Typhoon Cobra - When the weather does more damage than the enemy

Pinned post for Q&A :)

My dad served as the Aerographers Mate aboard BB-60 (USS Alabama) and recalled that he was one of the few weathermen whose forecast called for a typhoon. He was later called before Adm. Halsey to explain how his forecast predicted a typhoon, whereas the majority of forecasts did not. My dad also recalled how he was experiencing spray from the high waves even though his station and quarters were at the very top of the superstructure. Today, one can still climb up to his cabin at the top of Alabama; it was a real thrill for me to do so!

Phrases such as "the worlds first VTOL Hellcat" are one of the reasons I love Drach

My father, Edward Brown, was assigned to the USS Monaghan (DD-354) as a torpedoman right after Pearl Harbor and stayed aboard her for most of the war. He was by a stroke of fate and luck, to have been transferred right before her last voyage to attend a course at Mare Island, CA. I have his diary from the war, and includes the heartbreaking account the day he found out that she went down with many of the men he had served with. Though he was later assigned to a Gearing class destroyer he would only talk about "his" ship, the Monaghan. Thank you Drachinifel, for another coverage a major Naval event. I wish my father could have seen it. He would have loved it.

My grandfather was a 20mm Gunner's mate onboard New Jersey. He used to tell stories about Typhoon Cobra and how he had a good friend on USS Spence. Their last conversation was them shouting messages at each other across the waves as Spence tried and failed to take on fuel from New Jersey. My grandfather never forgave Halsey and cursed him to his dying day for his actions and inactions surrounding Typhoon Cobra.

Admiral Halsey: 3 Destroyers Sunk, Hundreds of souls lost. Rear Admiral Sperry: One ship reports one soul lost due to high seas. Another ship reports one soul gained due to high seas.

"Perturbed by nearly having a unexpected 2000 ton lunchguest" Drach-ism of the day? :D

My Father survived the typhoon aboard USS Pritchett DD561. He told me: “ The only time during the war when I was in genuine fear of my life was during the Typhoon. I was there in the wheel house watching the inclinometer as it passed 45 degrees. We waited and prayed the ship would come back to vertical. The stoves broke loose in the galley injuring a couple of the cooks. It just went on and on. Way too rough for the cooks to prepare any food. There were sandwiches, but we were all too sea sick to eat.I truly prayed for my life”

Halsey: What is thy bidding my master? Admiral King: What is thy bidding? How about I bid thee, to stop ramming the fleet into F**** typhoons.

I am so happy you mentioned USS Tabberer. I first learned of her when I read Down to the Sea years ago. The ship and all who served on her are among the unsung heroes of WW2. Lieutenant Commander Plage was always modest about the role he played in conning his ship through the storm. Crediting his crew and the grace of god for seeing them through. One crewmember commented "God had a little help from the Captain". When Halsey presented Plage with his legion of merit, he was surprised to learn that Plage was not even 30 years old and was a naval reservist who got his commission from Georgia Tech. Halsey commented "how could Japan hope to defeat a country that could pull boys like out out of thin air?"

The fact that some of the men survived overboard in the sea in a typhoon is absolutely incredible and a testament to their strength.

A Canon Class Destroyer Escort DE-742 USS Hilbert survived this event. On board was a young man who later fathered my mom and 6 other children. RiP George Daniel McCarthy.

A friend of my grandpa Pat Douhan was a survivor from USS Hull. My grandpa would poke fun at him for his naval experience saying it was just a fishing trip and Pat would always say they didn't do very good cuz they were using their toes as bait.

Steaming in Pacific storms is no joke. My ship purposely hid in a large storm while tracking OKEAN 75, the large Soviet fleet exercise of that year. Seven days of 35deg rolls with my 17,000 ton ship twisting on its expansion joints like a snake in the water. Green water over the bow up to the lower forward missile launcher was a regular event with each plunge into the waves. A couple of us went up to the 08 Level open bridge to view the surroundings - at more than 100' above the main deck it was quite an experience whipping port and starboard with the crazy seas. At the end of our surveillance period a warning was made throughout the ship 24-hours ahead of our turn out of the storm - we'd be turning beam-to the winds and waves to get clear on a reciprocal course. The turn began and the ship heeled over...over...over during the turn - a 1.5 ton warhead handling carriage broke loose from its steel hold-down clamps and launched across 15 feet of deck and through the bulkhead of Sick Bay narrowly missing personnel there. A 40+ degree angle of heel for close to 3 minutes during the turn. Not a typhoon, not even a tropical depression of any size; just a Pacific storm in May of 1975. I'll never forget it. Great video, Drach. Well done.

My father, ship fitter Leonard Glaser, served on the USS Taberer, DE 418, during typhoon cobra, and multiple battles. As damage control, he volunteered to cut through cables connecting the mast to the ship after the mast snapped during the typhoon as it was threatening to puncture the hull of the tiny destroyer escort. He volunteered to go over the side with ropes tied around him carrying an ox-acetyline torch during the typhoon. He and his crew members survived. He was very modest about this, saying that it was his job. His ship was saved and went on to rescue survivors from the Hull and Spence. My father and mother would attend yearly reunions of the Taberer crew with survivors rescued from the tragic disaster. I was able to attend one of the later reunions. Meeting some of the brave heroes and survivors and seeing some of their families was beyond description. My father passed away 10 years ago. He will never be forgotten ♥️. For further information, please refer to "Halsey's typhoon" Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, pages 210 and 211. Grove press, copyright 2007.

Halsey listening to his Met guys and getting caught by the typhoon is probably unfortunate bad luck however the subsequent lack of any organised search and rescue is inexcusable! Halsey abandoned an unknown number of his own sailors to die in the sea! This was the first time I’d heard about the heroic efforts of the USS Tabberer’s captain and crew. Few awards can have been more deserved.

OMG! I have been a student of the war in the Pacific for most of my 74 years. The navy's battle with The Typhoon is legend, even appearing in classic works of fiction such as "The Caine Mutiny," but I have never in all of my reading encountered a more thorough and comprehensive treatment than this video. I've always known you were good, and have been entertained by and learned from many of your presentations, but this is above and beyond. You have joined the rarified ranks of my personal pantheon of the BEST naval historians alive. You, sir, are a legend.

I'm a naval veteran. I served as a ship's navigator, communications officer, operations officer and executive officer on board four different ships. I have experienced heavy weather. In one instance 14 million dollars worth of damage was done to the vessel. After reading "Halsey's Typhoon", I'm left with the opinion that this was an example of groupthink among Halsey staff and possibly "go fever" amongst the other captains. As evidence for groupthink, I point to the fact that there were members of Halsey staff that even after the typhoon testified that it was a "storm". Additionally, though the flagship, New Jersey, suffered some damage she came through relatively unscathed. This means that members of the staff were safe in their beds at the time others aboard destroyers and CVLwere fighting for their last breath.

"The mark of a great shiphandler is never getting into situations that require great shiphandling." -Earnest King

Let’s be honest those two USS Aylwin crew deserve recognition for their efforts, I know a MoH is out of the question since it was non combat but maybe at least a navy cross?!?! ( i know its also a combat award but hell the typhoon was an enemy too)