US Navy Task Force 38 had been heavily pounding Japanese airfields and facilities around the Philippines for over three days.
The intensity of combat was so that Admiral Halsey’s ships were almost out of fuel and were bound to meet with refueling ships to continue supporting the amphibious landings at Mindoro.
By December 17, 1944, the weather had worsened, so refueling operations were suspended. The sky abruptly turned grey, the sea turned rougher, and rain engulfed Task Force 38.
Still, there were no warnings of any cyclonic disturbance, and Halsey ordered his ships to relocate to another area to continue refueling. Doom befell upon TF38 from then forward.
The barometers began to drop at an alarming rate. The wind rose to 60 knots, and a thick mist surrounded Task Force 38. Then, colossal waves of around 50 feet began to clash with the hulls of all ships.
The smaller vessels were completely lifted and thrown around like leaves in the wind. Sailors fell overboard, never to be seen again in the darkness of the ocean, while others struggled to avoid being hit by the aircraft that crashed into each other aboard the carriers.
A small but ruthless typhoon had consumed TF38, and there was no way out. The brave sailors, with future US President Gerald Ford among them, were caught in the eye of the storm.
As fires erupted, aircraft crashed on the decks, and the sea devoured ships, it was up to men like Lieutenant Ford to keep their ships afloat.
source
Just goes to show however powerfull your navy when mother nature throws a wobbly there is usually only one winner .RIP brave sailors/airmen lost in this storm.
My uncle Billy Deverell was killed in action on LST 750 December 28th 1944 he was killed due to the explosion of the S.S. John Burke
Were does the love of god go when the waves turn the minutes into hours…
I remember watching a program in which a sailor recalled seeing a destroyer enveloped by a huge wave and disappearing beneath it during the typhoon. Hard to imagine a modern ship being engulphed by a wave.
'Typhoon Cobra'………..
As a USN Veteran of 20+ years, That Name, sends shivers down MY Spine!!
With the capsizing of destroyers HULL, MONAGHAN, SPENCE and the loss of those All of those men except for a Small handful from those three (3) ships…always made wonder if MY frigate(s) would hold up??
Halsey should be relieved of his command
REAL Presidents don’t have bone spurs
Mustang Pilots?
Besides the technology we have today, we would also send a plane to scout the storm. Hard to imagine going through that day.
My father was assigned to the Donaldson – Shallow draft Evarts Class Destroyer Escort – what a horrible storm for that little ship.
I guess not calling it Typhon Cobra is a way to get more people to watch.
You ain't seen "rough" until you've seen waves crash over a carrier deck.
Halsey was a fool ! , quote from Capt. Ramius ,,There is a documentary about capt ramius , theVilnius schoolmaster
And I thought I new history, I just learned a lot, my family was there.
They shouldnt have been there in the first place…. the illegal war mongers
Any seaman would see the increase in frequency of the seas.
Halsey was no seaman. Worse still he wouldn't listen.
I was wandering whether or not Ford survived glad you told me several times
el viento divino ayudo a japon
The Indiana jones-esque background music makes it
why pay so many soldiers, sailors, and ship crew so let them die in one of your many traps, isn't it?
I had two friends that were on a battleship in that storm. Each said they had never known fear like that. Hours and hours with no relief.
I do not like this style of narration
That was a true Kamikaze.