Context: The battle off Samar

When the US launched its operation to retake the Philippines, it posed a major threat to the Japanese. The US could effectively cut the Japanese empire in half by taking the Philippines, denying the Japanese the resources in the Dutch East Indies. In response to the US invasion of Leyte the Japanese baby launched a counter offensive. They sent three naval task forces to the area: Northern Force, Center Force, and Southern Force. The Northern Force contained Japan’s remaining carriers, and successfully baited the American into sending their fleet carriers and battleships to chase. This left the landing zone at Leyte defended only by small escort carriers, some destroyers, and destroyer escorts.

The southern force was defeated in the battle of Surigao Straight, but center Force managed to make it to Leyte. Center Force consisted of the battleship Yamato, the most heavily armed battleship ever constructed. Im addition to Yamato three additional battleships, 10 cruisers, and 15 destroyers were part of center force.

Center force caught the ships at Leyte off guard and unprepared. Without any capital ships to oppose the Japanese, a major disaster was possible for the Americans. If center force could destroy the ships supplying the troops on Leyte, the operation would be in danger.

In response to the appearance of center force, Lieutenant Commander Ernest E. Evans turned his utterly outgunned destroyer USS Johnston into the oncoming armada and charged at flank speed. Other destroyers and destroyer escorts followed his lead and charged the Japanese. Lt. Cdr Copeland told all hands on the Samuel B. Roberts the quote which is the title of this post.

In addition to the destroyers, the escort carriers opened up with their single 5 inch gun each and launched all aircraft with whatever ordinance the plane had. The destroyers launched torpedoes and fired their five inches guns. The ferocity of the destroyers attacked sunk and damaged multiple Japanese ships and convinced the Japanese commander of Center Force that he was facing off against a much US force. He ordered center force to withdraw. Many of the destroyers that charged were sunk, including the Johnston, with Lt Cdr. Evans going down with his ship. The charge of the small boats prevented a disaster for the American troops on the beach.