Sharp Contrast

It was in sharp contrast to the vivid magazine and newspaper stories that credited the Third Fleet with making a spectacular last-minute rescue.

It was this 1,500 ton Dennis that sank a Japanese heavy cruiser (10,000 tons) with a torpedo, marking the first time in Naval history that such a triumph was scored.

Preceded Battle

In a move that Naval tacticians still debate, Admiral Halsey pulled his mighty Third Fleet 300 miles to the north seeking a Japanese task force, which seems to have never been signed or seen; certainly never contacted.

That move preceded the battle of Samar Island in which the Dennis fought alongside a small force against an invading Jap fleet that had it so outnumbered and outgunned that it was like a Singer's Midget slugging it out with Jack Dempsey.

The action, fought last October in the Layte operation, saw the Japs sink:

2 escort carriers, the St. Lo and Gambier Bay
2 destroyers
1 destroyer escort, the Roberts
Badly damaged, but afloat were three American escort carriers, two destroyers and two destroyer escorts. That was all that was left of this courageous force.

Halsey's planes returned to the rescue at 6 p.m.

"The Jap force left at 10 in the morning," Lt. McCurdy said. "I don't know why. But it sure makes you believe in religion. They could have finished us off in 15 minutes."
Caught Japs

Halsey's planes, however, did catch up with the Jap fleet that night, sank a battleship, damaged another and inflicted many wounds.

The Dennis steamed into port this morning and aboard are a lot of fighting men loaded with decorations. Comdr. Sigurd S. Hanson, who skippered her when she was in battle, had been transferred. lt. Comdr. Stanley N. Gleis of Los Angeles, brought her home.