October 23-25, 1944!!!

[Devildog73]

Wow, I just had the pleasure of reading the historic record of the entire naval battles off the eastern side of the Philippines! WHAT A STORY OF BRAVERY!

Taffy 3 did the impossible against insurmountable odds and not only survived, but turned the IJN back. We lost several fine, brave, dedicated Sailors and ships, but what honor and devotion to duty!

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Hi DD:

have a mini-campaign loaded here that covers the engagement before Taffy 3 in the Sibuyan Sea:

"This is a mini campaign encompassing the four waves of the attack on Adm Kurita's Center Force and the CAP defense of Task Group 38.3 on October 24 1944. You will find yourself flying either a fighter, a dive bomber or a torpedo plane. I tried to be as historically accurate as possible with placement, ship names and types and times."

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/page.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&Fi leID=14799

[Devildog73]

Got it Shadow Wolf.
I will load it up for some flying pleasure as I take breaks from my USAAC missions in the area.

I wonder if we can make the ships shoot at each other.

[Talon]

Devildog,

I see you didn't try my Leyte Campaign.Taffy 3 is in it for a mission or 2.You takeoff from the carrier as shells are exploding around you. You can use the Arty shell for ship to ship combat but it's not easy to do.


Talon

[Fibber]

If I remember right there is a book titled " Last stand of the Tin Can sailors" That follows the battle through the valiant efforts of the tincans and their suicidal charges against the Japanese fleet.

[Ghostrider]

If I remember right there is a book titled " Last stand of the Tin Can sailors" That follows the battle through the valiant efforts of the tincans and their suicidal charges against the Japanese fleet.

This is a superb read about the battle off of Samar! Highly recommended.

[Devildog73]

Devildog,

I see you didn't try my Leyte Campaign.Taffy 3 is in it for a mission or 2.You takeoff from the carrier as shells are exploding around you. You can use the Arty shell for ship to ship combat but it's not easy to do.


Talon

Talon, I have it in my library, but with building USAAC missions have not gotten around to flying it.
My granddaughter corrupted my XP install on my laptop a couple of weeks ago and that is all I take with me when traveling for Uncle Sam. I finally have everything re-loaded and am ready to get it up and building again.

[Ghostrider]

Men of the Gambier Bay is a good read too.

[gothtog]

Very brave indeed! Makes you proud to be an American! Here's a cool poem which sums it up:

Written by Mr. Redfern in honor of his uncle
S2c B.F. Wallis, USNR
USS KITKUN BAY (CVE 71)

THE BATTLE OFF SAMAR
Rain swept decks with wind torn skies,
sleep just creeping from their eyes.
Lookouts high scanned white capped seas,
dawn had come for the CVE's.
Toward the north a warning was screamed,
Kurita's task force for you does steam.
Unbelieving ears at first failed to heed,
But crashing shells soon brought full speed.
"General Quarters, General Quarters!" loud speakers roared,
while shells from the Yamato thundered and soared.
Some splashes yellow, others splashed green,
"They're shooting us in color!" one sailor screamed.
Destroyers turned firing to meet the foe,
Huge cruisers shells into them flowed.
Johnston, Roberts and Hoel burned into the sea,
And death came too for the CVE's.
First to go was the Gambier Bay.
Over thirty rounds would mark her grave.
As she died old sailors say,
The torch was passed to the Kitkun Bay.
"Revenge our sisters!" the sailors cried,
Gunners cursed and fired and died.
From Kitkun Bay Avengers arose,
they found their marks with torpedoes.
Still Kurita pressed on the attack,
for the mini carriers smok'n black.
Huge shells crashed mak'n many a hole.
Success was his, kamikaze's sank the St. Lo.
More planes harried the enemy force.
Chikuma went down, the fight grew worse.
The other carriers added more planes,
Kurita's fears grew with the flames.
And just as a victory was about to him go,
He ordered course north for the Yamato.
Aboard the White Plains one sailor did say,
"Lets turn about, they're get'n away".
So went the battle off Samar.
For the little giants in a terrible war.
Heroic sailors on ships named for bays,
fighting for this freedom that we know today.
Lynn L. Redfern