Typhoon Cobra, December 1944

[@elizabethcarlson1321]

A few years ago, I walked into a local gas station, the old kind that still does service, and would also pump your gas. On the wall of the office area. (Note: not a convenience store, but a typical old 10' x 12' room), was a photo of a Fletcher class destroyer. I commented, "Hey a Fletcher class!" The older gentleman behind the desk, perked up, "You know what that is?" I said yes, and asked if he served on it. He had, and the first thing out of his mouth was how scared he was when they went through a typhoon in December 1944! He was just a kid them, and that moment above all of the combat that this ship served through and the kamikaze attacks at Okinawa were second to this storm. If you know the novel "The Cain Mutiny" the story was loosely based on the captain of one of the ill faded destroyers. After our conversation, he thanked me for knowing what his ship was. I told him, "It was your duty to be there, it is our duty to remember!"

[@elizabethcarlson1321]

I posted this before I watched the video. Sorry for the duplicate information that I posted that was in the video.

[@michaelwier1222]

Elizabeth Carlson....Where did you get that phrase, 'It was your duty to be there, it is our duty to remember'? It strikes a note conscience.

[@Houndini]

That was a very proper & truly honest reply to any veteran. If possible be nice you get a US patent # on that reply. You would make millions. Never heard that reply before well done 👍.

[@elizabethcarlson1321]

This defaults to my wife's name on KZbin, I am actually Steven A. Carlson. As for the comment I made to this gentleman, the phrase just came to me. I just felt like the right thing to say at the time. I never served in the military. My father was a Navy pilot in WWII and I have always felt that we owed it to those who did serve to remember what they went through.

[@beemail6983]

#thathappened

[@edschermer]

Your moments of silence to honor the fallen are always so powerful! PLEASE don’t stop this! It is part of the story!

[@carolynhowk146]

always gives me goosebumps

[@jamesengland7461]

I concur

[@CrazyUncleChris]

I second Ed's motion

[@Weesel71]

The silence speaks volumes. Thank you for it.

[@georgepantazis141]

Lest we forget.🇺🇲🇭🇲

[@roberteconner9627]

"It was your duty to be there, it is our duty to remember!" Class. Pure class. My compliments to you.

[@Saddlebum042]

I used to have morning coffee with an older friend who served as the lone radar tech on the USS Santa Fe. A very smart guy, John had many stories of his four years at sea and had been transferred to Haley’s ship prior to this storm. He was on the bridge with Halsey at the time before and during the the storm. His version of what happened went more like this. Even though John was warning Halsey a big storm was coming, Halsey ignored his warnings because he “didn’t believe” radar really worked. Halsey ordered four destroyers to dump their ballast and prepare for refueling. According to John only one captain ignored the order, the other three dumped their ballast as ordered. As this video recounts, those three ships went down and the fourth survived. John hated Halsey for ignoring his weather warnings and for his order to dump ballast. He carried that hatred to his grave in 2016.

[@studinthemaking]

That an amazing story.

[@SocialistDistancing]

Nothing worse than warning someone of eminent danger and they ignore you , and then their poor judgement costs others their lives. Ya, I'd hold a grudge too.

[@hellosunshine1090]

WOW a great 1st / 2nd hand account. A sober reminder that leaders can & do err: The captain if a ship MUST exercise sound judgement and in this case he did (even ignoring Commander Halsey) and his ship & men were saved. Bravo !

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

I'm sorry that he was so hateful although I can understand why he felt that way. Thank you for this anecdote.

[@rogerhwerner6997]

I've heard this story from a different source.

[@russellhowry4137]

My grandfather, Resta Russell, was serving on the U.S.S. Cape Esperance and was one of the brave men who worked tirelessly during the storm to keep the ship from sinking., I grew up hearing the stories of the men quickly moving side to side to keep the small ferrying carrier from rolling over and sinking. I always sat upon the edge of my chair as he churned the tails of all those he called shipmates and friends. Their quick actions helped save the ship from sinking but a large part of the flight desk was torn off the ship in the storm. I have many items, pictures and such of the ship afterwards I was blessed to be given upon his death. Five days past was the 30th anniversary of his passing and he has been heavily on my mind over the last days. What a wonderful surprise to see this hit my feed this morning to bring back all those wonderful memories of that times shared. History and my grandfather do deserve to be remembered. Thank you.

[@mikemmm48]

My father was a signalman serving on destroyer escort in the Pacific. He never spoke much about the war but he did talk about this storm. He didn't think his little DE would survive. He called it a peanut butter run, the weather was so bad nothing could be cooked, they survived on peanut butter sandwiches.

[@xsbuilder1]

I had the honor to know a gentleman who went through that Typhoon in TF38. He was a gunner in a TBM Avenger. He mentioned which aircraft carrier but I have forgotten the name. He was a small man, just the type the Navy preferred to fit into the cramped turret in the TBM. He was still in his teens then. He said the ship rolled and pitched alarmingly. The aircrews were flyers by job and not seamen, He said they were frightened the ship would go down. What made it worse was that all the aircrews were told to stay in their berthing compartment, well down in the ship. They were not given any information about what was happening. There were no portholes or any way to see outside. If the ship had foundered, they would have little or no forewarning. The ship did not sink though and all the aircrews were OK.

[@billdennis2993]

Thank you THG for making the effort and time to honor those that served this great Nation and especially those that made the ultimate sacrifice to protect and preserve the American way of life.

[@denyspoyner4150]

I'm glad you did an episode on this, I had an Uncle " Roland Paup" who served under Halsey and was in this Typhoon, he was lucky enough to survive this and the rest of the war but was unfortunately killed in an automobile accident a few years after coming home. Uncle Roland was a Marine , and I don't remember which ship he was on at the time but he told stories about how crazy it was. Several times they were sure the ship was going to capsize and they were all going to "buy the farm".

[@sparky6086]

Reminds me of my Uncle, who was a Navy Coxswain who piloted landing craft. He wasn't in the Pacific, but he survived landing at Anzio and then Omaha beach, only to die in a car accident 5 years after the War.

[@portecrayon4083]

My uncle Roland also weathered that typhoon on board the USS San Jacinto. Semper fi to the memory of your uncle.

[@markceaser8073]

My father was in the Merchant Marine and was in many storms on convoy duty. He too sadly died in an automobile accident. Some schmuck texting on her mobile device.

[@cinnamonroll29]

Nice timing Mr. History Guy! The strongest typhoon this year just passed over the Philippines yesterday. While we do get around 20 typhoons a year, it is highly unusual to have a howler this late. That it happened in 1944 and now in 2019 is history that deserves to be remembered 👍

[@wmcbarker4155]

and also a late hurricane in the Atlantic this Dec.2019, is that strange ?

[@j.d.8075]

I watched that typhoon on radar and seriously hoped for there not to be "extreme" amounts of damage... I went through cyclone Yasi in 2011 which was an Aussie rated cat 5.

[@johnphillips519]

These weather events are going to become more an more frequent and more severe, We are now having bush fires in the middle of winter in Australia, Unprecedented, welcome to the new normal

[@NittanyTiger1]

@@wmcbarker4155 Where at? I checked the NHC, and there's no tropical cyclones in the Atlantic. Did you mean Sebastien? Also, it's not unheard of to have tropical cyclones out-of-season. There were two in December during the infamous hurricane season of 2005. One of those cyclones, Tropical Storm Zeta, actually formed on December 30th and lasted until January 6th of the following year. However, it is rare to have late storms.

[@denisheath5681]

Don't believe that, Climate Change nonsense. It used to be called Global Warming until they proved that wasn't true. C.C. is the new religion of the Left. 🙂

[@odysseusrex5908]

The idea that anybody survived adrift in a typhoon is incredible. The mental fortitude required to keep going, hour after hour for days on the open sea seems superhuman.

[@dirtcop11]

My Dad was in the Marine Corps at that time and may have been in that typhoon. He said an "old salt" CPO downplayed the typhoon with a story, which was a bit of an exaggeration. He said, "This ain't so bad, I was in a storm that was so bad I took my laundry up to the crow's nest. When the ship rolled to one side, I dipped my clothes into the ocean. While it rolled to the other side, I soaped my clothes, then dipped them to rinse them off from the other side." It garnered some nervous laughter but lightened the mood as well. It's fun to hear all the old sea stories.

[@RCAvhstape]

There's an old joke in the Navy and Marine Corps: "What's the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story? A fairy tale starts, "Once upon a time...", and a sea story starts, "And this is no shit..."

[@billybcgn25]

And that is the truth, LOL. At least that is what I tell my non-military friends... :)

[@warrenpuckett4203]

I have done repairs on a frigate's mast (Knox Class) underway. JUST ROLLING SEAS. Ship rolled and water straight down rolled the other way and again water straight down. Found out why the equipment was not working when I came back down. The circuit breaker tripped. Been out in 70-90 knot winds in the Gulf of Alaska on a Perry Class. People were getting sea sick on the carrier. Over the wave and through the next. Feel the screw bite on the tops of the wave and slam the ship into the next. Just too young and stupid to be scared.

[@dirtcop11]

@@warrenpuckett4203 I have heard that the storms in the Gulf of Alaska separates the men from the boys.

[@richardlinneman594]

From an old sailor, thank you for reminding us.

[@DanGoodShotHD]

As an old saltydog I could really appreciate what they went through. I'm sure they'd have rather faced the entire Japanese Navy than that typhoon. I sure would've. Outstanding Mr.HistoryGuy.

[@shawngilliland243]

@DanGoodShot pewpew - Given how badly the Japanese Imperial Navy had been mauled by that point in the war, I would have chosen that, too.

[@DanGoodShotHD]

@4one14 That was exactly what I was thinking!

[@DanGoodShotHD]

@@nopeyadayadayada1248 Hey, a fellow bubblehead! I used Saltydog most understand it. Shellback or bluenose peeps get confused. But not the ones that really matter.😉 What boat you serve aboard? USS Springfield ssn761i. Pulling into Scotland we got hammered pretty hard. Had to close the clamshell. Oh and apparently I met Bob Uecker. Even had our photo taken. Cob hung it in the goat locker... don't remember it. At all. Ah, Broward Navy Days. Good times!😆

[@DanGoodShotHD]

@@nopeyadayadayada1248 Belay my last. I mistook ya for a boomer guy. Forgot you surface guys get your shellback too. A little too much pressure to my brain(or age) ha. I hear ya. Springfield will always be my first love. She's old by today's standards but advanced when I had the pleasure. My biggest regret was not becoming a lifer.

[@webbtrekker534]

@@DanGoodShotHD Qualified August 1967. USS Flasher SSN 613

[@stevemyers8065]

I would like to thank you for doing this story. I had a great uncle who was lost on the Spence that day. I still have a picture of her on my wall and the condolence letter from the Navy.

[@webbtrekker534]

Hand Salute for your uncles service!

[@timmaw2151]

My grandfather was caught in a typhoon at the end of WWII. I don't know if it was this one or a later one, but I remember when a book about it came out. He never talked about his experiences during the war, but just reading through the book caused him to cry, which I or any of my siblings or cousins ever saw him do. He said this was one of the scariest situations he had ever been in during the war.

[@cruzdirector8637]

I learned quite a bit from this episode. So many men lost in service to their country. Thank you for sharing - this definitely deserves to be remembered. 🇺🇸

[@vonfragesq7145]

US Navy here. We were transiting home from a 6 month deployment in the Med and Red Sea in December 1991 and went through the storm that the movie "Perfect Storm" was based from. Fun times.

[@stevenkollars5436]

My grandfather Kenneth (Ken) Kollars was a Radarman on the U.S.S. Dewey and had his back injured in this Typhoon. Had back issues the rest of his life. I believe my other grandfather (Kens cousin) Ivo Kollars was also involved in this as a core man. Thanks for posting this video.

[@lonpaulson8840]

Thank you for telling this story. My dad was on a destroyer during this storm and recounted a little of it to me. I always wanted to here more about it but he spoke very little about the war.

[@mwa3476]

As a fan of history, and a USN Aerographers Mate (Weather guesser), I can't believe I've never heard of this story until now. They never taught us about this in A School, which is honestly quite surprising. Thanks for keeping it alive. Subbed!

[@mrstude]

Amazing how this story has never been included in the history of WWII. Thank you and god bless the men who were lost !

[@oldmarriedcouple1]

I just recently learned who my father was and have researched any and all about him through the paper trail of his life. He passed in 1999 so I will never meet him. He served on the USS Chikaskia an oiler that was part of that 3rd fleet. The ships Wiki page made a mention of surviving typhoon conditions with little else to describe the situation. Thank you for this video today!! It gave more context of that typhoon my father survived and I learned more of his service during WWII. :)

[@mikebastien2106]

Read the book "Halsy's Typhoon" you will enjoy it!

[@oldmarriedcouple1]

@@mikebastien2106 Thanks Mike! I just ordered it. :)

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

It is so easy in war to forget just how many other things can take people's lives. Yet another story well told and worth repeating.

[@robertbeirne9813]

Western Australia Now and Then - my brother’s first mission in Vietnam, was a tiger hunt, as 2 men had been taken prior to his arrival. They didn’t find it.

[@recklacetotheer]

Not only are you a great historian but you are as well a great writer, journalist, and speaker! Love the videos!

[@wfp9378]

I was a commercial fisherman in my youth. About a year after I left it one of the boats I was on went down in a storm. I can well imagine how these men felt. A very gripping account.

[@irish89055]

Yes..like in "A Perfect Storm"...

[@brenthawley8542]

Thank you for creating this video. My wife’s great grandfather was one of many who died on the USS Hull.

[@josephg.3370]

I was in the Navy for five years and I never heard of this storm. So tragic! May they rest in peace and may we always remember.

[@Glenn.Cooper]

This is definitely one of the most amazing and nearly-forgotten parts of WWII. Thanks for sharing this.

[@ericdrescher8440]

This video gave me full body chills. I will never forget spring 2008 shortly after leaving Seaward, Alaska. I was aboard DDG-53 USS John Paul Jones and when we broke from the protective channel into the open sea it was not pleasant. The weather was horrible and the Air Force had canceled the joint exercise we were scheduled to participate in. We returned to Seaward eventually but not until we endured some wicked waves. The spray of the bow slamming down was going over the pilothouse. I cannot imagine what Typhoon Cobra dealt to our fleet. My experience was just a PG rated sample of what these sailors endured.

[@nicholasstilley2370]

I really liked hearing about Gerald Ford and his place in this event, I remember I had read somewhere that he was a GQ officer on an escort carrier and didn't think much of it, things like this is what keeps me coming back to this channel keep it up

[@piltdownman2151]

Jo Wood And he is an Eagle Scout. The only Eagle Scout to become President.

[@roygonzalez4367]

So President Gerald Ford Was a War Hero , and a Very Brave Man , Helped Save His Ship , I Heard About His Navel Service But Didn't Know the Details , Thank You Lt Cmd and Mr President Gerald Ford for Your Service to Our Nation , RIP SIR

[@rhfd376]

One of the few times I'm glad I work 3rd shift, I get to watch the history guy before I go to bed.

[@michaelmacchio9101]

I am very grateful you put this documentary up. My Uncle was aboard "The HULL." Unfortunately he was one of the 202 men from that ship that perished out at sea. I've occasionally wondered what it was like for him, to actually been through such a horrible storm. One of my worst dreams, (or nightmares) is of a huge wave heading toward me, and I'm knowing that I will not survive. It's probably my thoughts about him in my subconscious surfacing in a dream. My Uncle Joe was only 21 years old when he passed, and there is an honor to him on my grandparent's tombstone in Calvery Cemetery in Long Island. I was born about 21 years after his death, so I did not know him, but I did have the opportunity to ask his brother's (my Uncles, and Father) about him. My father didn't really say much, however my Uncles were much more available for that conversation. God Bless all of those who perished in this horrible storm.

[@docgrit441]

My father went thru that storm on a tin can, he told me that at times he could see all the props on the big carriers....

[@johntabler349]

My dad was on the old Saratoga he talked about riding out a severe storm and his year book has pictures of the big girl taking it green over the bow weather is nothing to take lightly at sea

[@gonshocks]

Thanks for this episode. My father was on one of those small aircraft carriers that day. It was badly damaged but survived.

[@paultraeder8853]

I want to thank you for making this video. It made me feel closer to my dad. He joined the navy after graduation in June 1944. He was stationed on the USS New Jersey, and the USS Sytr (ARL-23). He never talked to much about his service in WWII. I should have asked more questions when he was still with us. I do remember him telling me the only times he was really scared was during a Typhoon and when a Japanese Sub was spotted. I've really enjoy your videos. Thank you again.

[@kevind814]

Can't imagine how they would even be able to find survivors drifting 75 miles away. Rescue and repair operations must've taken quite some time.

[@firefox5926]

well having alot of carriers helps :)

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@Andrew Ongais Worse, Halsey ran the fleet into a Typhoon a second time a few months later.

[@matthewl67]

Andrew Ongais; I am on the fence about what I think of Halsey’s extremely aggressive leadership in general. As Walter mentioned, there was a second typhoon incident under his command shortly after this one though not as damaging. I understand the weather forecasts were poor at best and he received minimal information on the size and strength of the typhoons. Also factoring into the negative category is the matter of the battle of Leyte Gulf and Halsey’s nature causing him to bite on the IJN’s depleted carrier decoy force to the north, failing to form TF 34 partially through poorly worded orders, ignoring reconnaissance aircraft reports of a Japanese fleet traversing the San Bernardino strait, and overestimating the destruction of an earlier air strike on the IJN. Were it not for the valiant and borderline suicidal sailors of Taffy 3 coupled with Japanese center force receiving the news of the decimation of southern force, Macarthur’s Philippine invasion operation may have been significantly impacted. Luckily, the Japanese really wanted to save some ships for a rainy day. Even with those events against him, Halsey was a very effective naval strategist overall and was in one manner or another, responsive for a number of victories in the Pacific. The downside of being in command in any branch of the military is you reap the seeds of the situation, for better or worse. I haven’t read much about Halsey as intensely as I have others, but personally believe he was an officer who deserves a lot of credit for the successes in his theatre. His assumption of command brought a much needed morale boost for the sailors and galvanized his subordinate officers at a critical time. There were undeniable poor judgement calls and potentially significant strategic mistakes made by him, which he answered for in court-marshal proceeding in some capacity. At times, it is hard to understand precisely the factors under consideration without the gift of historical hindsight. No commander is perfect. While non-combat losses of crew and material are tragic during peace time, war time losses can become catastrophic and lead to supply/support shortages potentially costing battles and ultimately wars. This is certainly history that deserves to be remembered, studied, and taught so the lives lost were not in vain and destined to be repeated. Apologies for this comment turning into an essay. P.S. I am in no way affiliated with The History Guy and although I did borrow his catchphrase in my closing thoughts, I am receiving no sponsorship and my opinions are my own and are not a representation of Mr. History Guy’s own opinions. For brevity’s sake, I must caveat that this last paragraph is intended to be a poor attempt at humor. If you read this, keep up the good history bits Guy!

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

@@matthewl67 I'd say a lot of that looking so bad is our spoiled nature of having so many communication and information tools at our fingertips. We tend to judge the past from this near godlike state of knowing what's going on, forgetting that they had to rely on DRASTICALLY poorer means of reconnaissance and forecast... If the soldiers under him saw him as great commander, we should not try to cut him down at the knees just for the sake of critical analysis.

[@jamesbrown4092]

The thing about finding survivors drifting 75 miles away sent a chill down my spine, because I immediately wondered how many survivors the didn't find.

[@pepejuan2924]

Our family friend John S. Was on the USS Dewey DD 349, they were locked down below, he said when the ship rolled they hung from the sides of there bunks, the Dewey was credited with hardest roll of any ship that recovered, a roll of nearly 90 degrees when the stack broke off and saved them from sinking, John was the radio operator and he was a great friend and a great man. Thanks for posting 👍🇺🇸

[@johnmontgomery1207]

Great Video. I've studied this event over the last couple of years and the stories told by survivors are most incredible. Halsey did some great things in that war and he made some of the most enormous blunders. Had he not been a "national hero", made so by the press, he would have been fired before the end of the war.

[@Cloudman572]

It sounds like you have fuller knowledge of Halsey than me (me not being sarcastic) but was it not that much of the blunders were only easily avoided with hindsight?

[@dragonalpha9894]

@@Cloudman572 yes. Halsey followed procedure and did the best he thought could be done with what he had in his hands. We judge him (and others) with our modern knowledge forgetting that they didn't have the knowledge that we do. Forgetting that they had an totally different culture than modern culture. Myself being a former Naval Fighter Jockey and having stood watch on a modern CV .... Knowing that he had zero knowledge of the storms size, future intensity, possible enemy ships in the area, lack of support from any other fleet elements not in his damaged fleet. Low on fuel in many ships. Battle damage plus now severe storm damage. I don't envy him trying to make decisions. Armchair Commanders never will understand the stressors of command. I wasn't in charge of the entire fleet. I was just assisting with the navigation and command of one ship... A whole fleet... There is a reason the Admiral is seen as untouchable and as honored as a god. He was a father figure to me... But also so much more. Halsey was to his men as well...

[@matthewl67]

Kneecapper; I don’t hold this incident against Halsey as a lot of this was just bad luck. But I think Halsey’s greatest blunder was when his ever predictable aggression was used against him by the IJN and he was baited north away from the invasion force he was to be protecting. Was also the matter of poor communication by Halsey that never established a blocking force to protect the landing force. Instead he raced north after not collecting proper intel about the enemy he thought he destroyed and had it not been for the brave/crazy/heroes of little taffy 3 and a little bad news for the Japanese, the invasion of the Philippines may have turned out quite different on the first try.

[@EliteF22]

Nimitz was already under pressure at this time from those who wanted Halsey replaced after Leyte Gulf. The second typhoon incident was the final straw.

[@EliteF22]

@@matthewl67 it was ridiculous that he blundered into a second typhoon though.

[@Me2Lancer]

Thank you for honoring the sacrifices of sailors lost and the heroism of those who kept ships afloat and recovered survivors.

[@marckirkpatrick466]

Thank you for this video. My uncle was lost on the USS Hull in this storm. It was great to see the video of her trying to refuel from the USS New Jersey.

[@reveranttangent1771]

Uncle or aunt?

[@johnkreidler705]

My father was also lost on the Hull. The survivors I met at their reunion in 1985 strongly blamed the captain, Commander Marks, for poor seamanship. He was not invited to the ship’s reunions.

[@marcuskirkpatrick9146]

@@johnkreidler705 I have heard those stories as well. I was not able to attend any of their reunions, but I was able to locate and share information with several of the survivors. The previous Captain, Charles W Consolvo, was by far more popular with the crew. Many of the survivors I spoke with blamed the loss of the ship on Commander Marks.

[@briangarrow448]

At the 2nd Battle of the Ardennes, my uncle Gilbert, was severely wounded in action with hostile forces. For that, he was awarded a Purple Heart. And a month later my grandmother was sent a telegram by the United States War Department. At the time, she had 4 sons serving in the American Armed forces, along with 2 serving in the Canadian Army. According to family history, she saw the telegram and said she knew that 2 of her son's were still OK, but she was too frightened to read the message and asked the parish Priest to read it to her. ( The postal worker had made a stop at the local Catholic Church and grabbed the Father to bring him along for moral support.) All her son's came home safely and now I'm sharing a bit of my family history that"Deserves to be Remembered".

[@N0rdman]

Thank you for sharing, I am happy for that outcome for your family, many weren't that fortunate.

[@Glenn.Cooper]

Not sure what this comment had to do with the story...

[@briangarrow448]

@@Glenn.Cooper Same date. And I'm having 40 family members over this weekend to celebrate the holidays and brought out the family albums. And because I wanted to.

[@fergusmallon1337]

@@Glenn.Cooper It has to do with war fear and tragedy and Mr. Garrow felt compelled to share it. I appreciate his story.

[@wordsmithgmxch]

@@Glenn.Cooper Who cares? Many thanks, Brian!

[@justinmaguire1140]

I'm so glad you became the KZbin history Guy before someone else thought of the name, you do good work, good job, thank you.

[@scullystie4389]

I've been waiting for this. One of the major forgotten stories of the Pacific Theater. Everyone should read Halsey's Typhoon, it's an excellent book. Thanks THG!

[@haroldburrows4770]

Excellent book

[@stevenpdxedu]

Thank you for helping us all remember the tremendous difficulties our service men endure and the heroism with which it is faced.

[@georgespencer8871]

The USS Laws DD-558 was the last Destroyer to be refueled in typhoon Cobra. I served as a Boiler Tender (E3) and Ship Fitter (SF2) on the Laws from 1961 to 1963 where I helped decommission the Laws in Vallejo Calif. The Laws was commission in 1943, the year that I was boned. In the winter of 1962 the Laws almost sank while operating in the Bering Strait (between Alaska & Russia) for several days we operated in a very bad storm taking on major ice. Waves were going over the super structure with 60+ deg rolls; almost dipping the stacks which would have caused the boilers to explode (I was assigned to #2 aft boiler room). I served 10 years in the following trades: BT, SF2, SF2/IC, ET1 com, radar, crypto & was offered Officer Candidate School… I invented the Arc Fault Circuit breaker to reduce electrical fires (now required by NEC code). I am now working on a major change in how wind is harvested. At 20 Mega Watts it can out produce the largest of today’s windmills… GSharpLabs.com Thanks George A Spencer USN

[@MisterSiza78]

Typhoon in Pacific, nothing more calming than watching your ship flex during the worst weather i'll ever encounter. :)

[@d.e.b.b5788]

Hearing it creak and groan below decks just might be a little scary, though. My dad was in that fleet, and said that they don't make ships big enough to go out into that kind of thing.

[@CAMacKenzie]

My father was a fire controlman aboard the Hull. He's visible among the survivors in the picture at 9:44. I had never seen this picture before, and, from what he said when I told him about it, neither had he. Thank you, History Guy!

[@kennethbailey2616]

I was Marine Detachment on the Midway. When we went through storms I felt sorry for the guys in those tin cans.

[@crowman5936]

My father Joe Harp was in this storm on the USS Michael a destroyer escort. He always said it was a pretty intense 3 days of rocking over 60 degrees.

[@JTan74]

Thank you, fallen sailors, for your service. We experience up to as much as over 26 typhoons a year here in the Philippines. It's already a terrible experience on land, what more at sea? These sailors were brave. Thanks for telling their story.

[@robdee7127]

My grandfather was a pharmacist-mate aboard the Monterey during this time.He would tell me war stories when I was a kid. Sure miss him!Awesome channel!! Can't get enough! Thank you History Guy.

[@miked197]

My Dad was on the Monterey during that storm. he remembers trying to keep himself up-right just wearing his shoes and underwear. he also told me of a Jap attack and since he was an oil king he was below deck, and a Chaplen was describing the action above on the squawk box. The Chaplin said that a jap plane dropped a torpedo that was headed for the ship...but the pilot let it fall to close to the ship and it went underneath the not hitting it at all. I can't imagine!!!😧😨 he died in 2003

[@KCODacey]

Thank you for the tribute at the end of your history lesson. It reminds us what should be obvious when history books talk about casualties, tonnage sunk, damaged equipment. There is always a human being, now forever lost. KCD - CDR - USNR (Ret)

[@matthewdunstone4431]

In the context of a dramatic war, incidents such as this typhoon get overlooked, which is a shame. Kudos to you for dedicating this episode to this subject.

[@johnkreidler705]

My father was Chief Sonar Man on the USS Hull, DD 350, and died in Typhoon Cobra on December 18, 1944, almost 75 years ago. In 1985, I attended a reunion of the Hull survivors, some of whom had endured near misses with sharks and four days of exposure in extreme seas. Indeed, this incident was underplayed by the Navy in the American press, and is not well known to this day, though four books have been published on the subject. The most recent of these books, Down to the Sea (2007) written by Bruce Henderson, contains numerous eyewitness accounts, and a photo of my father and mother. Your recent video on Cobra is especially meaningful because the only memorial, of sorts, to those lost in this storm is the US military cemetery in Manila, which includes stone plinths engraved with the names of all servicemen lost in the Southwest Pacific whose remains were never recovered. To the best of my knowledge, there is no public memorial on US soil that commemorates the names of these men, or other US personnel lost in World War II.

[@ajg617]

It simply amazes me how you weave numerous personal stories into events which I had never heard of in any school!

[@murraystewartj]

I had known a bit about this but never heard the story told so well and so chillingly. Thanks to you and the commenters who related stories told by their relatives. I understand the terror that war can bring, but those kids (that's what they mostly were, after all) facing the cold, emotionless fury of the seas - just trying to imagine their experience makes my blood run cold. Few are left, but they will be remembered.

[@loganpe427]

As I've reached nearly 60 yrs old it's finally begun to strike me just how young our service members are. _God bless all who have gone and all who serve now! You truly are my heroes!_

[@stephenlabbe8715]

My dad was on the USS Kwajelien & mentioned they lost several crew when they were cutting their deck load of planes loose. The inclinometer pegged side to side, but the ship recovered. One of the very few things Dad talked about from the war.

[@newgreyson]

My dad was a radio man on the very same ship and mentioned these things as well

[@anti-Russia-sigma]

The channel is more correct & entertaining than any other source.

[@itsjustkevin6652]

You're a good man Mr History guy, my favorite channel hands down

[@richardmourdock2719]

My Father was in the area on board LST 181. "Landing Ship Tanks" were designed to be "driven" up on beaches where their front doors were opened and tanks, troops and jeeps would come rolling out. A great design for delivering vital war materials but the design also meant that LST in rough weather stood for "Lousy Stinking Tub". The ships were build to flex or bend which caused a certain sound of snapping and cracking. Fortunately, the ship was fully loaded helping it. Dad had been subject to kamikaze attacks and shore fire on several occasions, but he told me once he was never more terrified than in the typhoon as the shipped rolled from one side to another as they desperately tried to keep the bow into the wind. He said if they'd turned 30 degrees in either direction he was sure it would have capsized.

[@tncorgi92]

We always called them Large Stationary Targets.

[@richardmourdock2719]

@@tncorgi92 Oh yeah, Dad called them Long Slow Targets as well as Lousy Stinking Tubs. Ironically, the city I now live near was where many were built and the last, self-powered warship of WWII is now permanently based here, though it still makes fundraising cruises and does re-enactments up and down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Not long before Dad died, he and my Mom (also a WWII Navy vet) came here to tour LST 385. I will never forget the experience. It was a hot August Day, we were walking between the exterior hull and what was effectively an interior hull that held the cargo. We started to pass a row of stacked hammocks. Dad was counting... one, two,... three... then counted from the bottom up two hammocks, "Yup, This was me." I never looked at Dad quite the same way again. On that miserably hot, humid Ohio River Valley day, in that steamy, uncomfortable, confined little space, I suddenly realized that my Dad had spent his 18th, 19th and 20th birthdays in that bunk in the SW Pacific where every day was hot, humid and with the potential of a terror I cannot imagine. The Greatest Generation indeed... proud to be the son of two of 'em.

[@elizabethcarlson1321]

Great personal story of your father! I can't imagine how hot and almost unlivable the conditions were for the crews. Your story also brings to the point that a great many of the smaller, and in the case of the LST's, not so small, warships were built in inland locations along the inland waterways including the great lakes. It was truly a national effort. My grandfather worked building submarines at Manitowoc Wisconsin. These were tested in Lake Michigan, and them had the masts removed and transferred via the Chicago ship canal to the Mississippi. They were rigged once they reached the gulf. As for the LST's, I remember reading story of them in convoy duty in the Atlantic. As the story goes, the crew was cussing out the rough riding ship with it's shallow draft until a torpedo passed under them and struck another freighter in the convoy. At that moment, they were very glad to have that shallow draft. Steve

[@raystory7059]

My Dad was a Petty Officer 1st Class and a Coxwain . During the storm his LST lost bridge control and Dad had to ride out the storm in the after steering compartment with a headset and manually steer the ship via orders from the bridge. He said it was a long storm.

[@mikebastien2106]

My father served on LST334 and he told of how the ship would clime the wave bust through the top then free fall to the bottom of the next , then shudder violently when it slammed down only to start the next clime.

[@milohajek]

This truly is one of the best educational channels on youtube and THIS IS A CHANNEL THAT DESERVES TO BE REMEMBERED when your browsing

[@blacksmith67]

I am always happy to be notified of a new THG video.

[@dangillen4827]

Went through a violent storm in the North Atlantic on a Gearing Class (similar to a Fletcher). We had bucket brigades passing water by hand because the pumps could not keep up with the incoming sea water. I remember when the ship took a fierce roll waiting for it to halt and begin up rite itself. It seemed like a lifetime for it to reverse it self.

[@skylarheitzman7958]

My Papa, who sadly passed a decade ago now - gosh I just realized its been that long as I type this - served as weatherman aboard the USS Alabama (BB-60). Growing up visiting him and Nana he would regularly tell the same few stories over and over again, but never give names really much. I regret never having the thought to try to pick his brain more on all the events he went through as a kid. One of his favorite stories he would tell was how as the weatherman aboard the U.S.S. Alabama one day when all the weatherman were asked to draft up predictions for that weeks weather or something that while every other ship predicted that 'the Typhoon' (which he never named tbh) would miss them, he however predicted they'd run right into it. He never spoke of what exactly went on through the storm, or ever mentioned a second typhoon either, but he would always say how intimidated he felt when after the fact he was called to report to the Admiral to explain how he had managed to predict they'd run into the storm which of course turned out to be true, when all the other ships weathermen had thought they'd miss it. I can't speak to the accuracy of any of this, as thing kind of thing just isn't exactly my wheelhouse, and I am pulling this from a now decade old memory of a story my Papa who suffered from dementia told me. But watching this video reminded me vividly of sitting in the kitchen or living room of his and Nana's place and listening to him tell that story. ^^

[@AMStationEngineer]

Post deleted for violation of redundant wording policies, and for additional reasoning related to providing troll enrichment and/or nourishment. The original post referenced Thule Air Base, Greenland, a protectorate of Denmark. My apologies.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

AMStationEngineer I plan to get an episode out on the B-52 crash at Thule.

[@sisenor4091]

Where “frost burn” was invented? Sounds like you had a lovely time there.

[@Rosewood185]

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered Lots of Danes got cancer from cleaning that one up 😪

[@daneaxe6465]

"Frost burn"...sounds a lot like Minnesota, North & South Dakota. Ironically, like Greenland those states are heavily Scandinavian.

[@robertrabinoff6181]

@@daneaxe6465 Not really ironic -- people go where they're comfortable in the climatic and geographic conditions.

[@TheMathius78]

Once again thank you, Mr. History Guy sir. I've never heard of Typhoon Cobra so mission accomplished on your end. I'd love to hear more stories out of the 4th- and -5th generation of Naval and Air Force jet aircraft and their crews. God bless and Merry Christmas, friend.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Don't feel bad, I never heard of it either until a few years ago. I was doing follow-up research on my father-in-law's travels in the Pacific 43-46. He told me about a nasty typhoon off Okinawa but I discovered his little minesweeper went through 3 typhoons and Cobra was the first one. But Cobra wasn't big threat to him since his wooden tub was doing patrol duty in the Philippines and the many hundreds of islands broke up the wind and waves. Out in the ocean it would've been far more memorable like the first typhoon off Okinawa.

[@unfortunately_fortunate2000]

this is honestly [in my humble opinion] *the best history channel on the whole of KZbin!* I mean, shit, this is easily one of the best channels on youtube, just in general. certainly my favourite since I somehow stumbled across your stuff! the world needs more quirky, a little goofy, eccentric & impeccably dressed historians making videos on yt and making silly jokes here and there in videos regarding fairly dark and saddening material(s) as their main topic(s)! you sir, are a gem!! #getthehistoryguyto1millyalready!!!

[@casparcoaster1936]

After seeing the History Channel doc on this, I am SOSOSOSOSO grateful for this. It's a testament to the quality, fit & finish of the History Guy, vs the History Channel. Keep at it!! To see a gripping, concise and precise doc like yours held up against History Channel's Reader's Digest style work is really refreshing. Gotta get off (my butt) and get over (to patreon) and get out (my credit card)- b4 I flounder in a sea of guilt!

[@jamestinsley3110]

My father who served in the navy in the 50s and 60s used to hear stories from sailors who went through it. He used to tell me they all got a certain look on their face of a far off stare.

[@burbank46]

Thanks for this episode. LTJG George C Nelson from Suffield Connecticut went down aboard the USS HULL on Dec 18, 1944.

[@videodrone101]

The ship shown at 12:45 is the U.S.S. Pittsburgh CA-72, that lost her bow in the typhoon! She managed to avoid colliding with her own bow by carefully maneuvering and after shoring up the bulkhead, made it to port, were a temporary bow was made and she sailed back to the States for permanent repair. A tugboat, the U.S.S. Munsee , found the bow and towed it to Guam. This is why they called Pittsburgh "the longest ship in the world", because she was several thousand miles from bow to stern!

[@rickwhite4137]

It's a pleasure to listen to all these events. The explanations are excellent!

[@jamesjustus6568]

Outstanding episode. My grandfather was aboard USS Kwajalein during Cobra.

[@kellymartin8090]

One unbelievable story. My goodness! Thank you.

[@kennyhagan5781]

You are doing a fantastic job of keeping the torch burning. Always remember, always make sure that others know the story. You have reminded me of many things over the last few years, and I am exceedingly grateful.

[@kenbobca]

Great video. I can relate. November of 72 aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CVA63 I experienced a Typhoon in the South China Sea. I worked in the Weather office. The ship was much larger than the ships in the video, still the Kitty Hawk lost several baskets containing inflatable life rafts.

[@CSmart-ln1qm]

My father served in the US Navy during World War II; consequent, I appreciated this episode greatly! Please consider an episode on the naval chronometer and its use in determining longitude.

[@chiefpontiac1800]

So sad to see this. I remember my dad telling be about the storms he endured on the USS Trenton in the Aleutian island campaigns and also while on the Mindoro. It must have been pure hell being on a tin can during that fierce typhoon. RIP brave sailors and marines. Thanks to you HG.

[@francisbusa1074]

I still remember the phrase from the Victory at Sea episode which covered this storm, "What the Japanese were unable to do, nature almost does." My dad told me about being in this typhoon. He served aboard USS Birmingham CL 62, and was part of TF 38. I sure do miss him. He is the reason my brother and I both enlisted in the US Navy during the Vietnam war.

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Excellent presentation on a weather event during the PTO.

[@ryanmalin]

If you were my history teacher I would have enjoyed history class a lot more.

[@chrislehman255]

In the mid 60's, I went through a typhoon between Hong Kong and the Philippines on a destroyer. The description was green water over the bridge (think of the movie "The Perfect Storm"). I had the con on the midwatch and turned around to look at the people standing at the very back of the bridge. They were "snipes" (term for crew working in the engine spaces) who had come up after their watch to see what was happening. Someone said the force of the storm could be calculated by the number of crew at the back of the bridge. A number of us were seasick. Some even communed with the great sea god O'Rourke. Nonetheless you still stood your watch. When we arrived in Subic, the new paint on the hull painted on by Mary Sue in Hong Kong (women in sampans who would paint in return for old food, used line/ropes) had been striped off. Needless to say our fuel tanks were full. Even as a young Ensign, I knew the story of Typhoon Cobra.

[@frankgulla8367]

Excellent story, great detail, nice vignettes. Thank you

[@erynlasgalen1949]

You are one of KZbin's treasures. You are also my continuing education in history. Thank you.

[@geoben1810]

For those interested, read Blood on the Sea, a recounting of the 77 U.S. NAVY Destroyers lost during the war, either in battle or due to weather. ✌🇺🇸

[@jjthomas2297]

Nope, not interested..

[@spikespa5208]

@@jjthomas2297 Asinine, useless remark.

[@kevinmurray7882]

By Robert Sinclair Parkin, it's a very good reference on all of the USN's lost tin cans, including detailed accounts of the Spence & Monahan. I also recommend a similar book "The Last Patrol", by Harry Holmes, about the 52 USN submarines lost in WWII.

[@steveclark4291]

Thank you for History that Deserves to be Remembered !

[@scot2588]

Correction:You mentioned that the 101st and 82nd were surrounded in Bastogne. Incorrect. The 101st AB Division was surrounded in Bastogne. The 82nd was not. The 82nd AB Division was deployed on the north side of the german salient. I enjoy your films by the way. I'm a history major too, and the bits of history you bring up here are one's I've never heard of. Keep up the good work.

[@benjaminkemp971]

Your cadence and conclusion of each video will always remind me of Paul Harvey. Great videos keep them coming.

[@georgegarcia884]

Thank you for remembering them. Sail on brothers

[@randypace1852]

My great uncle was stationed aboard USS Monaghan during the Pearl Harbor attack (and mentioned in after action reports) and much of the war. It was by luck that he was off the ship during Cobra. Thank you for noting what has become a largely forgotten tragedy.

[@garykubodera9528]

Another small incident that is no longer taught or mentioned in this day of just how dangerous it was to serve our country in that time. Thank you for another great story of one small piece of history that deserves to be remembered!

[@jack8box]

Just watched this. Great job. Love your channel. I read a book about this a few years ago but I can't remember the title. There was a contributing factor that affected the older destroyers. During the war they were refitted with extra antiaircraft guns which increased their top heaviness. It was noticeable during hard maneuvers even in calm seas. It was a necessary tradeoff because of the need to defend the rest of the fleet from air attacks. Again, I love your channel and keep up the great work. History does deserve to be remembered lest we repeat it.

[@cvcoco]

A sad and amazing story I didnt know. Thanks so much for bringing it. God bless all those who served and rest in peace.

[@TheGamingMason]

@The History Guy, I am an Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class and I am an alumni of the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Pearl Harbor. I worked there in 2005-06 as a Typhoon Duty Assistant.

[@brandonbrown2912]

Halsey's Typhoon is a great book with many firsthand recounts of the storm. Amazing read

[@squint04]

WOW!! Thank you for this episode!! This certainly is History worth remembering!

[@ethanknight664]

Would love an episode on the USS Washington (BB-56). It’s a shame not enough people have heard of its story considering it’s very respectable service record in the pacific

[@garyfischer5303]

My father was on the USS Massachusetts during the typhoon. He was electricians, made, and worked on all of the inner communications. During the typhoon, someone said to go up on the seventh deck above the main deck to see the waves. He opened the watertight door and was looking up at the crest of a giant wave. He slammed the door and braced his back against it after dogging it down. He told me that he had never seen waves that big, or a mansion that they could be that big. Their seaplane was swept off the fan tail of the boat, and at one point after the fleet scattered, they came upon an Aircraft carrier that was crossing directly beneath their bow. They went to full reverse and were able to avoid cutting the aircraft carrier in half.