Dream Team
by Dale Powell
Title
Dream Team
Artist
Dale Powell
Medium
Photograph
Description
Patriots Point Naval Museum
Today marks the 73rd anniversary of the day the USS Laffey was attacked off the coast of Okinawa while on radar picket duty. The attack lasted for 80 minutes and the crew of the Laffey managed to fend off the efforts of 22 Japanese bombers and kamikaze aircraft. Six kamikazes crashed into the ship, four bombs hit the deck and the Laffey's rudder was stuck so that it could only steam in a circle. At one point Commander Julian Becton was asked if they should abandon ship and he said " “We still have guns that can shoot. I’ll never abandon ship as long as a gun will fire!”
Amazingly the USS Laffey DD-724 survived and became known as the "ship that would not die." Sadly, 32 of her crew were lost that day and 71 men were injured. Today we remember her crew for their extreme bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. Watch this History Channel video as the late Jim Spriggs, who served aboard the Laffey on that day, recounts his story. Mr. Spriggs died in 2015.
Uploaded
October 24th, 2014
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Viewed 152 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 04/25/2024 at 5:04 AM
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