American Valor Quarterly Issue 8 - Winter 2010/2011 | Page 9

AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Winter 2010/11 - 9

Top: Wikipedia Commons; Bottom: Courtesy of Jack Yusen

oil was gushing out. The sharks were targeting the guys who When we arrived in the harbor at Leyte, they moved us to the
were not covered in oil. I was very lucky for that. We lost five USS Mercy, a large hospital ship. They took of all my clothes and
guys in shark attacks, and the
wiped the oil off me. I was given a
captain’s group lost seven.
blanket and was able to lay down in
the bow with a whole bunch of
We were in dire straits. Besides the
other guys, where we all fell asleep,
shark attacks, we were desperately
without eating or drinking. While we
thirsty. Bud and I warned the others
were sleeping, two Japanese planes
not to drink the saltwater, because it
attacked the ship, though they did not
could kill you. The whole darn time,
cause any damage. In all, our crew
I warned them. Yet many of our guys
of 228 men lost a total of 96. I was
were drinking it anyway; and not just
very lucky. The guys on my gun all
drinking it, but gulping it. Several of
survived. The only shell that hit near
them started hallucinating. One cried
us was when we were in the bow.
out, “There is my mother! On the
back porch!” He began swimming
Later, we were taken out of the
away, so we sent a guy after him, but
hospital ship and we boarded a
he had a knife and threatened to kill
landing ship, tank, bound for home.
The ferocity of the American counterattack caused such
the guy trying to save him. He swam confusion among Kurita and his commanders that they would We were told that when you lose a
off, still hallucinating about his eventually withdraw at 0920. Watching the Japanese retreat, ship, you get to go home for 30 days.
mother, and we never saw him again. Admiral Sprague heard a nearby sailor exclaim, “Damn it boys, I was feeling better when we
they’re getting away!”
We lost eight or nine of our guys
boarded that ship, especially since I
who just decided to swim off on While the Americans lost two escort carriers, two destroyers, was eating now, and three meals a
their own.
and the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts, they took with them day at that. After picking up more
three heavy cruisers, and severely damaged a fourth along with people in Brisbane, Australia, we
all of Kurita’s battleships save the Yamato. The incredible
Finally, on the third day around ten
headed for home, arriving in San
victory against long odds led to Taffy 3 being awarded a
in the morning, someone saw a ship
Francisco two weeks later.
Presidential Unit Citation. The above memorial to Admiral
off in the distance. We would no