It’s October 24th, 1944. On board the Destroyer USS Johnston Commander Ernest Edwin Evans is proceeding with the usual routine. Evans is loved by the crew, who call him “Big Chief”. On the commissioning ceremony for USS Johnston he told his man “This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm’s way, and anyone who doesn’t want to go along had better get off right now.” Today the carrier group is providing air support to the landings of Leyte Gulf, leaving destroyers like the Johnston with little to do. But all of that is about to change. A radio transmission from a patrolling plane warns of an incoming enemy fleet. The Japanese Center Force has slipped through undetected and is barreling down upon them. "I can see pagoda masts. I can see the biggest meatball flag on the biggest battleship I ever saw!" Alarms blare across the fleet. All men are called to battle stations, lookouts are on high alert, planes on patrol are diverted to engage the enemy, and planes on the carriers are hurriedly prepared for takeoff. The fleet are ordered to head for storm in the distance. A lookout then makes the dreaded call "Ships are on the horizon." Rising from the waves are 23 vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy. 11 destroyers. 2 light cruisers. 6 heavy cruisers. And 4 battleships, one of which is the biggest battleship ever: the mighty Yamato. The American fleet is completely outclassed. With their 7 destroyers and 6 carriers the Yamato alone weighs more than the entirety of Taffy 3 combined. Gunnery Officer of the USS Johnston Lt. Robert C. Hagen would later state, “we felt like David without a slingshot.” Immediately the aircraft carriers launch every plane they have with whatever ordinance they have fitted. Commander Evans leads the USS Johnston as they zig-zag in the water between the carriers and the enemy fleet deploying a smoke screen, a wall of smoke to cover the carriers, above him planes roar into battle as soon as they take off. The cannons fire for the first time on that fateful day. They are color coded, so that the Japanese can find the range accurately. The fleet can do nothing but pump smoke and run, their weapons are out of range. But a different story is taking place in the sky. The fighter pilots of the American forces charge into battle armed with high explosives and depth charges; they're unfit to attack battleships, but they’re undeterred. Explosions rock the decks of the Japanese ships, devastating exposed anti-air emplacements and personnel, but doing little against the ship’s main cannons. Back on the Johnston the situation is worsening quick, both the splashes of color and the Japanese fleet itself are rapidly closing in on the Americans. But fortunately, the Japanese misjudge their range advantage, and they wander too close to the Destroyers. Commander Evans sees that smokescreen is good enough and finding himself in the rear of formation he orders "rudder hard left" and the USS Johnston charges zigzagging against the enemy without any orders from the admiral. Once they got within 19000 yds commander Evans orders “Fire!” and the ship’s 5-inch turrets unleash their limited power. They attack the nearest cruiser they can see, firing upon its weaker superstructure. Their power may leave a lot to be desired, but the American accuracy helps use them to the fullest, the Johnston’s gun-control radar is making the difference in the heavy haze. They tear through the superstructure of IJN Kumano, starting fires and sending shrapnel across the deck as 14-inch shells splash around them. One of the enemy shells impacts inches away from the bow, showering the deck in red dye including Lt. Hagen, he wipes it off his eyes shouting “Looks like somebody’s mad at us!” As the USS Johnston turns back, commander Evans orders the launch of all 10 torpedoes towards an enemy battleship as they continue to pump smoke into the air. The fleet finally reaches the storm, but the Johnston is still fighting; she's dumped over 200 rounds into the enemy ships when their luck runs out. The Yamato fires her 18-inch main cannons straight at the Johnston. 3 of the highest caliber shells to ever see combat in the high seas crash into the Destroyer. Evans holds on as the impacts shake the entire hull. He hardly has time to compose himself when an explosion throws him to the ground. 3 more 6-inch shells from the Yamato’s secondary guns have slammed into the ship, with one of them impacting and detonating behind the bridge. The explosion tore through the bridge’s port wing and sent shrapnel flying. Evans opens his eyes laying on the floor, he’s been struck several times and is bleeding. Around him is an apocalyptic scene of bodies and destruction. Standing up, Evans places his left hand on the floor and realizes he’s missing two fingers. Still, he pushes through the pain and returns to his post. He orders the Johnston to retreat for the cover of smoke as fast as possible. As the USS Johnston limps to safety Evans looks back just in time to witness a huge explosion off the bow of IJN Kumano. Several of their torpedoes had been hits. Medics arrive at the bridge and Commander Evans is quickly tended to. He has his injuries bandaged but refuses painkillers, telling the medics to save them for the others. His shirt in tatters. Evans rips off what's left of it. Simultaneously below deck the technicians are working their magic. Johnston had lost power to the aft of the ship, which took out two guns, steering, and the radar. They bring it all back online in just 10 minutes, flooding compartments are isolated, and the condition of the ship is successfully stabilized. Meanwhile the air battle rages with force. There is no organized waves, just a chaotic swarm of planes and tracers. Fighters from nearby Taffy 2 had joined in the fray and even more of Taffy 1 arrive one by one to aid Taffy 3’s plight. They’re suffering from the same improper loadout issues as the Taffy 3 fighters, but they harass the enemy for all its worth. Back on the Johnston, Commander Evans receives a transmission from Admiral Sprague ordering all destroyers to charge for a torpedo run. The USS Johnston is crippled and out of torpedoes, but Evans orders his men to charge anyway, they’ll cover their brothers. They push into the smoke-covered battlefield. Visibility is terrible making Evans weary of friendly fire. He orders Gunnery Officer Hagen not to fire with the radar, only if he can see the enemy. Shortly after, an unmistakable pagoda mast belonging to the Battleship IJN Kongo emerges from the fog. Hagen shouts “I sure as hell can see that!". The USS Johnston’s crew opens up onto the Battleship with all they have, peppering the enemy’s superstructure as they dodge the 14-inch return fire. Back with the fleet the aircraft carriers have taken an absolute beating, they’ve been wrecked by the incessant shelling, Amidst the destruction they spot the Cruiser IJNS Haguro firing upon Escort Carrier Gambier Bay. Evans orders to cease fire on the Battleship and refocus to the Haguro, he knows they are still unlikely to do much, but they’ll try in draw their fire and buy the Gambier Bay some more time. Once again they open up on the enemy’s superstructure, attempting to inflict whatever damage they can, but the Cruiser ignores the little Destroyer as they relentlessly punish the carrier. Annoyed, Evans scans the waters for a target they might prove effective against and quickly spots two columns of destroyers headed for the rest of the carriers. Evans can tell a torpedo charge when he sees one. Japanese torpedoes are exceptionally powerful, just one can tear a Destroyer like his own in half, and two is a likely death sentence for a carrier. The charge must be stopped at all costs. They open fire on the leader of the formation, the light cruiser Yahagi, her armor is much more easily pierced than the giant battleship and cruisers. They wreak havoc upon the ship with help from fighters and bombers unloading up and down the deck. The Yahagi suffers greatly and turns back to retreat, being relieved by one of the destroyers. Quickly both the Johnston and the planes switch their targets, and the new leader is lit up with lead. It too turns back, and the rest of the charge joins it in retreat. They drop their torpedoes towards the carriers, but the excessive range means the torpedoes stopped and sink short. Evans can’t believe their victory and mutters “now I’ve seen everything”. But the Johnston had no time to celebrate. Throughout they’ve been avoiding heavy fire from almost every direction, they dodge and weave, but it was just a matter of time. A shell strikes against the bow, knocking out the forward turrets and starting a fire. The damaged Johnston slows to a crawl, and she becomes easy pickings. Another shell strikes her, followed by another and another. Evans lost all control in the bridge; power is completely out, the fires are spreading, and an ammo storage near the bridge has lit up. Unwilling to give up, Evans abandons the bridge and runs through smoke and flames to the stern. He opens a hatch leading directly to the rudder equipment, where 4 men are cranking it manually. He barks directional orders at the men, trying desperately to lead the ship to safety as the battle still rages around him. Shells zip past and two guns of the Johnston fire away to the bitter end. In the middle of it all he spots another allied ship sailing by; the USS Samuel B. Roberts returning from her own heroic deeds. The two captains lock eyes and Evans waves at his peer with his bandaged and bloodied hand as the ship sails by. A few minutes later a shell pierces and explodes within the last operational engine. USS Johnston is now a motionless, burning wreck. Standing defiantly on her stern, beaten and bloodied, Commander Evans knows the USS Johnston’s time has come. He orders to abandon ship. It’s the last time he was ever seen. The men run across the vessel, spreading the word, and deploying life rafts before jumping into the sea below. A Japanese ship approaches the Johnston as it slowly rolls over on its side. The terrified men expect a bloodbath, but instead they see the Japanese captain standing on the bridge. He salutes the brave sailors and continues on. The 141 survivors would be picked up from the water after 24 to 48 hours of floating adrift. Thanks to the heroic actions of the entirety of Taffy 3 and the aerial backup, the Japanese Center Fleet was turned away at all odds. Their victory thwarted the Japanese attempt of using battleships to crush the allied landings on the Philippines. But it was hard-fought. Over a thousand men died across the entire fleet and 900 more were wounded, not a single vessel escaped without damage. Of the USS Johnston’s 327-men crew only 141 would return home. Commander Ernest Edwin Evans would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. He was the first Native American in the US Navy to be awarded the Medal of Honor. If you like this film please make sure to check our first film the Battle off Samar and the role of the USS Samuel B. Roberts
