USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413)

1350 ts

93 m

11 m

3 m

215

  • 2 Boiler
  • 2 geared turbines, 2 propellers
  • 12,000 WPS

24 kn

6000 nautical miles at 12 knots

  • 2 × 5 " / L38 guns
  • 4 × 40 - mm anti-aircraft guns
  • 10 × 20 - mm anti-aircraft guns
  • 3 × 21 " torpedo tubes
  • 8 × depth charge throwers
  • 1 × hedgehog launcher
  • 2 × WaBoablaufgestelle

The USS Samuel B. Roberts ( DE -413 ) was a destroyer escort of the John C. Butler - class of the United States Navy. The ship, which was only six months with the U.S. Navy in service, was especially known for his efforts during the Battle of Samar before, during sank the destroyer escort on 25 October 1944.

History

The Samuel B. Roberts was laid on December 6, 1943 at Brown Shipbuilding Houston, Texas on Kiel. After the baptism by the widow of the namesake Samuel B. Roberts the ship on 20 January 1944, launched from the dock. Commissioned into the U.S. Navy took place on April 28, 1944 under the command of Lt. Comdr. R. W. Copeland.

After the first test drives off Bermuda between May 21 and June 19 and a shipyard stay in the Boston Navy Yard, the Samuel B. Roberts left Norfolk on 22 July, five days later crossed the Panama Canal and was part of the Pacific Fleet.

On 10 August, the destroyer arrived at Pearl Harbor, on August 21, the Samuel B. Roberts ran with a convoy to Eniwetok, where she arrived on 30 August. After she was 77.4.3 (call Taffy 3) assigned to the task at Manus Unit, she ran into the Gulf of Leyte, where she operated as part of the Northern Air Support Group before Samar.

On the morning of October 25, 1944, the Samuel B. Roberts secured together with other light units an association of escort aircraft carriers in the waters off Samar when a Japanese task force appeared on the horizon and opened fire. The Samuel B. Roberts was involved in a daring torpedo attack on the Japanese cruiser, she was able to land a torpedo hit on the Chokai. In addition, the escort destroyers bombarded the far superior warship still with his guns and caused severe damage to the deck. Even the cruiser Chikuma attacked the Samuel B. Roberts with their guns and achieved several hits in the area of the bridge. Shortly thereafter, the destroyer but was hit by an eight-inch salvo of a cruiser and a 14-inch salvo of the battleship Kongō at the level of the engine room, which tore a ten by three meter hole in the hull. The commander then gave the order to evacuate the ship, 30 minutes later, the Samuel B. Roberts sank with 89 crew members. 120 survivors were rescued after two days.

The USS Samuel B. Roberts received a Battle Star for their efforts and explicitly ( German: " for extraordinary heroism in action ") in the Presidential Unit Citation for the Task Unit 77.4.3 mentions "for extraordinary heroism in action. ". She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 November 1944.

Draft (hull) Knot (unit) Oerlikon 20 mm cannon Hedgehog (weapon) John C. Butler-class destroyer escort Norfolk (Virginia) Enewetak Atoll Manus Island Japanese cruiser Chikuma (1938) Service Star Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
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