Oct. 25 was the 65th anniversary of the battle of Samar. Taffy 3, a small group of destroyers and escort carriers, was thrust into a David-and-Goliath battle against a superior Japanese naval force, including the battleship Yamamoto. The sailors and Marines of Taffy 3 didn’t have the defeatist attitude that many Americans have today toward the war in Afghanistan.

Taffy 3 didn’t hold meetings, cite similar situations or try to withdraw. These sailors and Marines lost more brothers throughout the South Pacific than we in the war on terror. Two small destroyer escorts, USS Samuel Roberts and Johnston, took punishing runs at the Japanese. Ultimately Johnson and Samuel Roberts sank, killing 1,000 Americans. This small unit waged a vicious fight. The Japanese admiral ran after losing three cruisers, one destroyer and four ships.

The point—as a country, we were willing to fight, stand behind our troops and go anywhere to chase down the Japanese to ensure our freedom. Have we changed? Are we too complacent to deserve freedom? Will we rise to the occasion? God bless the sailors and the Marines of Taffy 3. Thanks for the last 65 years of freedom.

John Ash

Afghanistan Campaign Veteran U. S. Navy Seabees, Wilson