausible if it were written as a fiction.
The focus in this book is on American the tin cans, destroyers and destroyer escorts of Taffy 3 during the Battle of Samar. The focus makes the book feel quite tight and one gets excellent coverage on the fighting in that smaller part of the large battle. Japanese get mostly just a passing mention, although I'm always surprised how much information we can gather from battles long gone, especially on the ships that were found some 17 years after this book was written.
Hornfischer could really write and builds a fascinating account on the minutes, hours, and eventually days for some, that the battle lasted.
Battle of Leyte Gulf is probably one of my favorite battles of the World War 2. It is filled with "what ifs", stupid mistakes, unbelievable quotes and it's complexity and sheer size make it feel like it wouldn't be plausible if it were written as a fiction.
The focus in this book is on American the tin cans, destroyers and destroyer escorts of Taffy 3 during the Battle of Samar. The focus makes the book feel quite tight and one gets excellent coverage on the fighting in that smaller part of the large battle. Japanese get mostly just a passing mention, although I'm always surprised how much information we can gather from battles long gone, especially on the ships that were found some 17 years after this book was written.
Hornfischer could really write and builds a fascinating account on the minutes, hours, and eventually days for some, that the battle lasted.
April 27, 2025
An amazing tale of the last ship-to-ship battle of WWII, where out-numbered and severely out-gunned US Navy escorts repelled a suicidal Japanese attack intended to destroy a US invasion-and-supply fleet moving on the Philippines. The Japanese, for all their determination to go down fighting for their emperor, retreated in the face of the furious US defense.
December 28, 2022
There are just some books that sweep you up into their embrace and drag you helplessly through their tale until the conclusion is reached. "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" is just such a book, and should be required reading for all members of the sea services. I was aware of the circumstances of the Battle off Samar --- Halsey gorging on the bait of the decoy carrier fleet to the north and moving his fleet to attack; the undersized U.S. fleet that was left behind to face the mighty Japanese Center Force; and the desperate charge that a motley fleet of destroyers and destroyer escorts led against the flower of the Japanese surface navy in a valiant defense of the approaches to Leyte and MacArthur's invasion force. But I hadn't had the chance to read the details behind this incredible display of heroism and duty.
The story whisks you along at a brisk pace, and the tension is ratcheted up from the very first instant the ships of Taffy 3 spotted the Japanese behemoth approaching them. Outclassed in terms of ship number, armament, size, and speed, the ships of Taffy 3 had no chance to outrun their foe, couldn't outshoot their foe, and had no business trying to outfight their foe. But fight it they did. The combination of lunacy and courage that led the captains of destroyers and destroyer escorts to hurl their overmatched ships at destroyers, heavy cruisers, and battleships again and again, when their torpedoes were gone and their ships were battered and their men were slaughtered and all they had left were naval guns inferior to everything the entirety of their foe possessed, was both awesome and excruciating to behold. You couldn't help but cheer for men you got to know through the previous pages, and mourn when so many of them were lost. By rights, Taffy 3 should have been annihilated. But pushing themselves beyond all hope, beyond all endurance, and beyond all reasonable expectation of the suppression of mortal fear, these Pygmies refused to bow to the power of Goliath. They fought with their hearts and souls and grit and helped win the final naval battle in the war, which proved to be the last time the naval forces of opposing sides met in concentrated surface combat. Exhilarating and draining, this is a must-read for all aficionados of naval warfare, or for anyone who enjoys tales of how indomitable will and sheer guts can make ordinary men rise to accomplish the most extraordinary of feats.
The story whisks you along at a brisk pace, and the tension is ratcheted up from the very first instant the ships of Taffy 3 spotted the Japanese behemoth approaching them. Outclassed in terms of ship number, armament, size, and speed, the ships of Taffy 3 had no chance to outrun their foe, couldn't outshoot their foe, and had no business trying to outfight their foe. But fight it they did. The combination of lunacy and courage that led the captains of destroyers and destroyer escorts to hurl their overmatched ships at destroyers, heavy cruisers, and battleships again and again, when their torpedoes were gone and their ships were battered and their men were slaughtered and all they had left were naval guns inferior to everything the entirety of their foe possessed, was both awesome and excruciating to behold. You couldn't help but cheer for men you got to know through the previous pages, and mourn when so many of them were lost. By rights, Taffy 3 should have been annihilated. But pushing themselves beyond all hope, beyond all endurance, and beyond all reasonable expectation of the suppression of mortal fear, these Pygmies refused to bow to the power of Goliath. They fought with their hearts and souls and grit and helped win the final naval battle in the war, which proved to be the last time the naval forces of opposing sides met in concentrated surface combat. Exhilarating and draining, this is a must-read for all aficionados of naval warfare, or for anyone who enjoys tales of how indomitable will and sheer guts can make ordinary men rise to accomplish the most extraordinary of feats.
April 16, 2011
I wanted to give this book five stars but I will get into why I had to give four. I really reserve the 5 star rating for the best books I have ever read. The last half of this book fits this description but the first half falls short.
What I mean by this is the level of detail and the number of people described in the first half of the book, before the battle scenes. I found myself struggling to remember all the names because I knew I would want to remember them when the battles were described. I really wish the author would have developed the people when they were in action. I found it to be very difficult to remember the characters' previous development when the real action of this unbelievable story was described.
One more gripe...I feel I have to describe these gripes because the story is really incredible and I want whoever reads this to understand why I didn't give the book 5 stars. There are many awesome pictures in the book. Some of them are of people who don't figure in the story, or at least I couldn't remember where they were. I mention this because Bud Walton's picture is featured. I thought 'whoa I've missed something about him' but I couldn't find the detail. You see, Bud Walton is a huge figure where I'm from. The basketball arena here (for the Arkansaa Razorbacks) is named Bud Walton Arena and he was also the brother of Sam Walton (founder of Walmart).
Anyway, let me get into what is so incredible about this book. The sailors who put their lives on the line against seemingly insurmountable odds were all heroes. I wonder if men comparable to them exist today. Would men charge into battle knowing they would probably die? We live in different times now but we should not ever forget the great sacrifices that the greatest generation gave in defense of our nation.
For many years the battle described in this book (the Battle off Samar) was not mentioned by the Navy. The author gets into these details and sheds a different light on some of the admirals who were perceived to be great, but may not deserve the accolades they received.
The book is incredible. I really liked it. I recommend it to any WWII buff like me or to anybody who wants to read about inspirational sacrifice and men who realized a sense of duty for their country.
What I mean by this is the level of detail and the number of people described in the first half of the book, before the battle scenes. I found myself struggling to remember all the names because I knew I would want to remember them when the battles were described. I really wish the author would have developed the people when they were in action. I found it to be very difficult to remember the characters' previous development when the real action of this unbelievable story was described.
One more gripe...I feel I have to describe these gripes because the story is really incredible and I want whoever reads this to understand why I didn't give the book 5 stars. There are many awesome pictures in the book. Some of them are of people who don't figure in the story, or at least I couldn't remember where they were. I mention this because Bud Walton's picture is featured. I thought 'whoa I've missed something about him' but I couldn't find the detail. You see, Bud Walton is a huge figure where I'm from. The basketball arena here (for the Arkansaa Razorbacks) is named Bud Walton Arena and he was also the brother of Sam Walton (founder of Walmart).
Anyway, let me get into what is so incredible about this book. The sailors who put their lives on the line against seemingly insurmountable odds were all heroes. I wonder if men comparable to them exist today. Would men charge into battle knowing they would probably die? We live in different times now but we should not ever forget the great sacrifices that the greatest generation gave in defense of our nation.
For many years the battle described in this book (the Battle off Samar) was not mentioned by the Navy. The author gets into these details and sheds a different light on some of the admirals who were perceived to be great, but may not deserve the accolades they received.
The book is incredible. I really liked it. I recommend it to any WWII buff like me or to anybody who wants to read about inspirational sacrifice and men who realized a sense of duty for their country.
August 7, 2024
Another of his superb works of naval history, the late James Hornfischer's tale of the Battle of Leyte Gulf concentrates its sights on the Battle Off Samar on October 25, 1944. As part of 7th Fleet, which was supporting the invasion of the Philippines, a 13-ship US Navy task force of fragile escort carriers and the small ships of their screen (code name: Taffy 3) were forced to face an enormous Japanese fleet of battleships, heavy and light cruisers, and many more destroyers ships than the Americans possessed (Japanese code name: Center Force) and fight them to the death. Like many last stand situations, the battle was a result of someone's blunder, the blunderer, in this case, being Admiral William Halsey, who failed in his duty to keep watch over the route that the Japanese Center Force under Kurita was bound to take. Having been "pump-faked" out of position by a practically airplane-less carrier force, Halsey's mighty 3rd Fleet sailed off and left Taffy 3 to its fate. That the crews of the destroyers and destroyer-escorts fought magnificently is beyond debate, but the original snafu was compounded by the failures of Admirals Sprague and Kincaid (the commanders of Taffy 3 and the 7th Fleet respectively) to properly organize the search and rescue efforts after the battle, leaving hundreds of men to face the perils of the ocean for three days and two nights, resulting in the death of many of them from drowning, exposure and shark attacks. Nonetheless, Leyte Gulf in general and the Battle Off Samar, in particular, are rightly considered one of the US Navy's finest hours, and Hornfischer walks us through this huge and complicated sea battle with a deft touch and an engaging writing style. Hornfischer passed away in 2021 at the age of 55. I strongly recommend his books on modern naval history.
December 12, 2014
"Covers the battle off Samar, the Philippines, in October 1944, in which a force of American escort carriers and destroyers fought off a Japanese force many times its strength, and the larger battle of Leyte Gulf, the opening of the American liberation of the Philippines,"
Wow, oh wow. Totally blown away by the retelling of this history. Way beyond reciting a history of events, but including the stories of the sailors involved especially the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts. Such an amazing story and one that really brings modern naval wartime to you intellectually. There have been several movies showing the horror of war on land, but this book reminds me that there is nothing similar in regard to WWII naval warfare in regards to any kind of realism. The description of the damage and injuries brings the story to you as if you were watching live footage of some disaster. The heroism of these sailors when faced with multiple escalating dangers is a wonder to behold. Thank God for such men.
Wow, oh wow. Totally blown away by the retelling of this history. Way beyond reciting a history of events, but including the stories of the sailors involved especially the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts. Such an amazing story and one that really brings modern naval wartime to you intellectually. There have been several movies showing the horror of war on land, but this book reminds me that there is nothing similar in regard to WWII naval warfare in regards to any kind of realism. The description of the damage and injuries brings the story to you as if you were watching live footage of some disaster. The heroism of these sailors when faced with multiple escalating dangers is a wonder to behold. Thank God for such men.
December 7, 2008
If you like reading history books about World War II, the Navy or military subjects in general, this is a well written, gripping book worth reading. It's about a single naval battle toward the end of WWII off the coast of the Philippines, A tiny group of small US ships managed to survive (mostly) an intense onslaught by a huge group of Japanese vessels through a combination of luck, determination and strategy, with help from the "fog of war." The author interviewed many of the survivors of the battle and interweaves the narrative with their personal stories and recollections. Warning: the battle scenes are described with intense, brutal detail. There can't be many things worse than being on a WWII ship that's been hit by a large shell. Think 900 degree super-heated steam, a lot of darkness, shrapnel, shock waves, and, if you made it through that, sharks.
December 14, 2025
Fast paced, non-fiction of the battle of Samar fought between the Japanese and US in the Philippines in October 1944. US Destroyers against heavy cruisers and battleships of the Japanese Navy. A one sided conflict given the "weight" of the Japanese fleet. Yet the small destroyers and destroyer escorts (Tin Cans) with some airborne firepower from carrier escorts (small aircraft carriers) pull off the upset with disciplined shooting and maneuvering. I say upset, but the US losses are staggering. It could have been worse.
Author Hornfischer is a master at chronicling battles in the Pacific theater during WWII. The reader gets to know key players and unfortunately, the horrors of naval battles. Sailors do not die easy deaths. Hornfischer does repeat himself often, but through different eyes of the combatants.
The book is complete with maps portraying ship positions and the Philippine Islands.
Well done!
Author Hornfischer is a master at chronicling battles in the Pacific theater during WWII. The reader gets to know key players and unfortunately, the horrors of naval battles. Sailors do not die easy deaths. Hornfischer does repeat himself often, but through different eyes of the combatants.
The book is complete with maps portraying ship positions and the Philippine Islands.
Well done!
September 6, 2021
Rest In Peace Jim Hornfischer. Your writing continues to bring to life the great American’s we lost in the Battle of Samar, while your depth of research and story telling ability achieves the high call this story deserves:
“As catastrophic as it was, Taffy 3’s historic last stand at Samar conferred to the bloody campaign an aspect of transcendence. The victory at Leyte Gulf was the product of allied planning, savvy, and panache, to be sure. But only Samar showed the world something else: how Americans handle having their backs pushed to the wall. As Herman Wouk wrote in War and Rememberance, ‘The vision of Sprague’s three destroyers— the Johnston, the Hoel, and the Heermanb— charging out of the smoke and the rain straight toward the main batteries of Kurita’s battleships and cruisers, can endure as a picture of the way Americans fight when they don’t have superiority. Our schoolchildren should know about that incident, and our enemies should ponder it.’ “
“As catastrophic as it was, Taffy 3’s historic last stand at Samar conferred to the bloody campaign an aspect of transcendence. The victory at Leyte Gulf was the product of allied planning, savvy, and panache, to be sure. But only Samar showed the world something else: how Americans handle having their backs pushed to the wall. As Herman Wouk wrote in War and Rememberance, ‘The vision of Sprague’s three destroyers— the Johnston, the Hoel, and the Heermanb— charging out of the smoke and the rain straight toward the main batteries of Kurita’s battleships and cruisers, can endure as a picture of the way Americans fight when they don’t have superiority. Our schoolchildren should know about that incident, and our enemies should ponder it.’ “
June 29, 2022
My father was on a destroyer escort at the end of World War II, thankfully after the fighting was over. In his nineties now, with dementia, he can still remember the name and number: J.D. Blackwood DE-219. I wanted to read this book to see what life aboard ship had been like.
The first part of the book shifted from ship to ship and covered different men on each one. At times, it was hard to keep up. But once the battle against a superior Japanese fleet began, the action and strategy were engrossing. And heartbreaking. Told from accounts from survivors, the men did all they could to help their fellow sailors, even when their ship was sinking, even if their fellow sailors were gravely injured. The days and nights spent in the water, prior to rescue, with delirium setting in, and sharks in the water were especially harrowing. As were the details of one of the first Japanese kamikaze planes hitting and sinking a Naval vessel.
But in the end, it was the Navy's finest hour, thanks to the brave sailors who survived and the ones who gave their life for their country.
The first part of the book shifted from ship to ship and covered different men on each one. At times, it was hard to keep up. But once the battle against a superior Japanese fleet began, the action and strategy were engrossing. And heartbreaking. Told from accounts from survivors, the men did all they could to help their fellow sailors, even when their ship was sinking, even if their fellow sailors were gravely injured. The days and nights spent in the water, prior to rescue, with delirium setting in, and sharks in the water were especially harrowing. As were the details of one of the first Japanese kamikaze planes hitting and sinking a Naval vessel.
But in the end, it was the Navy's finest hour, thanks to the brave sailors who survived and the ones who gave their life for their country.
January 2, 2021
This is the absolutely amazing story of perhaps the greatest sea battle that you have never heard of. While there bigger and more powerful counterparts were away, a group of tin can ships (carrier escorts and destroyer escorts) that were never supposed to see real battle were engaged by a massive Japanese fleet.
The tiny American ships are forced to outlast their enemies through nothing but seamanship, fortitude, and inferior weapons (and maybe a little luck). The ensuing battle is amazing and should be retold in every history book that has anything to do with WWII.
I've heard others say that the first half of the book if fairly slow, and I don't necessarily disagree with them. The author does go to great pains to ensure that the reader knows who the sailors are and where the ships came from. If there is one weakness, he does introduce a lot of characters, and it is difficult to remember all of them.
Overall, though, this is an amazing story, and I highly recommend it.
The tiny American ships are forced to outlast their enemies through nothing but seamanship, fortitude, and inferior weapons (and maybe a little luck). The ensuing battle is amazing and should be retold in every history book that has anything to do with WWII.
I've heard others say that the first half of the book if fairly slow, and I don't necessarily disagree with them. The author does go to great pains to ensure that the reader knows who the sailors are and where the ships came from. If there is one weakness, he does introduce a lot of characters, and it is difficult to remember all of them.
Overall, though, this is an amazing story, and I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 735 reviews