USS Samuel B Roberts: World's deepest shipwreck discovered

USS Samuel B Roberts was lost in the Philippine Sea following an epic battle with the Japanese fleet in 1944 , it was found 4.28 miles down by Texan multi-millionaire and adventurer Victor Vescovo who owns a deep-diving submersible , this is what he found.


According to Mr Vescovo the ship is largely intact and at over 4 miles down is the deepest wreck ever found.

Mr Vescovo, a navy reservist in his time, said it was an extraordinary honour to locate the lost ship and by doing so have the chance to retell its amazing story of heroism and duty.

"We like to say that steel doesn't lie and that the wrecks of these vessels are the last witnesses to the battles that they fought," he told BBC News.

"The Sammy B engaged the Japanese heavy cruisers at point blank range and fired so rapidly it exhausted its ammunition; it was down to shooting smoke shells and illumination rounds just to try to set fires on the Japanese ships, and it kept firing. It was just an extraordinary act of heroism. Those men - on both sides - were fighting to the death."
www.bbc.co.uk...

Being British I've never heard of the USS Samuel B Roberts but am glad Mr Vescovo brought it to global attention , they sound like a special Captain and crew.

a reply to: gortex

Amazing find, I wonder what other goodies that treasure hunter ended up finding.

a reply to: gortex

Great find.
This ship definitely distinguished itself during it's last stand.

Hopefully this billionaire explorer will search for the waratah next.

a reply to: gortex

One of the most amazing naval battles ever. That's a heck of a find.

Did they say if they were also trying to locate the Johnston?

a reply to: gortex

Here's a neat animated comparison of shipwreck depths. Pretty cool!

⭐+🇺🇸

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Johnston (DD557) was found earlier at depth of about 20000 ft

It was an epic fight between Taffy 3 ( 6 escort carrier, 3 destroyers, 4 destroyer escort) versus Japanese feet of 4 battleship, including YAMATO , largest ship in the works, 8 cruisers, 11 destroyers

SAMUEL B ROBERTS took on several Japanese Cruisers including hitting HIJMS CHOKAI with a torpedo and engaging in a gun duel with CHIKUMA, where it emptied the magazines firing off over 600 rounds including starshells

In one gun mount, the crew fired so fast that a powder being rammed in the breech cooked off wrecking the mount

When a man entered the wrecked mount found the gun captain attempting load a round in the wrecked gun despite fatal injuries

Her captain LCDR Robert Copeland, a lawyer from Tacoma Washington received the Navy Cross, 2nd highest decoration

Many felt should have received Medal of Honor, conjecture is that Halsey blocked many of the awards because of picque at screwing up and being led astray by decoy force

Video of the USS Samuel B Roberts in its final resting place has now been uploaded.

originally posted by: firerescue
...including YAMATO...

As the ship sailed by the survivors they threw cans of tomatoes at them.

a reply to: firerescue
Halsey was a jerk that way. Ernest Evans, CO, was seen on deck trying to fight the ship after he ordered abandon ship, likely trying to ram enemy ships, as Johnston sank.

www.dailymail.co.uk...

Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945
by Evan Thomas | Nov 7, 2006

a reply to: pteridine

THE LAST STAND OF THE TINCAN SAILORS by James HornFischer gives detailed account of the battle including the role of SAMUEL B ROBERTS

en.wikipedia.org...



Few years ago ran into a old veteran in post office wearing hat of USS Kalinin BAY (CVE 68) .........

a reply to: firerescue

Neptune's Inferno by him is also great.

a reply to: firerescue

These two USNI booklets discuss close in support of destroyers at Normandy; close is 800-1000 yards off the beach providing direct fire support to the landing.

www.history.navy.mil...

www.usni.org...