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To: ManyMoose who wrote (6)	11/15/2007 1:35:39 PM
From: goldworldnet	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9623

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour (Paperback) by James D. Hornfischer (Author) amazon.com The Last Stand was a Proud One, March 1, 2004 Review By Robert Busko (Laurinburg, NC USA) This review is from: The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour (Hardcover) James D. Hornfischer has written a superb book on a little known naval battle that may stand as one of the most heroic efforts by the United States Navy in it's long and illustrious history. The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors focuses on a period of a few days in October 1944, during a time when the invasion of the Philippines was just underway and the Japanese Navy was doing all it could to hurl the American invasion back into the sea. Early on the morning of October 25, 1944 Taffy 3, made up of six U.S. escort carriers and a screen of eight destroyers stumbled into a vastly superior Japanese naval force made up of four battleships, eight cruisers, and eleven destroyers. The Japanese fleet was within range of the American force virtually before either group was aware of the presence of the other. The Japanese began bombarding Taffy 3 almost immediately. To save the carriers, the small force of American destroyers and destroyer escorts throw themselves at the Japanese task force believing that by sacrificing themselves they can buy precious time for the American carriers and allow them to flee southward toward another grouping of friendly ships. Naval aviators from Taffy 3 also do all they can to thwart the on rushing Japanese, but many planes are launched quickly from the carriers armed with the wrong type of ordinance. Still, between the attacking aircraft and destroyers, they manage to slow, at least temporarily, the Japanese fleet. In the end three American destroyers are sunk and nearly 1000 sailors and airmen die. Though the battle was small two huge firsts took place on October 25, 1944. The first and only American aircraft carrier was sunk by enemy naval surface gun fire. Also, October 25 marked the first successful kamikaze attack of World War II. Well written and well researched The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors will be an easy read...it is gripping and a page turner. One aspect that Hornfischer is clear on is the cause of the battle. He clearly feels that Halsey must bear most of the blame for this near disaster. Halsey was guarding the northern flank of Taffy 3. Though the attack that nearly destroyed Taffy 3 came from the West, Halsey was not in position to give assistance since he had run off to the north looking for a rumored grouping of Japanese aircraft carriers. Disaster was averted to be sure, but only because of the heroism of the skippers of three destroyers and their crews. If you're a history lover then you'll love this book. * * *