#TheShipThatWouldNotDie DD724 USS Laffey @Patriots_Point - for her crew - Tweets by @JamesSmithSC Grandson of WWII Laffey Gunnery Officer LT Paul B Smith
“White water no longer curls back from our Laffey’s high, proud bow. There are no men at her throttles or on her bridge, and her guns no longer speak. But she is alive with shades and memories of brave deeds and the brave Americans who did them. They are still with her and will be always. It is my hope that those who visit her, most especially the young, will come to know and perhaps be inspired by them.
If that happens, then what Laffey did will not have been in vain.”
— Julian Becton, #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point
A Judy came in from the port bow, the CAP in hot pursuit. Port 40s and 20s took him under fire and he blew up close aboard, with the CAP pouring tracers into him until he splashed. 2/2 The one barely cleared the ship and was splashed by the CAP a good distance off the port quarter. #OTD #USSLaffey #80thAnniversary #KamikazeAttack #Okinawa #WWII #USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie
@Patriots_Point
1/2 A Val came out of a shallow five off the starboard bow and strafing as he came in dropped a bomb which demolished 20MM group 21, which had him under continuous fire as did also the forward 5" and the starboard 40s. #OTD#USSLaffey#80thAnniversary#KamikazeAttack#Okinawa #WWII #USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point
3/3 At the very same time mount 52 hit the Oscar, the alert mount captain of 5" mount 51 shifted to local control and opened up on a Val diving from ahead at 1500 yards splashing it about 500 yards from the ship with Victor Tare projectiles. #OTD#USSLaffey#80thAnniversary #KamikazeAttack #Okinawa #WWII #USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point
Meanwhile a Judy, splashed close aboard on the port beam by the CAP, exploded and flying fragments from the exploding plane and large bomb he carried knocked out all power in 52, which thereafter operating effectively in manual. #OTD#USSLaffey#80thAnniversary#KamikazeAttack #Okinawa #WWII #USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point
1/3 An Oscar broke off from a dog fight off the port bow, headed for the ship with a Corsair in close pursuit. The machine guns took him under fire until he crossed over the ship and crashed off the starboard beam. #OTD#USSLaffey#80thAnniversary#KamikazeAttack#Okinawa#WWII #USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point
With all guns aft of number 2 stack now knocked out, and while damage control personnel were fighting raging fires dangerously near the after magazine, two Japanese planes crash into the after deckhouse in quick succession, from port beam end and quarter. #OTD#USSLaffey #80thAnniversary #KamikazeAttack #Okinawa #WWII #USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point
8/8 while it was 26 degrees to port. After that, evasive maneuvers were confined to rapid acceleration and deceleration, as the ship swung through tight circles with full engine power still available. #OTD#USSLaffey#80thAnniversary#KamikazeAttack#Okinawa#WWII#USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point
7/8 the plane made his escape apparently unharmed. The bomb struck the ship at or just below the deck edge and exploded in the 20MM magazine C-210M. Flying fragments from this explosion ruptured hydraulic leads in the steering gear room and jammed the rudder ... #OTD#USSLaffey #80thAnniversary #KamikazeAttack #Okinawa #WWII #USNavy #TinCanSailors #TheShipThatWouldNotDie @Patriots_Point