The Shipwrecks of Leyte - Those We Have Found So Far

[@skyneahistory2306]

To the comments on illegal salvage: Most of these wrecks are far and away too deep for that. Musashi is on the shallower end, but even she is almost a kilometer down. Moreover, Petrel made a point of not giving exact locations on their discoveries. Even the relatively shallower wrecks are in areas with pretty rough sea currents, too. And stuff like Johnston or Sammy B are so ludicrously deep that only incredibly specialized equipment can go that deep. Equipment so specialized that even Petrel couldn’t manage it. Illegal salvage is an issue (I will be honestly amazed if we ever find anything left of Kongou) but these wrecks are pretty safe from it.

[@alexanderleach3365]

What those heartless wreck salvagers do is completely sacraligous.

[@Engine33Truck]

I’ve honestly believed since I first heard of the illegal salvaging that Kongō is long gone. Given the fact the sank off the coast of Taiwan in whats said to be about 350 feet of water, it was probably salvaged almost completely decades ago.

[@nautikal4057]

It's said that the steel plates used on those ww2 or older warships were not "contaminated" by nuclear weapons, I read this from a Chinese article long time ago, which is legalizing their actions of salvage as they're recycling and fulfilling the value of these wrecks.

[@davidford3115]

@@nautikal4057 There is truth to that. The US Department of Energy uses pieces of steel from the USS Indiana (BB-58) as the official measurement standard by which all other radiation detection is calibrated.

[@Glenn-em3hv]

Why don't they go for all the tankers that the Germans sank!!! That would be a lot better than a war ship but no matter what I feel they are war graves and they should be left a

[@johnwinkler8064]

My dad was on the USS Johnston and he didnt talk much about it. He went to every reunion they had from the first one in 1988 until he passed away in 2000. The reunions were the highlight of his life. I do believe that all of the survivors have passed away by now. May God bless them all.....

[@hourlardnsaver362]

Carlos Cerna was the last survivor. He passed away last year and was recently laid to rest at Arlington. Fair winds and following seas to your dad and his shipmates.

[@twilightparanormalresearch186]

They reunited with their shipmates

[@thomasmixson7064]

My father was overseeing offloading munitions that morning in Samar, Philippines, in support of the invasionary forces. As the Johnson, Evans and the rest of Taffy 3 scrambled to meet the largest naval armada ever assembled steaming down upon them, Dad in Command and also acting as gunnery officer began to respond to a dive bomber attack. With a 6 inch gun and anti-aircraft fire blazing the first bomber and then 2nd failed to pull up and away from their bombing dive. The 1st one made it through the defenses, but tried pulled away at last moment. He crashed off the bow, but the 2nd was destroyed. Without the Johnson and the rest of Taffy 3, my brother and I, born just after the war most likely, would of never been born.

[@thomasmixson7064]

These were the 1st Kamakazis

[@Jonjs99]

Sure yaya

[@Thunderous117]

Fitting that the Johnston keeps her head held high, Ernest Evans would be proud that his ship remains vigilant even in her grave.

[@Shiestyfrm405]

He lays with it right

[@mtpender69]

Japan: [Sends massive fleet] Commander Evans: "Cowabunga it is!"

[@hourlardnsaver362]

Her head held high and her guns still at the ready

[@davidford3115]

@@hourlardnsaver362 On "eternal patrol" as they say in the Navy.

[@NartOfficial371]

@@Shiestyfrm405yes he does, a good captain.

[@trevorday7923]

USS Johnston. The Destroyer that engaged the largest and most powerful battleship the world ever saw, the Yamato. She took at least three hits from Yamato's 18" guns and STILL fought on so her charges could escape and survive. She deserves to rest in peace, and she'll always be a legend

[@tomicbranislav3]

Sorry but no... USS Johnston was sunk by IJN Kongo and it's 14 inch guns using HE Shells.... She might have been struck several times by IJN Yamato's secondaries but those were firing AP Shells at the time that would zip right through the Johnston making no large scale damage

[@twilightparanormalresearch186]

@@tomicbranislav3actually she was suck by Japanese destroyers that surrounded her

[@twilightparanormalresearch186]

@@tomicbranislav3destroyers sunk the Johnston actually

[@nogoodnameleft]

@@tomicbranislav3 I never understand why Navy historians always talk about how the Japanese "failed" at Guadalcanal in November 1942 when they successfully heavily damaged USS San Francisco and USS Atlanta (killing TWO admirals, Scott and Callaghan) with high explosive incendiary rounds on their superstructures when if they had used AP shells they would simply zip right through those cruisers and there would have been a high chance of survival for those two admirals and the other officers. The death toll on Atlanta and San Francisco related to high ranking officers was horrible. AP shells would have, like you said, punched right through and San Francisco would have likely still be floating and not sunk.

[@flywheel986]

Is quite right for historians to cite the Japanese effort at Guadalcanal as failure. They lost control of the island to the US, and also lost significantly more warship tonnage defending it. Not to mention the 15 to 1 advantage the US held in personnel losses.

[@craigt5990]

My dad was on the USS McCord DD534. Right there in the middle of Leyte battle. Fortunately his destroyer came through unscathed . Barely. They managed to shoot down a kamikaze that splashed down close enough to the ship that a piece of it landed on the deck at my dads feet. ALL of these WWll guys are HEROES. God bless them all.

[@guywerry6614]

I agree. My father-in-law (Canadian) flew B-24 Liberators out of India against the Japanese. Although flying for the Brits/Commonwealth, they flew American planes because the British bombers couldn't handle the humidity in India/Burma. It's noteworthy that ALL of the Canadians who fought overseas were VOLUNTEERS. Some conscripts (draftees) did get overseas and may have guarded prisoners, but not in combat roles. So, the father-in-law and his cronies were doing stuff like skipping bombs into the sides of Japanese ships at FIFTY FEET off the water, with these massive bombers!

[@jacqueschouette7474]

My sainted father was on the USS Birmingham which was along side the Princeton to help fight fires when the Princeton exploded. While the sinking of the Princeton cost the lives of over 100 men on the Princeton, it killed more men on the Birmingham with over 200 men killed and another 400+ men wounded so you could say that my father was a survivor of the sinking of the Princeton.

[@myblacklab7]

Interesting. According to an article I just read, the "official tallies" of casualties from the sinking of the Princeton did include casualties on the Birmingham. Your father was very much a survivor of the sinking of the Princeton, and the Birmingham, which also survived the sinking of the Princeton, has a storied history herself.

[@patriot-wf1er]

Sainted father? What the heck is that?

[@jacqueschouette7474]

@@patriot-wf1er My father who raised me. He should be a saint. Maybe you don't think much of your father, but as for me, there are only two other men greater than my father who ever walked upon this earth, one of them being our lord and savoir Jesus Christ. That's why I call him my sainted father.

[@jbrobertson6052]

@@jacqueschouette7474 I'll agree with your Sainted Father but as for our lord and savoir JC to me that is nothing but a load of crap nothing but man made fiction because if you look at the true evidence we were made by Extraterrestrials either as an experiment or slave work force so the church has been brainwashing people ever since and because of religion we (mankind) will never know it's true history. Just saying

[@myblacklab7]

@@jacqueschouette7474 Your father sounds like he is/was a great man. Too bad all fathers aren't like that!

[@markmclaughlin2690]

My Father Kenneth McLaughlin served on CVE-73 USS Gambier Bay he passed when I was 3. Before I pass it my hope that the Gambier Bay is found.

[@nogoodnameleft]

I hope Gambier Bay and Princeton are both found. It is strange how people pretend like the loss of Princeton and the horrible casualties on Birmingham due to the secondary explosions on Princeton are almost never talked about because people love the romantic story of Samar and the complete beatdown at Surigao Strait. And Halsey/Mitscher's boneheaded decision to go north with all the carriers and fast battleships is always conveniently never talked about except from hardcore WWII buffs who know better like the Battle of Midway's "Flight to Nowhere" masterpiece by Mitscher that no documentary or Hollywood movie ever talks about.

[@mikec8116]

My father served on the St. Lo. It is amazing to see photos of the ship and how well parts of it are preserved. It was commissioned on October 23, 1943 and sank just over a year later, so not an old ship. I am pleased it is at a great depth so that the remains of that gallant ship will not be salvaged. Quite by coincidence, I now live near the shipyard where the St. Lo was laid down.

[@davidford3115]

Interestingly, one of the crewmembers of the St. Lo grabbed a piece of the Kamikaze that smashed into her before getting off the ship. Some years later, the serial numbers from that piece were tracked through Japanese records to find the exact plane that she hit and the pilot who flew her: Lt. Yukio Seki. The sad thing is, he KNEW what he was doing was wrong, yet did it anyhow. It shows you how stupidly fanatical the common Japanese solider was to a cause they already knew was lost. Japan's military had no concept of what an unlawful order means and why one must disobey such orders. I just hope that the complete story brings closure to both the family of Yukio Seki as well as the USS St. Lo.

[@nogoodnameleft]

@@davidford3115 How was doing kamikaze attacks (actually they were highly accurate and effective guided missiles) on U.S. military ships any more "wrong" than nuking or firebombing Japanese civilians? What was actually criminal was the Japanese military prior to October 1944 sending their aviators to do conventional attacks at Philippine Sea in June 1944 and the Formosa Air Battle in October 1944 prior to the Leyte landings. That was more of a wasteful usage of resources because the Japanese lost 1000+ planes at the Philippine Sea and Formosa battles and all they accomplished was one battleship hit and lightly damaged (South Dakota) and one cruiser moderately damaged. The kamikazes were actually an ingenius method to make sure the deaths of their pilots actually meant something. The Philippine Sea and Formosa naval battles were foolish suicidal conventional air attacks by Japan that did absolutely nothing to help out the Japanese. They figured out how to turn their brave pilots into guided missiles and then ended up kicking Spruance/Mitscher's asses (including hitting their flagships two times each, knocking those flagships out of the war). Because Spruance and Mitscher completely failed at Okinawa to stop the kamikazes Nimitz had to relieve them of command and send in Halsey and McCain to get the job done finally in June 1945. This is what Spruance said after his second flagship was hit by a kamikaze: "This is my second experience with a suicide plane making a hit on board my own ship, and I have seen four other ships hit near me. The suicide plane is a very effective weapon, which we must not underestimate. I do not believe anyone who has not been around within its area of operations can realize its potentialities against ships. It is the opposite extreme of a lot of our Army heavy bombers who bomb safely and ineffectively from the upper atmosphere."

[@davidford3115]

@@nogoodnameleft Wow, lot to unpack there. First, you are making typical apples to oranges false analogies. Do keep in mind that Japan specifically REJECTED the Geneva and Hague Conventions. Their treatment of both prisoners of War AND civilian populations absolutely justifies reciprocity. Secondly, you are clearly justifying the argument for total war; that the ends justify the means. That actually makes the suffering of civilian FAR worse. And it opens the door to not just war crimes, but systemic crimes against humanity. That is NOT a place you want to go.

[@nogoodnameleft]

@@davidford3115 Oh, come on...Americans and British and other Allies were gunning down and murdering crewmen and civilians from sunken Japanese merchant ships and warships too. There is infamous propaganda footage from the Battle of Bismarck Sea showing USAAF and RAAF planes' gun cameras where they are shooting machine gun and small caliber shells at survivors in the water! Give me a break with your pearl clutching about the Japanese and Germans doing the same to the Americans. The fact that U.S. sailors murdered in cold blood Japanese and German civilians and sailors after they sunk their ships is why Admiral Doenitz was able to be given a very light sentence thanks to testimony by Nimitz himself. Nimitz said "ummm, we did the same thing". By the way...according to your argument since the Soviets weren't signatories to Geneva or other accords that means the Germans had full rights to treat them horribly, right? You seem to like a certain set of rules ("Japan didn't sign Geneva!!!") only for the Allies but it doesn't work for the Axis ("Soviet Union didn't sign Geneva!").

[@chrissongalia7394]

USS Ward, the ship that fired the first shot off Pear Harbor was found by RV Petrel 2017 off Ormoc Bay in Leyte. She was scuttled after damaged by Kamikaze. Interesting tidbit is that the USN ship that scuttled her by gunfire was commanded by her previous captain.

[@bobgasm1471]

Ward was lost on Dec 7th 1944 3 years to day.

[@jonathanstrong4812]

@@bobgasm1471 Poor Commander Outerbridge He had to sink his old ship and his first sea going command It must of torn his heart out having to put the USS Ward beneath the sea

[@samkornrumph8545]

That’s wild! I never knew that the Ward sank at Leyte. I remember watch the Ballard documentary on Pearl Harbor and the Ward’s involvement in the battle.

[@Engine33Truck]

I read a book about Musashi when I was a kid. It was written by someone who compiled testimony from everyone he could find, from staff at Mitsubishi involved in her construction to crewmen and survivors. I’m not sure how many people read that book, but it mentions survivors hearing a thunderous sound after she sank, almost certainly a magazine explosion. With that being said, I’ve never been sure why anyone thought she would be in one piece.

[@msgn8i11s2]

What is the name of that book?

[@rcostnlct2135]

Find the Shinano. The third Yamato-class battleship, converted to a carrier, sunk with one torpedo due to lack of watertight doors and inadequate damage control training. She sank slowly, had no ammunition onboard and so did not explode during sinking, and quite possibly may be intact, dependent on how the wreck hit the bottom. I believe she is somewhere in the Inland Sea. Regarding other Japanese carrier wrecks, it would be most interesting to find Shokaku, Hiryu, and Taiho, but all were battered prior to sinking [Taiho by internal explosions]. I believe Kongo is the only Japanese battleship wreck not yet located. Also, to add to other comments, I would rather see the Prince Of Wales, Repulse, and Houston wrecks salvaged by Britain and the US, than destroyed by unscrupulous salvagers.

[@bkjeong4302]

She took four torpedoes, not one. Also the lack of watertight doors was because she was incomplete rather than due to design (the Yamato-class as a whole had poor torpedo defences, but lack of watertight compartments wasn’t part of the reason why).

[@johnking1896]

I agree on that, an intact ship that simply flooded, ( I laughed at this when I was in Basic, I learned I was going to qualify as a full Navy firefighter to prevent just this issue, LOL ).

[@alexanderleach3365]

IT was the largest warship to be sunk by a US submarine.

[@Engine33Truck]

Kongō most likely doesn’t exist anymore. She went down off the coast of Taiwan in what’s said to be about 350 feet of water. She was almost certainly salvaged by illegal scrap hunters years, if not decades ago. Shinano lies in Japanese territorial waters, and for some reason the Japanese government has publicly stated they don’t want her to be found.

[@jonathonhass4178]

@@Engine33Truck Typical embarrassment issue for the Japanese. “If we don’t admit it, it nevvvvvver happened” 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

[@JG54206]

The defiance of the Johnston and Sammy B is the epitome of “I’m not stuck in here with you…. You’re stuck in here with me.”

[@harrypolychronopoulos478]

Thanks for your work Mate!! And mostly thanks for mentioning the debth in meters and feet , something that a lot of KZbin postings forget to do .

[@Grandizer8989]

Paul Allen is (was) one of the few billionaires that I respect. Thank you for preserving history with your awesome museum and wreck discoveries

[@parrot849]

Regarding the IJN light cruiser Kinu, I’m surprised local bandit salvage operators haven’t already ripped her apart and left just a rusty keel and scattered pieces on the ocean floor. I understand the lousy salvage parasites have already ravaged the war graves of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, and currently doing their disgusting commercial dismantling of some of the designated war grave wrecks that went down during the Battle of the Java Sea. I don’t know all the home countries that these salvage operators originate, but I have read that China is one country that is involved. I read somewhere there is a international hot market for this “pre-atomic” steel recovered from these sunken vessels. So it’s like the illegal drug trade, as long as there are consumers, we’ll have the traffickers….

[@Patrick_Cooper]

It is the policy of the CCP to wipe out all their own history. Now they try to erase our history. It should be considered an act of war. By the US, England and Japan...

[@kdrapertrucker]

Chinese desecrated prince of Wales and repulse.

[@laggerstudios3392]

The factor of low-background steel or as you say pre-atomic steel is overrated. Demand for it is mainly for extremely precise scientific instruments and as such extremely low. A single salvaged ship could probably supply enough for decades. Besides with more modern steelmaking techniques and reduced background radiation it is possible to manufacture low-background steel nowadays. The salvagers are more likely targeting wrecks for their slightly higher-grade steel or their bronze propellers.

[@joevicmeneses8918]

I think that those bandit salvage operators will have a hard time salvaging this wrecks is that they are inside Phil. territorial waters.

[@stevenmoore4612]

I’ve always had a love for shipwrecks! I live in Michigan and I grew up hearing the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which was the largest freighter on the Great Lakes for a time that went down in a massive storm on Lake Superior in November of 1975 taking all 29 of her crew done with her. Her wreck has been visited a number of times and to this day it can still not be fully determined how she actually went down.

[@nomore9203]

Great video. I used to work with one of survivor of the USS Gambier Bay son back in the 80's and 90's.

[@jeffreyjacobs390]

All SHIPS & PLANES FROM TAFFY THREE ..... fought like madmen ...... the audacity, courage and defiant aggression in assaulting a LARGER, MORE NUMEROUS, MORE MURDEROUS FLEET ( Center Force, main body of defending the Islands from American Landings* ) was the most insane and shear BALLSY assault in the Second World War !!! The USS Johnson, USS Roberts performed with incredible bravery and unselfish efforts against a vastly superior enemy under withering Fire for near two hours ..... in sacrificing themselves and so many good American fighting men ..... to stop the Japanese naval interdiction at Leyete Gulf / Straights and our ships supplying troops ! Their unit citation and awarded medals do not say enough of their toughness and contribution in defeating the Empire of Japan. God bless America, the men of Taffy 3 .... Thanks you all. jj

[@davidcampbell975]

I have interest in these sunken worship. And these ships, it's an interesting subject but most of all what I noticed is you. You are an incredible narrator and commentator you put translate everything into meters metric or the English version of measurement. You're very, very good at what you're doing. I thank you very much for what you have done. In the way of narration locating these ships, what is there? What is still missing? You know, for some people. It's important while others it isn't but for me it's important I like the subject. But for me, you're a very, very good commentator and narrator thank you very much for bringing the subject to the surface. Thank you so much, and have a good day.

[@mustang7272]

So here I am, surfing, finding a video on the Layte Gulf sunken ships, the Battle off favorite sea battle by the way. And low and behold you started talking about the Musashi. My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw my model 😮 of the Musashi wreck. I built it just after Paul Allen found it and primarily used the side scan sonar for the depiction since there weren't a lot of public pictures of it . Thank you showing it. Too bad you didn't show the stern section as well.

[@robertyoung3992]

Leyte*

[@alexh3153]

Would love more ship wreck videos. I’m always so curious about the wrecks at the end of these videos. Always wondered about the scharnhorst

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Its interesting to see how closely the damage matches up with eyewitness views.

[@cvbabc]

This guy sure knows his boats! Fascinating.

[@hourlardnsaver362]

It’s cool that Musashi’s bridge is still visible. I’ve always been fascinated by the looks of Yamato and her.

[@chrisjeffries2322]

Excellent! Thank you for the share.

[@michaelgrey7854]

When I cannot sleep. I always listen to Skynea History. It's like hearing a bedtime story!

[@aquilarossa5191]

The research vessels used to find the wrecks use a similar winch to what we used at sea. Similar rating and size etc. We would use two of them for what are called the warp wires -- the cables between the bottom trawl and the ship. Hauling that trawl up from the 400-800 metre depths we usually worked in would take 20-40 minutes from the winches starting to the trawl doors hitting the back of the ship. With a wreck 4700m down, that's going to take all afternoon to haul up sonar equipment etc from down there.

[@Mikael5732]

Quite detailed and thorough. Thank you. All of those past relics at the bottom of the sea yet all those past men whose boarded those relics have passed away, just as this earth will pass away.

[@franksposato6072]

Could you please make more videos like this? especially one for the fleet CVs that have been found? There is so much to say about the Lexington, her wreck is amazing to see now!

[@nogoodnameleft]

They found USS Wasp and USS Hornet in the same year back in 2019. Pretty impressive. The Guadalcanal Campaign as experienced by the U.S. Navy is criminally forgotten and I believe it is intentional because the Navy lost 5,500 sailors and 30 USN warships at Guadalcanal and don't want us to talk about it but instead only talk about the USMC on the island defending Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. The Marines had it so much easier on the island itself and they suffered a lot fewer casualties compared to the Navy throwing the kitchen sink, including the legendary and very heavily damaged Enterprise being the sole surviving operational carrier in the whole Pacific Ocean for the final 2 months of 1942!

[@bkjeong4302]

I seriously need have Zuikaku’s wreck found in my lifetime. Easily the single most prestigious Japanese wreck at Leyte Gulf, and one of THE ultimate shipwreck finds if she ever gets found. Being that she was Enterprise’s eternal arch-nemesis and possibly the single most dangerous Axis warship of the war, finding what’s left of her would provide a lot of closure. The Chokai and Fuso wrecks are good examples of how even long-accepted historical details can turn out to be false. I still see LSotTCS being commonly used as a source on Leyte Gulf, with these “details” being often mentioned.

[@Weegee246]

If someone does go looking for Zuikaku's wreck eventually there's a good chance they might also find the wrecks of the light carriers Zuihou, Chitose and Chiyoda as they all sank roughly around the same area as Zuikaku. I sure hope someone does find them all someday.

[@backlashstudios6088]

Couldn’t agree more. My grandfather served on the enterprise and was in charge of 40mm batteries. I was so impressed when they found the hornet at 17000 feet deep. It would be so incredible if they could find the wrecks of Shokaku and Zuhikaku which as you said were The Enterprises arch nemesis

[@GeBlstein19]

I'm with you there... definitely the pinnacle of the IJN fleet carriers... hope to see her wreck one of these days.

[@gregb6469]

Most dangerous Axis warship? I would nominate Bismark for that title, at least as perceived by the Royal Navy at the time. The USN wasn't any more worried about Zuikaku than it was about any other Jap carrier, especially by 1944 when the IJN was suffering a severe shortage of top-line planes and experienced pilots.

[@Engine33Truck]

@@gregb6469Bismarck accomplished relatively little in the grand scheme of things. Zuikaku wracked up victory after victory and was often at pivotal moments of the war.

[@andypatton8585]

Very well done and a good put together video!

[@enscroggs]

Fine production! Well done.

[@Straswa]

Great vid Skynea, thanks for the upload. So glad the St.Lo was found.

[@larrymurphy8201]

Great video - thanks for posting!!

[@lt.petemaverickmitchell7113]

Another great video young man!

[@glynnwood3288]

Thanks for this, fascinating time capsules

[@aquateenchris]

Sammy B and Johnston being the MVP's of Samar had to outshine evryone even after sinking

[@bkjeong4302]

The real MVPs of Samar were the CVEs. Sammy B and Johnston do get points for “best tank/support” (in that they bought time for the CVEs to get away and even rearm their aircraft with more appropriate weapons), though.

[@aquateenchris]

@@bkjeong4302 major props to Johnston for blowing off Kumano's bow, and Sammy B for peppering the Chikuma and Chokai full of holes

[@davidford3115]

@@bkjeong4302 The aircraft were basically dropping anything they were equipped with at the time. They were expecting to do close air support, not anti-ship operations. I think you discount the Fletchers. The ferocity of the Americans made Kurida think he was fighting heavy cruisers, not tin-can escorts. Had Admiral Lee been allowed to protect San Bernadino with just Alabama, Washington, and Iowa, as soon as TF 34's pickets reported contact, Lee would have asked for dedicated air support from the Taffy groups. TF34 would have given them enough time for the TBF Avengers and F4F Hellcats to be properly equipped for anti-ship.

[@robertyoung3992]

@@davidford3115 The Hoel Johnston and Heermann were all Fletchers the Heermann was the only Fletcher to survive the Battle off Samar

[@davidford3115]

@@robertyoung3992 I know that. But it was the Fletchers along with Sammy Roberts that gave Kurita the majority of the fight. The air component dropping depth charges really didn't do any damage to the IJN ships. If the air component was to be a major factor, they would have been using anti-ship ordinance, much of which went to the bottom with the Gambier Bay.

[@carlmontney7916]

For those who want to know more information about the ships mentioned in this video, I highly suggest you read the book titled "The last stand of the tin can sailors". It tells the whole story of the Naval group Taffy 3 and the brave sailors who fought there. Sailors who not only had their ships blown out from under them and were forced to abandon them. Then adrift at sea for days awaiting rescue. Also with some of them being saluted for their bravery by their Japanese naval counterparts. If you read, no other book about United States Naval battles in the Pacific during world war II. Read this one. You will not regret it.

[@bkjeong4302]

The book is outdated on certain major details, however, so I'd recommend reading up on the recent Leyte wreck finds and Lundgren's Samar analysis first before reading LSotTCS.

[@davidford3115]

The Destroyer Skippers of the Pacific Theater were a class of their own. They always considered themselves part of the vanguard of the American battleline, often opening the fight with the first shots of an engagement. Contrast that with the Destroyers of the Atlantic who were mostly doing anti-submarine operations.

[@carlmontney7916]

@@bkjeong4302 thanks I'll have a read.

[@nogoodnameleft]

You should read another book written by that "Tin Can Sailors" author (Hornfischer) called "Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal". That book actually talks about the real battle of Guadalcanal which happened in the waters around Guadalcanal between so many warships and not the highly overrated and miniscule Henderson Field battle that the USMC overrates and always uses to disrespect the sacrifice of 5,500 USN sailors and 30 sunken ships including 2 fleet carriers to support and supply those Marines on Guadalcanal.

[@nogoodnameleft]

@@davidford3115 I always considered Fletcher-class destroyers to be pretty much the equivalent of light cruisers. They were bigger and better armed than other destroyer classes. Yamato's battle group sinking those two destroyers is actually impressive because Yamato's ships had no radar while the Fletcher destroyers had state of the art radar-directed guns that more than held their own against the cruisers (of course its guns' shells bounced harmlessly off of Yamato like a BB gun). Also, while the destroyers were brave it was really Taffy 2's carrier planes that got the job done with torpedo bombers and dive bombers while Taffy 3 was running for their lives. Every Taffy 3 escort carrier was damaged or sunk by either Yamato's group or kamikazes. Taffy 2 was hit hard by the kamikazes too. The success of the kamikazes there always seem to be a footnote but the Japanese tried to do conventional bombings during all of 1944 and those failed conventional bomber attacks at Philippine Sea and Formosa were the truly foolish attempts by them, not the kamikazes which scored incredible hit rates on Allied ships, especially carriers, from late 1944 until the end of the war not seen since 1942 at Guadalcanal.

[@strfltcmnd.9925]

These are all war graves and the final tombs of many brave sailors, American and Japanese. They should be totally and completely off limits.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Chyna doesn't care. They've got a specially designed barge looking ship dedicated to cutting up US and British ships for scrap.

[@johnsepulveda443]

That was a very well Done video and you described then different ships Well Too

[@Patrick_Cooper]

When in the USCG in the late 70's the ship I was on. The Campbell, was on a cadet training cruise, when we stopped over the Marianas Trench. We were allowed to jump into the ocean for a swim. I can say that I have swam over the deepest know spot on earth... Kinda freaky by I never really thought about it until watching some of the videos about the Leyte Gulf action...

[@robertunderwood6011]

Outstandingly done

[@stephenrichards339]

Now that was a very informative video, I enjoyed that

[@alexbenis4726]

The wreck of Kinu has probably been salvaged for scrap illegally by the Chinese. So many historic ships are gone because they sank in shallow waters. It's only the deep wrecks that are safe...for now anyway.

[@faststart1000]

Very nice summary!

[@billbradtke331]

Have they looked for the Abner Read (DD526) a Fletcher class destroyer. It was hit by a Francis twin engine bomber. It was sunk while pulling picket duty for the landings. My father was on the Ammen (DD527) which was also hit by a Francis bomber on November 1 1944, but was not sunk. Five lives were lost.

[@mtpender69]

Japan: [Sends massive fleet] Commander Evans: "Cowabunga it is!"

[@iamrichrocker]

so much ccredit to Paul Allen..may he rest in peace also..WW2 epic..such bravery..such horrendous fighting til the end..hard to imagine the hell it must have been for these sailors...

[@robertyoung3992]

The Johnston and Sammy B were found by Victor Vescovo in 2021 and 2022 respectively

[@m.streicher8286]

This was different and I enjoyed it

[@ChillGamerLad]

yeah, theres honestly no way princeton has anything left to find and if there is its scattered across so many miles it'd be hard to tell what in the hell it even is

[@Stephen17116]

great work

[@thatwormhole1760]

Also you should make a video on the USS Ticonderoga CV-14 of the Essex class

[@WardenWolf]

You've really taken over from Drachnifel. Bravo.

[@nogoodnameleft]

I love Drachnifel but he has become something of a "cool celebrity" now and he doesn't do content like this anymore. This channel is like how Drachnifel was before he became "cool".

[@SuperbBossD]

If they ever stumble upon the wreck of the Japanese cruiser Suzuya, it lies in some 27,600 ft of water… another 4,000+ ft deeper than the Samuel B. Roberts😬 imagine what other ships might actually be at the bottom of the Philippine Trench😮

[@dylansmith1364]

As much as I hope those remaining wrecks are found I hope that when they are what happened to Prince of Wales and Repulse does not happen to them.

[@agwhitaker]

Prince of Wales and Repulse lie in fairly shallow water - most of the Leyte Gulf wrecks are too deep for the scrap metal vultures to easily plunder.

[@Kwolfx]

It appears the Chokai was not scuttled, that instead she went down on her own. There was one survivor and the only reason he survived is because he wasn't picked up by the destroyer Nowaki. He had drifted too far away to be noticed by the Nowaki's crew. Nowaki picked up about 700 members of the Chokai's crew crew but they all died when the Nowaki was caught by the lead elements of Task Force 34 before the Nowaki could escape through the San Bernardino Strait. Reading the American combat reports is more like reading about an execution than a sea battle. Two Cleveland class cruisers and several destroyers used the Nowaki for radar target practice and it's unlikely anyone on Nowaki knew that American ships were closing in on her until a reign of shells started landing on her. That one survivor eventually drifted to shore and was found by Japanese soldiers.

[@kidmohair8151]

The Samuel B Roberts had not armed her depth charges, I shall assume

[@davidford3115]

That is what my father, a destroyer Surface Warfare Officer tells me. Setting the depth for them to detonate is literally the LAST thing you do to arm them before they are released over the side. if the depth is not keyed in, they will not detonate. Hence it should not be a surprise that they didn't detonate on the way to the bottom. That being said, I still wouldn't touch them with a 50 ft. pole.

[@frankpatalano3862]

It's amazing how they are finally finding the wrecks of the "THE LAST STAND OF THE TIN CAN SAILORS."

[@pedalingthru2719]

Now i know exactly where my grandfathers grave is.

[@edwinmorene2817]

It's too bad Paul Allen's Sister stopped these missions to find the Shipwrecks from WW2 after He died. She must have needed the money.

[@fw1421]

Usual the surviving family members don’t have the same interests and want to divide up the spoils.

[@crufflerdoug]

Great video.

[@fredwood1490]

Last moments preserved forever in the deep last passion lost now to the deep Broken ships and broken bodies rips in time and space drown in the silence of death What remains of nations pride only names and some few memories One other thing one thing that cannot be taken by time or tide or lost passion Honor

[@johnwanderin3872]

Fun fact, the Battle of Surigao Strait, 5 of the 6 battleships were at Pearl Harbor on December 7th

[@davidford3115]

And very few of them actually got to fire their guns. The great irony is that Kinkaid set up such as strong defense line than the picket lines mauled the Japanese before the Big boys got to join the fight. Ironically, if Admiral Lee had been left at the San Bernadino Strait, he likely would have created a similar battleline resulting a curb-stomp battle against Center Force repeating the beatdown at Surigao. I don't care what anyone says about Yamato, the damage inflicted at Samar by just three fletchers and Sammy Roberts would have simply been the opening shots of TF34 dueling Center Force.

[@aslamnurfikri7640]

9:36 Mogami got UNO reverse card and became a victim of friendly fire

[@jehb8945]

I remember hearing a story about the USS St Lo where when the captain was told his ships name was being changed that he flew into a blind rage and said it's bad luck to change the name of a ship while it's in the middle of the ocean and sure enough his superstition was right on the money.

[@russelljohnson6267]

He wasn't the only one. I'm sure most of his crew felt the same way, as do most sailors.

[@jehb8945]

​@@russelljohnson6267 almost forgot another superstition is that you don't Christen a ship with water that's exactly what they did to USS Arizona BB-39 and she was sunk at Pearl harbor I don't know if I can look up what her sister ship Pennsylvania was christened with

[@christopherrestivo1867]

Awesome video. Subed!

[@billclarke5916]

The pagodas on those Japanese ships weren't the reason for them capsizing, it was the unequal flooding, many other ships without such high superstructures capsized when sinking.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

I'm not familiar with Japanese ship construction. I take it the pagodas were not as heavy as they looked.?

[@nogoodnameleft]

Interesting how the aircraft carriers USS Gambier Bay and USS Princeton haven't been discovered yet. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was insane. People always forget about the loss of USS Shark, USS Tang, and the 1800 dead American POWs on Arisan Maru that were sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf (Arisan Maru was a hellship accidentally sunk by USS Shark, which in turn was sunk by Japanese destroyers immediately afterwards. The theory that Shark was shocked and horrified at what she did and tried her best to save Arisan Maru survivors and this exposed her to get sunk quickly is a good theory.). Those ships and submarines were involved in battles related to Leyte Gulf-related convoys but are never included in discussions about Leyte Gulf. Arisan Maru has the record of most U.S. military deaths in history at sea on one ship yet it is completely forgotten and obscure even though it happened during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

[@xstreamsurfer]

WHAT KIND OF SONAR WAS USED? A SONAR SLED?

[@robertjohnson8938]

RIP brave warriors

[@anonymusum]

I fear that the Chinese will destroy these wrecks as well in order to raise their metal.

[@bretthewitt3890]

They are in Phillipines waters.

[@anonymusum]

@@bretthewitt3890 Did the Chinese ever care for international rulings and regilations if it was against their interest?

[@richardyoung5217]

Good presentation but it would be better with maps showing where the ships went down.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

by fleet carrier, do you mean theJapanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku? if not then the two US carriers aren’t fleet carriers- they’re a light carrier and an escort carrier…

[@kawaiikindcake1023]

Hi fellow railfan

[@robertyoung3992]

both the Gambier Bay and St Lo were Casablanca Class Escort Carriers

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@robertyoung3992 i know that, i was asking if he meant the Japanese carrier which was classified as a light carrier or did he make the mistake of mixing the class types

[@hitoshisawa8479]

Those 18inch shells broke her

[@dank5032]

DD695 the Cooper is in Ormoc Bay

[@MarvinHartmann452]

These must be very deep, too deep for exploration without very specialised equipment.

[@BrianSmith-gp9xr]

My Dad was on the Princeton.

[@I.Am.Optimus.Prime84]

Sad mushashis wreck is in pieces

[@Crab_Allah]

Pretty sure the fuso class is Kirishima

[@russelljohnson6267]

Kirishima was sunk during the battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands not in the Philippines.

[@loadmaster61]

How many were plundered by Chinese pirates

[@Stellaris556]

Haguro on the Malacca strait almost gone because of their dredge ships.

[@zeitregen3963]

May you all rest in peace sailors and ships alike and continue to be undisturbed by poaching salvagers.

[@TrickiVicBB71]

Wow, finding SBR was an accident

[@markwarren7959]

Get on a Hwy and drive for about 5 miles, that's about as deep as Suzuya should be resting on the bottom of the ocean! Titanic, eat your heart out.

[@usskidd661]

Weird seeing my findings spoken by another commentator.

[@skyneahistory2306]

…to be fair, it feels weird for me to see someone related so directly to a video’s content pop in. (Weird in a good way, but weird) I do try to be respectful and note who found what and give links back to the original content where I can, though. I hope this wasn’t annoying or anything like that. I genuinely want to spread knowledge around, as an educator, and no offense was intended.

[@militaryekspert464]

What if this all ships rise and make ships-museum

[@user-tp1bi6of3v]

Sure hope the Chinesen don't find them!! They'll want to "salvage" them for the metal. See Prince of Wales and Repulse sinkage locations if anyone is curious. They have no right to vilolate war graves!!

[@robertyoung3992]

they're too far down the Johnston rests at 21,180 feet the Sammy B 22,621 feet

[@ronnelacido1711]

They just want to do some "research" on those wrecks. I think they're trustworthy enough.

[@Stellaris556]

Well. Their dredge ship (Chuang Hong 68) recently detained by Royal Malaysian Navy. With evidence of AA guns & active shells from Prince of Wales picked up onboard.

[@alexanderleach3365]

I hope the USS Gambier Bay gets found. She is one of the ships of Taffy 3 that saved Leyte Gulf.

[@robertyoung3992]

she was sunk early in the Battle off Samar

[@alexanderleach3365]

@@robertyoung3992 sunk by the Yamato and Kongo.

[@bkjeong4302]

@@alexanderleach3365 No, sunk by Japanese cruisers and possibly Yamato-Kongo likely had nothing to do with her sinking.

[@bkjeong4302]

Taffy 3 didn’t save the Leyte operation, in spite of that being the usual narrative. The Leyte operation didn’t need saving because the Japanese showed up too late (as in, days late) to actually stop the landings.

[@alexanderleach3365]

@@bkjeong4302 Maybe you're right.

[@dohc22h]

Who would have known the wreck has a giant extension cord resting on it... lol😂😂

[@Ian-mj4pt]

Wrecks going to disappear like some British ones nicked by a certain country

[@russelljohnson6267]

Not at the depths that most of them are. They are too deep for salvagers to reach.

[@isolinear9836]

Excellent job. The Battle of Leyte Gulf is very much "One Battle", with both sides scripting a single Operational Plan around the Center of Gravity of Leyte Gulf over several days - exactly the same is true for the Battle of Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, Battle of Philippine Sea, etc, etc, - the fact that it occurred over a wider area than most appreciate is immaterial - that has to do with the advancements in communication technology and the speed of Airplanes, Reconnaissance, information exchange, etc. The ridiculous "Battle of of Jutland was the biggest Battle, because Leyte was not a single Battle on a single day, but multiple successive Battles over several days" - was always hokey (and the naysayers knew it): Jutland ALSO is a combination of multiple "battles/actions" over multiple days. (Leyte has always been accepted as a single Battle like Midway and the rest, given anything akin to serious inspection - it's just that new generations are prone to the repeated rehash of old and long-debunked arguments)

[@davidford3115]

I think part of the issue stems from the fact that both sides didn't have unified command structures. Surigao Strat was under Admiral Kinkaid and hence MacArthur's domain while Battle off Cape Engaño was Halsey and hence Nimitz jurisdiction. The Taffy Groups at Samar were nominally under Kinkaid, but their protection, particularly the San Bernadino Strait was Halsey's responsibility. I tend to view each engagement as a battle and Leyte as a whole more like a campaign or theater of operations similar to the Solomon Campaign (specifically the Iron Bottom Sound engagements).

[@nebka44]

The Japanese aircraft carrier Shōhō has never been found.

[@maneuveranceontwitch5279]

They need to release ALL the pictures and videos from these wrecks. Like why isn't there thousands of pictures of these wrecks out?

[@brendanh8978]

We therefore commit these earthly remains to the deep, looking for the general Resurrection in the last day, and the life of the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose second coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the sea shall give up her dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in him shall be changed, and made like unto his glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Amen

[@captainAlex258]

the face I make when these ships dont get a proper movie like titanic 97 did *disgusted look and nodding*

[@dirkaminimo4836]

Please learn how to use the word irony. It wasn’t ironic that they found the Samuel B. I love your vids, but we can all keep learning throughout life, and irony has to be the most incorrectly used word next to the word, like!

[@isolinear9836]

And this is the time to clarify the "Battleship" vs "Battlecruiser" misunderstanding: Kongou in WW2 was a Japanese Battleship - full stop. The Japanese called them as such, planned for them as such for their OWN Doctrine (British Doctrine does not apply as you will see), and used them in Battleship Divisions. The Americans also called the Kongou class Battleships, and no, it's not "semantics". This goes back to why the US AND the Japanese didn't do "Battlecruisers" - they didn't design them, didn't build them, didn't train for them... ...and is the same reason why American Naval officers from the Cold War, unto today, don't call USS Wasp "Aircraft Carriers" ("Fleet Carriers" in WW2 parlance). The UK and Japanese DO consider Wasp-type ships as "Aircraft Carriers" in their OWN Doctrine, particularly as it relates to an adversary, say Russia or China or even the US. During the Falklands War, the British and Argentinians used their "Fleet Carriers" against each other, such as HMS Invincible and ARA Mayo. However, these HMS Invincible and ARA Mayo were less capable than the USS Wasp (which was bigger than both combined), and yet the Americans called Wasp an Amphibious Assault Ship. So what's the truth? The HMS Invincible was a BRITISH Aircraft Carrier/Fleet Carrier. The ARA Mayo was an ARGENTINIAN Aircraft Carrier/Fleet Carrier. The USS Wasp was an AMERICAN Amphibious Assault Ship/Landing Carrier. The USS Alaska by the standards of the British Empire was a "Battlecruiser", but not by American standards, and certainly not under American Doctrine or Design philosophy. The proper nomenclature of the USS Alaska is that it was "An AMERICAN Large/Armored Cruiser". Why? The Country of origin is the key in this description, because it gives you the context of that country's Design Philosophy and Doctrine for planning, building, and using its Naval Assets. It all comes down to how Doctrine grows from many factors including National Interest, Operational Environment, Technology, Industry, etc. The United States Navy has a VERY different Doctrine, Industry and Technology base when compared to Japan (and Japan has differences with Britain or Germany and so on), which makes ships like USS America and USS Wasp simply "Amphibious Assault ships" (Light-Escort ships in WW2 parlance), in the same way that the USS Alaska was simply a "Large Cruiser" in American Doctrine ("Battlecruiser" concepts had no place in American Naval and especially Carrier Doctrine in the interwar years, anymore than "Battlecruisers" have a place in American Doctrine TODAY - whether the British or anybody else thought the Arleigh Burke class is a "Cruiser" or "Destroyer" (and yes, they ALSO tried to interfere with and impose their own Doctrinal requirements on the AEGIS projects and Arleigh Burke class), is IMMATERIAL to what the US Doctrine is. This is because the nature of the US Economy and the geographical realities of its position in the Western Hemisphere inform and created this Doctrine, just as Culture and People informs Technology and Lifestyle. In the former case of Aircraft Carriers like the Enterprise Class, the US was capable of developing and operating much larger and more capable Aircraft Carriers than the British or any other country; catapult-equipped, nuclear propelled, radar operated, etc, which it saw as the future of its Carrier aviation Doctrine for Air Supremacy and Sea Control. This necessitated a complementary Light-Escort Carrier design (Amphibious Assault Ships) that mirrored an expanded suite for aircraft, radar, HVAC, landing craft, etc, to handle secondary and support missions - even though these "Light-Escort Carriers" would have easily been regarded as full-fledged "Fleet Carriers" in World War 2, or in the Foreign employ of a lesser Navy in the present day. To this day, Britain is unable to build and equip an American "Supercarrier" like Queen Elizabeth without significant American financial underwriting, infrastructural support, technology transfer, etc. The USS Wasp was designed from the keel up with American standards and Doctrine in mind, and was meant to operate in that American system - not a British one or or a Japanese one, or Argentinian one, etc. It was the British, for example, who pushed for the F-35 jump-jet - NOT the US Marines (The Marines focused on the V-22) because the British feared (rightly) they couldn't maintain and operate a full-size Carrier. In short, all the confusion/misinterpretation about "Battlecruisers", "Armored Flight Decks" (Americans use the added steel for Structural Strength, not to repel bombs and shells, which has never been a part of American design philosophy), "Aircraft Carriers", etc, is largely a matter of non-American actors trying to project their own values (and limitations) onto American designs where it should not (and does not) apply to American Doctrine (and American Interests). Again, this is not simply "semantics" - this corruption of Doctrine by superimposing foreign (especially British) requirements on American design, thereby forcing American industry to design and requisition systems and platforms for foreign militaries, has cost America hundreds of billions, from the JSF/F-35 program (a method by which the Clintons circumvented the Obey Amendment to sell NOFORN ATF technology to foreigners), to the F-22 (which is being starved of resources such as its updated powerplant because as an American-only platform, it poses a danger to the F-35 program, which is a vehicle for technology transfer to non-American clients, despite inferior performance and less expandable chassis and airframe), SIPRNET (these foreigners have long abused the US infrastructure outside of simple "cooperative security" using the 5 eyes pipeline, far beyond what their contributions would justify), etc. So while some of this is "misunderstanding", another part of this "semantics" has to do with "Treachery" involving parasitism and hijacking trillions of dollars worth of Military funding...for which twisting language and concepts are a key piece to that deception. Use proper language. Use the TRUTH. The Kongou was built as a BRITISH Battlecruiser. And during the time that the Japanese used British Doctrine, it was also a JAPANESE Battlecruiser. However, once the Japanese discarded the British Doctrine and developed an interwar Japanese Doctrine - most notably incorporating Naval Air assets and Aircraft Carriers) - the Kongou became JAPANESE Fast Battleships to keep up with those Carriers (Though it can be noted that the Japanese modified the Kongou's armor and outfit, the Kongou -class would have still been "Japanese Fast Battleships" REGARDLESS of these upgrades into a "proper" Fast Battleship...again, it's the Doctrine of the Country and the use that provides the context for the words - that's what's important). The British are certainly within their rights to consider them BRITISH Battlecruisers....but it's obviously beyond their purview if they insist the Japanese (or the Americans) are somehow beholden to British insistence and arbitration when defining the terms with which to describe the Interests and Doctrines of Japan (or America). (BTW, the US has NEVER designed an "Armored Deck" - the design philosophy and Doctrine of the US Carrier fleet is to sacrifice "Armor" for "Aircraft". The reason why the new Carrier Midway used steel which happened to be used for "Armor" is because it was the strongest STRUCTURAL STEEL available to PREVENT STRUCTURAL FAILURE, where the hull would literally fold in on itself. If using teak and lesser alloys would have allowed the US to make more Hangar space for aircraft, they would have used it. Unfortunately, making the Carrier bigger and bigger meant that the structural material had to be as strong as possible. Imagine making an aluminum box on all sides except for the top which you make out of cardboard....you can see how this compromises the structural integrity of the "box". That's why the Carrier Deck had to be made of something stronger - not just because it had to deal with heavier aircraft and more violent pounding from landing gear. If the Deck HAPPENED to be able to resist a bomb hit better...Fine, but nobody in the US Navy or Naval Architectural Engineering was dumb enough to line the Carrier with Armored belts and plates to make it shatter bomb and shell hits (but the US Navy DID design future Carriers to absorb torpedo hits).

[@LloydCole-fi9nk]

All well and good. However the British HAD armored flight decks on their newer CVS. They also had steam powered catapults before the USN . The Essex class CV would incorporate the armored flight decks. The MIDWAY class wold use the steam catapults with the advent of the jet age. Most of the prop attack aircraft like the Corsair, Skyraiders would be used on the Essex’s. These carriers would soon be modified with agngled flight decks , additional catapults and hanger areas.

[@davidford3115]

Nice dissertation (proof by verbosity), but it flies in the face of sources like Conway's Battleships or Norman Friedman's book of WW2 battleships. Both use extensive citation of Naval documentation, much of which you take horribly out of context. First and foremost, the armor belt and deck plating of the Kong-class might make it a battleship by pre-dreadnaught standards, but by WW2 it was inferior to most battleships of the time. In many ways, the HMS Hood had better armor. And yes it IS appropriate to make the comparison considering it was the British who built the first Kongo for the Japanese. Even the "least" of the American Battleships, the Nevada had better armor protection. It is clear you have an serious issue with the F-35 (and I do as well), but I think you are letting that cloud your analysis and are making chronological fallacies in the process.

[@lacey457-z5e]

How about we also use proper spelling as well, it's spelt KONGO not Kongou

[@StretchManchette-wv5xg]

God bless Earnst Evans

[@Jonjs99]

Just about anyones fathers were on these ships here

[@MohamadAdil-wk5gt]

Titanic

[@wirelessone2986]

USS DACE sank Maya...my grandad did all 7 patrols Dace experienced...I HAVE THE ORIGINAL BATTLEFLAG off Dace

[@riot1745]

ONE PIECE?

[@thatwormhole1760]

First