The Ship the Japanese Couldn’t Sink
1,879,323
Published 2023-12-01
It's April 16, 1945, the Battle of Okinawa. The destroyer USS Laffey is conducting radar patrol so she's the closest ship to the expected enemy attacks. Its mission is to alert the US forces to the arrival of Japanese aircraft. But what the crew doesn't know is that on this day they will have to endure the toughest challenge of their lives - during 90 minutes 22 Japanese planes will attack the USS Laffey trying to bomb, strafe and directly collide with her. The chances of survival are slim to none. How could the crew and the ship survive one of the fiercest battles of the war?
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00:00 The Japanese tactics
01:49 The Laffey crew can't contact air cover!
03:08 The battle begins
05:12 Double-side attack of the kamikazes
06:33 World of Warships
07:53 KI-43 Val aims for the Laffey's bridge
10:32 These Japanese pilots are unstopabble!
12:32 USS Laffey is wrecked and surrounded
13:23 Commander F. Julian Becton needs a miracle
15:33 Abandon ship? Hell no!
USS LAFFEY (DD-724). Photographed from USS PCE-851, on Okinawa Radar Picket Station Number One. Image provided by Naval History and Heritage Command(NH 78233)
USS LAFFEY (DD-724). Severely Damaged. This view shows exterior damage to the wardroom bulkhead on the starboard side. Image provided by Naval History and Heritage Command(NH 75423)
USS LAFFEY (DD-724 ). Severely Damaged. Here is shown the starboard side view abreast of No. 3 5" gun mount. Image provided by Naval History and Heritage Command(NH 75432)
USS LAFFEY (DD-724). Severely Damaged.This view is of 21 20mm guns on the starboard side, abreast of the bridge. Image provided by Naval History and Heritage Command(NH 75436)
USS LAFFEY (DD-724). Severely Damaged. Here is shown the bomb hole, port side aft. Image provided by Naval History and Heritage Command(NH 75437)
USS LAFFEY (DD-724). Severely Damaged. Here is a view of the port side after the crew's head looking forward. Image provided by Naval History and Heritage Command(NH 75429)
There is a view of a wounded pilot making a landing with his burning plane. Image provided by National Museum of the U.S. Navy (80-G-49697)
Operation Ten-Go, April-June 1945. Photographed by USS Hornet (CV-12). Image provided by National Museum of the U.S. Navy(80-G-331613)
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All Comments (21)
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Download World of Warships today wo.ws/3MFfWF9 and this December World of Warships will be releasing 12 new ships to their massive collection with multiple ship classes to choose from!
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I’m just saying the ship that the Japanese really couldn’t sink was the USS Enterprise CV-6, claimed to be sunken by the Japanese 3 times, she never was and she earned her most famous the nick name The Grey Ghost, She is the most revered and decorated ship of WW2 in the US navy earning 20 battle stars, she became the first ship to earn the Presidential Unit Citation and the first ship and only ship in the US Navy to earn the British Admiralty Pennant, and at one point was the only operational Aircraft Carrier in the Pacific Enterprise Vs. Japan she is a true legend among the US Navy
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This ship took several hits from kamikaze planes, got radioactive contamination during the atomic bomb tests in the Bikini atoll, and served actively in the Korean and Vietnam wars without being sunk. This ship was truly blessed.
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This is my grandfathers ship. He is still alive today. Always love watching the story of his ship.
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Laffey is a prime example of why EVERY US sailor is taught basic damage control and are encouraged to learn more. 🇺🇲
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The first "USS Laffey" was the one sunk at Guadalcanal. She charged the battleship Hiei as a Benson-class destroyer and fell victim to a withering barrage of gunfire. The Allen M Sumner "USS Laffey" is the one here, and I had the pleasure of visiting her one time with USS Yorktown. 3:09 Also nice reference to Battleship (2012).
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6:10 Gotta love that backflip.
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The Battleship reference at 3:08 is amazing! Keep up the great work!
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Nah the guy that did a backflip off of the 20mm aa guns at 6:10 is badass
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I’ve definitely heard of the USS Laffey but I love this story
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This ship is the Nokia of all ships, it can survive anything.
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The reason why they couldn't sink the Laffey is because the Laffey was a one and only experimental warship build by a material classified as "plot armor"
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I would love it if Yarnhub did a video on the Monchy 9 of Newfoundland. 9 men of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment positioned at Monchy-le-Preux during the Battle of Arras in 1917 hid behind shrubbery and defended the town from a German force anywhere from 200 - 300 men strong for 11 hours to prevent a German break through. I think it is a very cool and very underrated battle that sounds like the plot of a movie.
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My father served on the USS Laffy during the kamikaze attack. He was a Machinist Mate in the Engine Room. His best friend was an ammo handler in the 53 mount (the rear mount). They, of course, both survived the war. I have heard the story through the veteran sailors who lived it and visited Patriots Point and the Laffy many times.
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One of the things I love about Yarnhub is from time to time, we are graced by the presence of the legendary yet mythical acrobat troops
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Also USS Laffey. Get’s choose for the atomic bomb test in Bikini Atoll as well. Laffey: I REFUSE TO SINK!
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I visited the Laffey and Yorktown at Patriots Point last summer and it was a hell of an experience. The fore turret was open to guests and has a video that explains what it was like on April 15th; loud explosions, the screams of sailors, it had everything. Eventually there was an almost deafening explosion noise and the turret lights went out when the kamikaze hits the aft of the ship. It was an honor to be able to srand where those brave sailors stood, fighting as hard as they could against the kamikazes. Amazing video as always Yanhub, and thank you for telling the story of these heroes.
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Tears, as the sailor putting the flag back up. Brave men and a ship that would not give up.
