Tag Archives: Gulf

Shafter C. McAdams, Jr., RM3C

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We received news from Shafter’s granddaughter in January 2024, who shared information with us about her grandad:

Hello! My name is Lakisha McAdams. I’m the granddaughter of a radarman Shafter Claude McAdams Jr, who was a survivor of the USS Samuel B. Roberts DE-413. While my grandfather passed away  […] in 2000, I’ve collected some of his war memorabilia that I thought you might be interested to know about! I found your website regarding the survivors association. I have attached a newspaper article from our hometown that was written after he returned home from the war. I have also included a picture of him in his naval uniform as well as a photograph of a silver plate he received from his time in the service that is inscribed with a photo of the USS Samuel B. Roberts DE-413. It’s really cool to have this piece of history in my home and be able to share it with my kids and others, as I know they have just recently discovered the wreckage of the destroyer, making it the deepest shipwreck found in history.

Thank you so much for sharing, Lakisha!

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The Battle Off Samar – Taffy III at Leyte Gulf book (5th Edition) available

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Friend Bob Cox, creator of the bosamar.com website, announces that the 5th edition of his “The Battle Off Samar – Taffy III at Leyte Gulf book is available for purchase.  The book is available in both soft and hardcover, xviii + 268 (292 total pages) and electronic PDF format.

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!