USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413)

Type

Destroyer Escort

Period

20th Century

Nation

United States

Overview: USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, the first of three Navy ships to carry the name in honor of Coxswain Samuel Booker Roberts Jr., a Navy Cross recipient killed at Guadalcanal. She is renowned in naval history as the "destroyer escort that fought like a battleship," a title earned during her final battle. Specifications: The ship displaced 1,350 long tons and measured 306 ft in length with a 36 ft 8 in beam and 9 ft 5 in draft. Propulsion came from geared steam turbines producing 12,000 shp, giving a designed speed of 24 knots (28.7 knots achieved), with a complement of 14 officers and 201 enlisted men. Her armament comprised two single 5-inch guns, two twin 40mm AA mounts, ten 20mm AA guns, a triple 21-inch torpedo tube mount, Hedgehog ASW mortar, depth charge throwers and racks, and SF search radar. Service History: Built by Brown Shipbuilding in Houston, Texas, she was laid down 6 December 1943, launched 20 January 1944, and commissioned 28 April 1944 under Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland. On 25 October 1944, while screening the escort carriers of Task Unit 77.4.3 ("Taffy 3") off Samar in the Philippines, she and other small American warships were suddenly confronted by a much larger Imperial Japanese Navy force under Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, including battleships and cruisers. Despite being vastly outgunned, she dodged torpedoes and fought back for roughly 50 minutes before being sunk by direct hits from 8- and 14-inch salvos from heavy Japanese ships, with 120 men surviving the sinking while dozens of her crew were lost. Notable Facts: The wreck was located in the Philippine Sea in June 2022 at a depth of 22,621 feet, making her the deepest shipwreck ever found at the time, surpassing the previous record held by USS Johnston; both ships were found by teams led by explorer Victor Vescovo. Modelers should note her nickname "Sammy B" and her legendary status among Taffy 3's "small boys," since although destroyer escorts were conceived as inexpensive small ships for convoy protection against submarines, she distinguished herself combating armored cruisers designed to withstand 5-inch gunfire. A plaque commemorating the crew of DE-413 was later carried aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58), continuing the ship's legacy.