USS Laffey (DD-459) - "Closer, I Want to Hit Them With My Sword!"

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  • Опубліковано 12 кві 2023
  • The first USS Laffey and the less famous of the two, was a ship with a short service career. Less than a year in proper service and with only two major battles to her name. That she is less famous than her successor is probably due to the fact her successor survived where she did not.
    After all, not many destroyers can say they came within 20 feet of an enemy capital ship without immediately being sunk.
    Further Reading:
    www.amazon.com/Neptunes-Infer...
    www.amazon.com/U-S-Destroyers...
    www.amazon.com/Japanese-Destr...

КОМЕНТАРІ • 36

  • @alephalon7849
    @alephalon7849 Рік тому +31

    This Laffey lived up to her designation of destroyer by throwing hands with a battlecruiser-sorry, "fast battleship" while her successor absolutely refused to be destroyed by kamikaze aircraft. True tin can titans, the both of them.

    • @seanbigay1042
      @seanbigay1042 2 місяці тому

      You do realize the term "tin can titan" is something of an oxymoron?

  • @totheinferno
    @totheinferno 10 місяців тому +7

    It’s funny how the crews of these small and more lightly armed/armored boats always seem to be the scrappiest. I love the stories.

    • @seanbigay1042
      @seanbigay1042 2 місяці тому +2

      I suspect it's because they think they can make up for their lack of armor and firepower by being able to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

  • @bkjeong4302
    @bkjeong4302 Рік тому +37

    A really underrated destroyer. I don’t think any of the Taffy 3 tin cans actually got into a full-on exchange of fire with a Japanese capital ship the way she did.

    • @changsiah2
      @changsiah2 Рік тому +8

      Azur lane: one of the starters but in all seriousness it was a reason why we have a second 724

    • @seanbigay1042
      @seanbigay1042 2 місяці тому

      If Taffy 3 didn't bump heads with Jap capital ships, it wasn't for lack of trying.

    • @metaknight115
      @metaknight115 Місяць тому

      Hoel exchanged fire with Yamato, hitting her with two 5-inch shells. Yamato later took revenge and assisted in Hoel’s sinking, scoring a critical hit with her 6.1-inch secondaries that knocked out her last boilers

  • @scooterdescooter4018
    @scooterdescooter4018 10 місяців тому +5

    i wonder if Hiei heard the sound of Laffys' safety clicking off seconds before she got lit up.

  • @williamashbless7904
    @williamashbless7904 Рік тому +11

    Hiei survived that night battle but was left crippled and at the mercy of daylight dive and torpedo bombers who swarmed her the next day.
    Your material is clear, concise and seems well polished.

    • @tommcglone2867
      @tommcglone2867 2 місяці тому

      It was Laffey that did the critical damage. What a brave little ship 🥺

  • @panachevitz
    @panachevitz Рік тому +17

    Wow, based on this story, the 2nd Laffey definitely said we have a legacy to uphold.

    • @11eeveefan
      @11eeveefan Рік тому +10

      In the book “hell from the heavens” that’s exactly what the captain of the 2nd Laffey said

    • @panachevitz
      @panachevitz Рік тому +3

      @@11eeveefan That book is now on my to-read list. Thanks!

    • @pedrofelipefreitas2666
      @pedrofelipefreitas2666 Рік тому +3

      "My descendants are smiling upon me, can you say the same?"

    • @sls12III
      @sls12III 6 місяців тому +1

      ​@@11eeveefan Frederick John Becton... a true badass.

  • @dethpig420
    @dethpig420 Рік тому +12

    I want to thank you for making this video. My great grandfather Francis A Paul was the senior helmsman to the Laffey DD 459. He was wounded badly when the magazine was hit. One of his friends many decades later wrote us and said that Francis said to him, while in the oil drenched waters “look what those sons of bitches did to me” he was pretty wounded. He arrived at Long Beach memorial hospital in California where we are from, and he succumbed to his battle wounds and malaria, in California. At least he died on our shores. Thanks for keeping the OG Laffeys memory alive.

    • @andrewandres148
      @andrewandres148 9 місяців тому +2

      God bless your Great gramps and his crew.... My Gramps was on DD 527, a Fletcher class..... Got hit by a Kamakazi in the stack but shook it off... Long live the WW2 US Navy memories

  • @christopher-ke9nj
    @christopher-ke9nj Рік тому +7

    Destroyer skippers, unsung heroes, Gloworm, Ardent Acasta

  • @theblackbear211
    @theblackbear211 Рік тому +9

    Thanks, excellent account... I did chuckle about the Torpedo "not having time to arm comment" - from 20 feet away. her torpedoes might not have had room to clear the tubes... thank you for posting.

  • @buzzizard907
    @buzzizard907 Рік тому +4

    My Fathers Ship, was The USS Woodworth DD 460. The USS Laffey was her
    sister ship., Both were Benson class Great ships , Great crews

  • @tommcglone2867
    @tommcglone2867 2 місяці тому

    Bravest little ship of the war. Taking on an entire fleet solo? Brave little destroyer

  • @anonymusum
    @anonymusum Рік тому +6

    Incredible story! Fighting spirit would be an understatement.

  • @ph89787
    @ph89787 Рік тому +17

    USS Sleepy bunny.

    • @venn2001ad
      @venn2001ad Рік тому +8

      She also drinks a lot, lol.

    • @HateBurns4ever
      @HateBurns4ever Рік тому +8

      @@venn2001ad Ahh. Shikikans of culture I see.

    • @sls12III
      @sls12III 6 місяців тому +1

      ​@venn2001ad I mean, her crew did make booze from Ethyl Alcohol that powered the torpedoes. That's where her alcoholism came from

  • @metaknight115
    @metaknight115 Місяць тому

    I believe Yukikaze and Teruzuki are the destroyers that engaged Laffey in her final moments, with Yukikaze scoring the torpedo hit that put her out of action.

  • @barnentertain
    @barnentertain Рік тому +2

    Excellent. Thank you

  • @joewalker2152
    @joewalker2152 Рік тому +2

    Another great video my friend, keep it up!
    Si vis pacem, para bellum

  • @johnpower8356
    @johnpower8356 Рік тому

    Love ❤️ these wwii naval battles

  • @ironkeko4423
    @ironkeko4423 11 місяців тому +6

    The Starter ship I choose in Azur Lane

  • @changsiah2
    @changsiah2 Рік тому +2

    Nice to know my first wife was doing this real sad to know what happened to her after the events

    • @changsiah2
      @changsiah2 Рік тому +2

      Then again I take care of her really well

    • @ironkeko4423
      @ironkeko4423 11 місяців тому +2

      ​@@changsiah2I see another Shikikan here

    • @ironkeko4423
      @ironkeko4423 11 місяців тому +1

      ALSO YEAH SAME LAFFEY WAS THE FIRST SHIP I OATHED😂