The USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413): A Destroyer Escort’s Valiant Stand in World War II

USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413)


 

The USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), a humble destroyer escort of the United States Navy, etched its name into history during one of World War II’s most dramatic naval engagements. Commissioned in 1944, this John C. Butler-class ship exemplified courage and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. Its story is not just one of wartime heroism but also a testament to the critical role destroyer escorts played in securing Allied victory.

 

Background and Design

 

The Samuel B. Roberts was part of a class of destroyer escorts designed for anti-submarine warfare and convoy protection. Named after Coxswain Samuel Booker Roberts, Jr., a Navy Cross recipient killed at Guadalcanal in 1942, the ship measured 306 feet in length and displaced 1,400 tons. Though modest in size and armament compared to battleships or carriers, it carried three 5-inch guns, torpedoes, depth charges, and anti-aircraft weapons—tools sufficient for its role as a guardian of supply lines and troop transports.

 

The Battle off Samar: A David vs. Goliath Encounter

 

The Samuel B. Roberts’ defining moment came during the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944, part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf. Assigned to Task Unit 77.4.3 (nicknamed “Taffy 3”), the Roberts was tasked with protecting a group of escort carriers supporting the U.S. invasion of the Philippines. Early that morning, Taffy 3 found itself unexpectedly confronting the Japanese Center Force, a fleet that included battleships like the Yamato, heavy cruisers, and destroyers.

 

Outgunned and outnumbered, the American destroyers and destroyer escorts launched a desperate counterattack. The Samuel B. Roberts charged toward the Japanese fleet, laying smoke to obscure the carriers and closing to within 4,000 yards of the heavy cruiser Chōkai. Firing its 5-inch guns at a rate far exceeding design limits, the Roberts unleashed over 300 rounds in under an hour, scoring dozens of hits. One torpedo struck the Chōkai, crippling it and forcing its withdrawal.

 

The ship’s crew fought with extraordinary tenacity. Gunner’s Mate Paul H. Carr famously refused to abandon his overheating 5-inch gun despite severe burns, shouting, “I’m staying till they blow us out of the water!” His sacrifice symbolized the crew’s determination.

 

Sinking and Survival

 

The Samuel B. Roberts paid a heavy price for its audacity. Struck by 14-inch shells from the battleship Kongō and 8-inch fire from cruisers, the ship’s hull was torn open. Flooding overwhelmed its engines, and the order to abandon ship was given. Of the 224 crewmen, 89 perished. Survivors clung to life rafts for nearly 50 hours in shark-infested waters before rescue.

 

Legacy and Recognition

 

The Samuel B. Roberts’ actions at Samar became legendary. The crew’s bravery earned the ship the Presidential Unit Citation, with Admiral William Halsey later remarking, “In no engagement of its entire history has the United States Navy shown more gallantry.” The ship’s nickname, “the destroyer escort that fought like a battleship,” underscored its outsized impact.

 

In 2022, a team led by explorer Victor Vescovo located the wreck of the Samuel B. Roberts in the Philippine Sea, resting at a staggering depth of 6,895 meters (22,621 feet)—the deepest-known shipwreck at the time. The discovery reignited interest in its story, revealing the ship’s hull split in two but remarkably intact, a silent memorial to its crew.

 

Conclusion

 

The USS Samuel B. Roberts embodies the spirit of the “small ship” sailors who shaped World War II’s outcome. Its stand at Samar demonstrated that courage and ingenuity could defy even the greatest disparities in firepower. Today, the ship serves as a symbol of sacrifice and perseverance, reminding us that heroism is not measured by size but by the willingness to fight for a cause greater than oneself. As historian James D. Hornfischer wrote in The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, “They had no right to win. Yet they did.” The Samuel B. Roberts’ story is a cornerstone of that improbable triumph.

 

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