The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors Book Review

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy’s Finest Hour

By James D. Hornfischer

Hardcover in dustjacket, 427 pages, illustrated, indexed

Published by Bantam Books, February 2004

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0553802577

ISBN-13: 978-0553802573

Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches

The Battle of Samar is the United States Navy version of the Charge of the Light Brigade.  On the morning of 26OCT44 a small group of six U.S. escort carriers and their screening destroyers (call sign Taffy 3) was surprised to see an overwhelmingly superior force of Imperial Japanese Navy battleships and cruisers steaming over the horizon.  The destroyers nearest to the Japanese armada turned to the attack in order to allow time for the carriers to escape.  The destroyers Johnston and Hoel, along with the smaller destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts were sunk, but they were able to save…