Bob’s website:

is dedicated to the men of RADM C.A.F. Sprague’s U.S. Seventh Fleet Task Unit 77.4.3, Taffy III, for action against VADM Takeo Kurita’s Imperial Japanese Navy Centre Force on October 25, 1944. Task Unit 77.4.3 consisted of six escort carriers (CVEs) FANSHAW BAY, ST LO, WHITE PLAINS, KALININ BAY, KITKUN BAY, & GAMBIER BAY, three destroyers (DDs) HOEL, HEERMANN, & JOHNSTON, and four smaller destroyer escorts (DEs) JOHN C. BUTLER, DENNIS, RAYMOND, & SAMUEL B. ROBERTS. They fought the vastly superior Imperial Japanese Navy Centre Force at Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944, sustaining losses of five warships sunk and nearly all remaining warships heavily damaged; with the high cost of nearly 900 American lives.

Bob indicates that his website

is here to educate the world about the Battle Off Samar and what Taffy III did at Leyte Gulf. I could not have chosen a better topic or a better group of veterans to honor and pay tribute to. Thanks for stopping by, God Bless, and happy web surfing!

Here is the link to the obituary of Anthony Blaszczyk. Thank you for your service. May you rest in peace. Our condolences to his family and friends.

To the Association’s knowledge, nine living Survivors remain.

USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE 413) Survivor Association Newsletter October 2011

DE-413 by Jean Secardin

DE-413 at sea by Jean Secardin

Jean indicates the flags are on navsource and are Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign: N – T – I – K

Merci, Jean!

Dear Mr. Rohde,

I am Lieutenant Commander D. Van Badzik, USNR, the Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Center in Tacoma, Washington. I offer my greatest apologies for the lateness of this message, but I have some news for you and the other survivors of the DE-413.

As I’m sure you’re aware, your skipper, the late Rear Admiral R. W. Copeland, was a native and life-long resident of Tacoma, Washington. We’ve recently completed a new building at our Naval Reserve Center, and after a several month bureaucratic delay, I’ve received official permission to name the new building after RADM Copeland.

We will be holding a dedication ceremony next week, on Saturday, May 1, at 3:00 p.m. RADM Copeland’s widow, Mrs. Harriet Copeland, will be our honored guest and will cut the ribbon marking the opening of the new facility.

Again, I’m sorry for the short notice on this, but I got a late start on the request, and the Navy’s upper brass took a long time to approve the request.

And unfortunately, I was unable to inform the public of the naming until after I had received official approval, which wasn’t until yesterday.

Anyway, I am inviting you and any other interested individuals to attend the ceremony. I would understand the difficulty of arranging transportation, but if any survivors live in the Northwest, or can somehow arrange to be here, we would be honored.

If anyone is interested, please have them call us at (253) 383-[xxxx], and ask for myself (LCDR Badzik) or for Petty Officer Williams or for Chief Church.

We will be happy to give directions on how to get here, or hotel recommendations, or whatever else they may need. Following the dedication, I will send you photos and other information about the event, that you may wish to place on your web-site.

Thanks again, and smooth sailing.

Van Badzik

Name and Last Contact: Freddie L. Washington, Stewards Mate First Class Freddie is from a small town in Texas. He was one of the few African Americans serving on the Sammy B (during World War II the Navy was still segregated.) The Survivors’ Association last had contact with Freddie at the reunion in 1982, which Freddie attended.

This information, from the Conde Nast company’s paper, where Chester had worked for a short time, was provided to the Survivors’ Association by Chester’s “younger brother,” Frank. Many thanks, Frank!

This picture was taken around March or April 1945. Shipmate Don Young indicates that he believes the picture was taken in Oakland, California, while the men were at Treasure Island waiting for reassignment after survivors leave. The gentleman with Ken (on the left), Don believes, was either a friend of his family or a relative. Both Don and Kenney served on the Pine Island (AV-12) after serving on the Sammy B.

Patti Anne Johnson, Jack’s granddaughter, described this picture in a letter to Dick Rohde in June 1999:

Dear Mr. Rohde,

I thought I’d send this photo of my grandfather along so you can see who I am talking about. This photo was taken around 1936, his first time around in the Navy. I may be wrong, but I believe this was taken during his trip to China. His ship spent some two years in China and he has a full scrapbook of photos taken during that time. I have only seen it once, my grandmother treasures it and we aren’t really allowed to look at it. But last week I was given special permission to see it. He is around 18 or 19 here.

In 1944 he was about 27, an “old” man I’m sure. My grandpa gave this photo to my mother and she carried it around in her wallet for about 30 years. About two or so years ago she gave it to me. It is the only actual photo I have. I do have another photo of him taken just before he left for the war…. I don’t have that photo, but my mother has a copy of it. My grandmother let me take it for two hours a few months ago to scan it into our computer and my husband printed out a copy for my mom as a gift.

Some photographer in town offered free photos to all the men going off to war, so my grandparents went down and got one of him and one of the two together. They couldn’t afford to buy prints, so there is only one of each. I’ll send a copy along soon.

I looked up the Gismo, and was pleasantly surprised to see my grandpa listed- one of the fellows who went along with “Sea Daddy” Harrington to get a tattoo- he is referred to in the piece as “China” Conway. A probable reference to the above-mentioned China trip. It is in the third Gismo. My mom has a photo of her dad when he got older and he has a short-sleeve shirt on and a big Navy anchor on his bicep- guess Iknow where he got that from now!

Take care,
Patti Anne Johnson

USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS (DE 413)

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting

the BRONZE STAR MEDAL posthumously to

JAMES “A” GREGORY, SEAMAN FIRST CLASS

UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION

“For heroic achievement while serving on board the U.S.S. SAMUEL B. ROBERTS in action against enemy Japanese forces off Samar Island during the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, October 25, 1944. Courageous and efficient despite continuous, close-range hostile fire, GREGORY assisted in loading a 5″/38 gun when the regular crew became physically exhausted during an attack by a numerically superior Japanese surface force on the SAMUEL B. ROBERTS. Despite battle damage which under ordinary circumstances would have rendered this mount inoperative, GREGORY assisted in maintaining an extremely high rate of fire and was instrumental in inflicting serious damage upon an enemy heavy cruiser. Carrying on valiantly under the most perilous conditions, he was fatally wounded when an explosion within the mount destroyed the gun. His unwavering devotion to duty reflects the highest credit upon GREGORY and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”

For the President

/signed/
James Forrestal
Secretary of the Navy

From the personal collection of Captain William A. Rogers, Jr., USN [per Robert Jon Cox BOSAMAR site]