The Ship the Japanese Couldn’t Sink

It's 4.30am on April the 16th, 1945. The Battle of Okinawa. A sailor struggles to keep awake in the destroyer the USS Laffey. The radar pings in front of him and multiple enemy contacts appear. The man snaps awake and sounds the alarm. A siren blares and across the ship sailors run for their positions. Commander F. Julian Beckton bursts into the bridge demanding updates. Multiple contacts, closest 20 miles out, but it's turning away again. Beckton's adrenaline immediately wears off and the gathered officers groan with various levels of frustration. The Japanese have been doing this the whole night, poking into their radars just enough to get them to act and then leave. It's on purpose, they're trying to keep us tired for an attack. Silence reigns over the bridge. No one lets it show, but they're all afraid. They're acting as a radar station right in the path between mainland Japan and the ongoing operations in Okinawa. The Laffey is the first thing every Japanese fighter, bomber and kamikaze sees on their way to battle. Multiple ships trying to man this post have been hit by kamikazes, suffering heavy casualties. Keep the men on station, rotate them as needed. We can't afford to take an eye off the sky. Backup flies above their heads. It's three divisions of F4U Corsairs, nicknamed the Grim Reapers. These warriors of the sky are the first line of defense. But at 7.30am, things start to go wrong. Contact with the Corsairs is lost. Beckton is horrified without air cover. They suddenly find themselves extremely vulnerable. Beckton takes one look at the screen and his blood runs cold. He would later write, that screen had so many dots on it that it looked at times like an advanced case of chicken pox. A sense of doom washes over him. They're alone. Alarms blare across the ship and men are sent running for their posts. From the formation, six kamikazes peel off to hunt Laffey, starting in a slow circle. From a distance, two make their move and pounce. Outside, everything stands still. Men have their eyes locked on the sky, gripping the firing button as they listen to the distant rumble of engines. Getting closer. At the last moment, Beckton decides he's moving to the flying bridge. He's just in time to witness the powerful boom of Laffey's 5-inch main guns. The sky is littered with flak as the first pair of kamikazes dive in off the ship's bow. The brave Japanese pilot leading the charge through puffs of flak. But it's for nothing as a full 5-inch shell impacts the Japanese aircraft squaring the nose, violently disintegrating it into a ball of flame. A second Japanese plane charges through the smoke of the fallen. The 40mm guns open up, shredding the plane as it speeds ever closer. But it doesn't fall, it enters the range of the 20mm and they too join in. The entirety of Laffey is pouring out lead as fast as it can until the enemy aircraft finally rips apart, until it smashes into the sea 3,000 yards away. But there's no time to celebrate as seconds later two more Japanese planes appear off the stern flying at wavetop height. The Laffey's 5-inch guns take aim at the incoming enemies and open fire. The depressed weapons are barely clearing the 20mm gun emplacements in their way. The crew of the anti-aircraft gun take cover as they're hit with the muzzle blast. Becton orders a turn, trying to bring more guns to bear as the enemy gets ever closer. The Japanese pilot is just seconds from impact when a shell rips off its wing and sends it tumbling into the sea. The 4th plane also attempts a daring charge, braving the exploding shells and storm of lead. The Americans fire with all they have and the enemy stubbornly presses on, desperate to take as many Americans down with him as he can. Laffey punishes the enemy. The plane cartwheels across the sea before sinking beneath the waves. But they're still not done. The last two of the six aircraft charge to the attack, one from port and one from starboard. Most guns turn to starboard and open fire, but meanwhile the port-side plane pushes through with lesser resistance, rapidly accelerating towards the ship. The starboard plane is torn to pieces, falling from the sky as flaming confetti. But the Americans have ignored the second enemy for too long. He opens fire with machine guns, strafing the Laffey and inflicting significant casualties on the exposed sailors. The guns rush to fire at the last plane. As it careens down towards the ship, a wall of shells meets it in return. But nothing can stop gravity and the flying wreck is coming straight for the ship. Sailors, seeing the incoming plane, flee for their lives, shouting and running while the rest of the ship's guns open fire to the bitter end. Becton screams to turn the rudder hard to starboard in a desperate attempt to evade the enemy. The wreck slams into the sea with a soul-shaking explosion, its bomb detonating and sending a wave of shrapnel across the deck. But miraculously, the ship survives. The sky falls into an eerie calm. Enemies still linger in the distance, but none pounce. The crew takes a moment to drag the wounded to the infirmary and compose themselves having just enough time to get a drink of water and for the reality of their situation to sink in. After seven eternal minutes of suspense, another enemy turns for Laffey. Becton turns the ship to give the incoming plane his broad side, allowing all his guns to unleash upon the enemy. The Val evades left and right, attempting to aim straight for Laffey's bridge. Becton can see the enemy's aim clear as day and orders evasive maneuvers of their own. Enemy races in, but he's aimed poorly, he's forced to abort and turns away still under fire. But once clear, he determinedly dives in for the Laffey's bridge one more time. Becton voices an endless stream of orders. It's a high-stakes game of cat and mouse as he desperately hides the bridge from the Val's flight path again and again, the aircraft somehow still flying despite numerous hits. Aboard the ship, a gun captain leads his 5-inch turret from the hatch atop the mount when one of the barrels stops working. Cursing his luck and without time for a proper repair, the captain jumps off the mount, takes a hammer and slams the base of the barrel. Meanwhile in the air, the pilot can feel his own aircraft falling apart underneath him and in desperation he gives up chasing for the bridge. He turns straight for the main part of the ship and dives in. The guns zero in on him, shredding his Val as one of the Laffey's turrets fills his windshield. The aircraft zips in and crashes on top of the gun and destroying the hatch the gun captain had been in just 2 seconds ago. The wreck and a flood of flaming gasoline fly over his head, the Val flying off into the sea as the deck is engulfed in flames. The gun captain and other nearby men rush to get the flames under control. Becton watches the scene unfold, but then he hears the shouts of a lookout. His heart sinks, he's been too focused on starboard. He orders the 5-inch guns to turn towards the new threat, but it's far too late and can't turn in time. 40mm guns open up on the enemy, the fate of the entire ship is on their shoulders and in the most crucial moment thus far, they exhale. The enemy fighter detonates in mid-air and falls into the sea just 200 yards away. The gunners cheer, but the nightmare is far from over. Then the 9th Japanese plane appears, skimming the waves on the port side, determined to crash into the Laffey. Damaged 5-inch guns are unable to attack. The 40mm guns open fire, nicking and striking the enemy, but it still flies and enters the range of the 20mm guns. They join in on the defense, but the enemy powers through. Fear grips the men's souls as they realize with dread, this one is not going to fall. Inside the Japanese plane, the pilot sees the ship fill his windshield. He closes his eyes, he never feels the impact. The Japanese plane crashes into the superstructure behind a 40mm gun. Its wing is ripped off, flaming fuel sprays across the deck. The rest of the airframe falls off the starboard side and its bomb detonates in the water. But some AA guns have been engulfed in flames and the crates of ammunition start to cook off. One by one the shells explode with loud bangs, glowing hot shrapnel flinging off in every which way. In that section of the Laffey, firefighting becomes the only priority. The men rush to contain the flames, saving the Laffey from catastrophic explosion. But the guns are still crippled. Another Japanese plane appears from the rear. Guns on the very stern open fire, but with so many weapons in the aft out of commission now, their volume of fire isn't enough. And the VAL smashes into the stern, devastating the interior. The stern of the Laffey is now a burning inferno, and without defenses it's also the easiest place to strike. Another plane sweeps in, but this time it drops its bomb into the stern. The explosion takes out the ship's rudder and breaches the hull, locking it on a 26-degree turn to port. Laffey is now stuck in a perpetual circle. Becton no longer has enough control to evade more attacks, but more attacks come. There's a huge number of enemies in the sky, so many he can't even count them. Becton watches his two aircraft peel off the circling swarm and dive in to the attack. He orders the ship to flank speed. It's the only thing he can do, and it's not enough. The few guns in the stern open fire on the first incoming plane, but they're not enough and the plane slams into the ship almost unimpeded. Dozens of sailors fall and deadly fires spread. The second follows soon after, but its bomb fails to explode and clatters across the deck. A group of sailors manage to pick it up and throw it overboard. The swarm continues to circle, waiting for their turn. Somehow the ship remains afloat, but Becton knows it's a hopeless battle. Laffey needs a miracle. Corsairs, they're back! A flight of American fighters charges into the scene, immediately cutting down four of the circling kamikazes and turning them into streaks of fire. The Grim Reapers are here. In the air the swarm of aircraft scatters in every direction and a battle breaks out in the skies. But it's hardly a dogfight, it's a slaughter. The under-trained pilots in their obsolete aircraft are no match for the American fighters and they go down in flames one after the other. If you enjoyed this video, we'd really appreciate your subscription and you can join us on Discord. Thank you! But Laffey isn't out of the woods yet. In desperation several Japanese make a turn for the destroyer, determined to take the ship down with them. The first dives in with a Corsair hot on its tail. The Laffey gunners open fire, but miss out of fear of hitting their ally. Becton watches the Ki-43 with horror as it comes barreling towards him. He drops to the floor and the two aircraft both roar overhead. Both fighters clip the Laffey's mast. Just above his head the Japanese plane spins and crashes into the sea, while the Corsair pulls up into the air and the pilot incredibly bails out. In the process the American flag from the mast drops onto the deck. Signalman 2nd class Thomas B. McCarthy instantly told a sailor nearby, We've got to get that back up there. In the middle of combat McCarthy retrieves the fallen flag and climbs the mast. Becton spots him climbing, but doesn't interrupt, returning to command while McCarthy mounts the flag high on a cable for all the sailors to see. Four more Japanese Kamikazes charge in one by one and the gunners take them all down by the skin of their teeth. One of them is getting close as 50 yards before slamming into the sea. Becton is impressed by his men's gunnery. Captain, we're in pretty bad shape aft. Do you think we'll have to abandon ship? Becton doesn't have to think it over. After so much courage by his men, so many heroics, it would be a crime to let us sink. Hell no! We still have guns that can shoot. A bomber sweeps in and drops his ordnance into the Laffey's battered stern. Then another bomber charges straight for the breach. An officer sees it coming and tackles Becton to the floor, moments before a volley of bullets rips through the structure. The bomber roars overhead, but immediately after it's caught up by a Corsair and cut down from the sky. Then another bomber comes in from the port bow with two Corsairs in hot pursuit, doing all the damage they can until it's hit in the ammunition and explodes right above the sailor's head. What's left of the bomber crashes into the waves. Then, suddenly, there's silence. After 80 minutes of hell, everything fell quiet. The crew can barely believe it. Becton asks himself, why would the enemy let up when they were so close? But then he looks up to see 24 allied Corsairs and Wildcats covering them and no single Japanese in sight. Still, the ship was left a burning wreck and Becton feared that after everything they would have to abandon it, but they managed to keep the ship, that wouldn't die, afloat. The attack tragically claimed 33 of the 336-man crew, with 70 more injured. The Grim Reaper scored 33 victories during the defense. Incredibly, the ship that was attacked by 22 Kamikazes and wouldn't die, is still afloat. You can visit the USS Laffey at Patriot's Point Naval Museum, South Carolina. Thanks again to World of Warships. Check out the link in the description.