USN:
Memorial to Taffy 3, San Diego. "For extraordinary heroism in action against powerful units of the Japanese Fleet during the Battle off Samar, Philippines, October 25, 1944
The complete Presidential Unit Citation:
For extraordinary heroism in action against powerful units of the Japanese Fleet during the Battle off Samar, Philippines, October 25, 1944.... the gallant ships of the Task Unit waged battle fiercely against the superior speed and fire power of the advancing enemy... two of the Unit's valiant destroyers and one destroyer escort charged the battleships point-blank and, expending their last torpedoes in desperate defense of the entire group, went down under the enemy's heavy shells.... The courageous determination and the superb teamwork of the officers and men who fought the embarked planes and who manned the ships of Task Unit 77.4.3 were instrumental in effecting the retirement of a hostile force threatening our Leyte invasion operations and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service
In honour of the 75th Anniversary of the Battle off Samar: USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), "the destroyer-escort that fought like a battleship"
"We're making a torpedo run. The outcome is doubtful, but we will do our duty."
At the Battle off Samar this ship truly did fight like a battleship.
Samuel B Roberts was armed with 2x5”/38, 4x4mm, 10x20mm and 3 torpedoes.
Less than the half the secondary armament of the cruisers she’d fight.
As the superior enemy was nearing, getting in range of the weak escort carriers, this ship did the only thing it could.
Charge.
Lt. Cdr Copeland, her captain, stated the words above as the ship decided her fate.
Like her destroyer brethren that had already done so she steamed towards the line of battleships and heavy cruisers.
But this ship wasn’t designed for speed like front line combatants, but the speed was needed.
So her boilers were over pressured and she made 29 knots.
She was designed for 24.
At point blank range she engaged the heavy cruiser Chokai, getting so close the enemy’s guns couldn’t depress enough to hit the smaller ship.
She fired nearly every single round she had in her 5” guns, and a lot of 20mm and 40mm too.
She claims a torpedo hit, but this is not coordinated by Japanese sources.
Unable to deal mortal wounds, her weapons nevertheless mauled the cruiser.
And more than the damage, she kept them occupied so that the carriers could keep fight and keep living.
But, luck would soon run out.
Hits were eventually scored, and the ship was damaged.
Soon the heavy cruiser Chikuma and battlecruiser Kongo came to finish off the ship. 90 of her crew would perish.
But it was her last stand, as well as so many others, selling their lives as dearly as possible that allowed their fellow Americans to survive complete destruction.
Few ships deserve the title of hero as much as the Samuel B Roberts