by Henderson, Bruce
In December 1944, the US Navy suffered one of its worst defeats of the Pacific War. However the victorious enemy was not the Japanese but Mother Nature. The Third Fleet operating near the Philippines found itself by bad luck and worse leadership in the midst of a late season typhoon. Three destroyers were sunk during the storm, all with a great loss of life. Many other ships were damaged, planes were lost and men were swept over board from the surviving vessels. Author Bruce Henderson focuses on the story of the three lost destroyers and their crews from the time of their launching until their ultimate fate. For another recent take on the event see Halsey?s Typhoon by Bob Drury and Tom Calvin