By Christina Wood

In the early hours of Oct. 25, 1944, a small task force stationed off Samar Island in the Gulf of Leyte stood between the Japanese Imperial Navy and the Allies' foothold in the Philippines.  

When the Japanese attacked, Taffy 3 launched a ferocious counterattack. The 13 ships weren't designed for heavy surface warfare, but courage and determination made up for a lack of firepower.

“We are about to go into a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected,” Lt. Cmdr. Robert W. Copeland, commanding officer of USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), told his crew before charging toward 23 of the Japanese navy's most lethal ships. Other ships - including USS Johnston (DD-557), a lightly armed destroyer commanded by Cmdr. Ernest Evans - rushed toward the enemy.

The victory came at a heavy cost. As Copeland predicted, many did not survive, including Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Paul Henry Carr, who ignored the order to abandon ship - twice - and died gripping his 5-inch gun's only unfired round. 

Back to 100 Veterans, 100 Years: A Century of Stories You Should Know