Dec.1944 US Navy fleet battles Typhoon Cobra - 790 lost

[intakexhaust]

Let's never forget the 790 brave souls who didn't plan for this type of battle.

December 1944 Admiral Halsey was unaware and headed Task Force 38 into Typhoon Cobra. Three destroyers sank, while a cruiser, five aircraft carriers and three other destroyers were heavily damaged.

I recall the Victory at Sea series showed footage but here's a compilation from y-tube.

[BK911]

Oh wow, never knew that. Scary stuff.
I have been through a couple of tropical storms on a destroyer.
Never been more scared in my life, actually thought I was going to die.
Coming down the backside of a building sized wave, when another comes along and almost completely submerses the ship. Blue water hitting the bridge windows.
The ship rolling so bad you just know you will tip over, then it magically stops then starts rolling the other way. Lather, rinse, repeat for hours.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by BK911

Oh wow, never knew that. Scary stuff.
I have been through a couple of tropical storms on a destroyer.
Never been more scared in my life, actually thought I was going to die.
Coming down the backside of a building sized wave, when another comes along and almost completely submerses the ship. Blue water hitting the bridge windows.
The ship rolling so bad you just know you will tip over, then it magically stops then starts rolling the other way. Lather, rinse, repeat for hours.

I guess you don't take a nap during that.

I can't imagine. Thanks for your service.

[gacook]

Originally Posted by BK911

Oh wow, never knew that. Scary stuff.
I have been through a couple of tropical storms on a destroyer.
Never been more scared in my life, actually thought I was going to die.
Coming down the backside of a building sized wave, when another comes along and almost completely submerses the ship. Blue water hitting the bridge windows.
The ship rolling so bad you just know you will tip over, then it magically stops then starts rolling the other way. Lather, rinse, repeat for hours.

F*** that!!! Another reason I'm glad I went Army...

[John Rogers]

In 1977 when I was stationed on the USS Bainbridge, CGN25, we were off the coast of Japan and left port to miss a typhoon. We did not realize that the storm decided to turn away from the coast and started chasing us and we got caught in some terrible waves! One large one actually stopped the ship dead and we were going along at 15 knots! Took on a LOT of water and had two "non breakable" windows on the bridge shatter. Typhoons are bad news!

[Grog]

The power of the sea. I've been 300 feet below the surface of the north Atlantic doing 30 degree rolls, not during a storm, just normal winter weather. I was the only one on watch in the engineering section that wasn't puking. That day I was truly the engine room supervisor, no one else could function. Good times.. good times..

[GH85Carrera]

Really? That is amazing. 300 feet down and the sub is rolling from the waves above? I would never have guessed that. Thank you for your service!

[difioretin]

We did not realize that the storm decided to turn away from the coast and started chasing us and we got caught in some terrible waves

[Jim Bremner]

Boats. No thanks.

[GH85Carrera]

When I watch a video like that one I really appreciate the fact that my worst week at my job is a laughable walk in the park compared to what they did. And that does not count the years of the Japs shooting at them and trying everything possible to kill them.

It is the same for the men in combat today. Thank you all.

[Seahawk]

Water is the most, as I have written before, inexorable force on earth. Water in roil is a power without mercy. The pictures below are in maybe sea state 2.5 out of 6.

I remember leaving the harbor in Bombay during the monsoon season. I was air airborne during the transit out and once we clear the breakwater it was easy sea state 5.

As the frigate I was going to land on maneuvered to recovery me, she took some waves at angles where as the ship crested the wave upward and transitioned downward, I could sea the ships prop spinning in the air.

It was one of the few times I questioned what I was doing. My hats off the the brave men before me: some of the early frigates might as well have been U-Boats in certain sea states.





There have been occasions where waves have washed over spinning helos on deck. Amazing stuff.