A recently discovered US navy ship sunk in World War II is thought to be the deepest-lying wreck ever found.
The USS Samuel B. Roberts was one of more than 14,000 ships that sank during World War II. The U.S. Navy destroyer escort was laid down on the 6th of December 1943 and joined the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in August 1944. Shortly after, the “Sammy B.” proceeded to the Southwest Pacific, and then joined Task Unit 77.4.3, also known as “Taffy 3”.
On 25 October 1944, USS Samuel B. Roberts was supporting the escort aircraft carriers of Taffy 3 in the Leyte Gulf area, not far from the eastern shores of the Philippines, which was under Imperial Japanese occupation at the time. Just after dawn, a task force of Japanese battleships and cruisers led by the Yamato, the largest and most heavily-gunned ship ever built, appeared on the horizon and started firing at Taffy 3.
Robert W. Copeland, commanding officer of the Sammy B., told his crew: “This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”
While the smaller destroyer escorts were designed to protect convoys of merchant marine ships against aircraft and submarines, the USS Samuel B. Roberts put up a hell of a fight against the finest of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She seriously damaged 2 enemy heavy cruisers, but the enemy guns eventually found their mark, and the Sammy B. was badly hit and sunk. However, the crew’s efforts proved to be enough to buy time for the escort carriers to escape. For their heroic deeds in battle, they later became known as the “destroyer escort that fought like a battleship”.
After the Sammy B. had sunk, many survivors floated for up to 50 hours before being rescued. Out of her 224 crewmembers, only 135 have lived on to tell her story.
Now, more than 70 years after her sinking, the remains of the USS Samuel B. Roberts were successfully re-located, surveyed, and filmed at a depth of more than 22,600 feet (6,888 meters) – which makes her the deepest wreck ever discovered. For comparison, the wreck of the Titanic lies 13,000 feet (4000 meters) below the surface.
The expedition was funded and launched by two former US Navy Officers, and it took a series of dives over a period of eight days. The team of explorers were able to locate the ship with submersible vehicles and sonar-beaming ships. They eventually identified the wreck through its three-tube torpedo launcher that was unique to Sammy B.
“It was an extraordinary honor to locate this incredibly famous ship, and by doing so have the chance to retell her story of heroism and duty to those who may not know of the ship and her crew’s sacrifice,” said Victor Vescovo, founder of Caladan Oceanic.
The Battle of Samar, in which the USS Samuel B. Roberts was lost, was one of the key battlegrounds of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which is regarded as one of the largest naval battles in history. Even though the allied naval forces were considerably outgunned, and sustained heavy casualties, they were able to fight off their much stronger foes.
Sources: 1, 2, 3