945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
This lecture will follow the story of the USS Samuel B. Roberts from her construction and outfitting and through her missions, culminating with her gallant defense of the Escort Carriers in the Battle off Samar. The history and design of the WWII Destroyer Escorts will be covered in depth—along with personal experiences related to their engineering plants, habitability, and armament—as will individual crew members and the parts they played in the battle. The Battle of Leyte Gulf will also be explained in detail, including descriptions of the opposing American and Japanese ships and task forces and their roles leading up to the climatic meeting off Samar.