Remembering USS Johnston: The WWII Shipwreck in the Leyte Deep
- museomaritimo
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
Article by Erin Devanadera
Who knew that the deepest sea shipwreck recorded in history roamed under the coast of the Philippine Islands?
In the very month of October 2019, a U.S. Army research vessel rummaged through the ruins of a Fletcher-class destroyer at an approximate depth of 6,500 meters (21,325 feet) lying beneath the Samar Islands. The researchers of the vessel, later revealed to be the RV Petrel, first came to a challenging hypothesis where the Navy ship was not fully able to be identified. It was in March 2021 when the commissioner ship expedition funding through the DSV submarine assisted in completely identifying and revealing the identification of the Fletcher-class ship, which was newly laid 21,180 feet after its initial discovery.
The USS Johnston, alternatively known as DD-557, was one of the classical U.S. fleets in resistance against foreign military invasions during World War II. It finally sank on October 25, 1944, countering several drastic attacks from the Japanese ships, and is now known and recognized as the deepest sea shipwreck in the 20th century.
But its story and significance go beyond its fall.
DD-557, measuring over 115 meters long, was delegated on October 27, 1943, in Seattle, Washington. Its honorific was associated with the surname of Lieutenant John V. Johnston, an American Civil War Navy officer. It was also on that very day the ship’s lead commander, Ernest E. Evans, forewarned the perilous nature of the ship’s military voyage.
The USS Johnston in Seattle (1943) (Photo Source: Wikipedia)
“This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm’s way, and anyone who doesn’t want to go along had better get off right now,” said Evans to his comrades just before it was further delineated to the sea.
From January 1944 to May 1944, Johnston assisted the military campaigns and anti-submarine infiltration against the Japanese in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, Hawaii, and Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Notable in this naval combat was the sinking of the Japanese submarine I-176, which was also destroyed by the USS Franks and Haggard.
After five months of fighting alongside Franks and Haggard, the USS Johnston received an escort call to defend the north and eastern parts of Leyte and Samar in the Battle of Samar on October 20, 1944. Johnston also responded to the call sign “Taffy 3,” in company with the U.S. Seventh Fleet Escort Task Unit 77.4 to prepare for the return of General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines.
On October 25, 1944, the Japanese fleets, intending to surround and attack the Navy Johnston and its escort fleets, were found advancing near the Leyte Gulf. Not fazed by this tactic, Evans declared an initial extensive strike of 200 rounds and 10 missile strikes into the upcoming Japanese vessels, leaving the invading ships with substantial naval damages.
However, the Japanese armed forces, led by the imperial cruiser Kumano, managed to counterattack Johnston and its escorting ships with war shells that infiltrated the U.S. Fletcher class and its supporting naval couriers. This led to mutual significant loss and casualties on Evan’s side. But this did not stop the commander from ordering another opposing offensive of 30 rounds towards the Japanese, even drawing its attention away from one of its escort fleets with one final counterblow, Gambier Bay.
Due to its inflicted naval damages, the U.S. Destroyer began to sink. With limited weaponry and support, Evans gave the final declaration for an escapade. Losing no time to assist his remaining comrades, Evans rolled the lifeboats just before the ship sank in its entirety and was surrounded by the Japanese fleets. With only 141 survivors, Johnston’s commander, along with a few others, ultimately survived in the sea but was never found in the aftermath.
The Fletcher-class ship became a national and an international symbol of honor following its loss and discovery 76 years later. For the Philippines and the U.S., the maritime vessel served a pivotal role and purpose in the Battle of Samar, helping defeat one of the critical battles against the Japanese during WWII. Johnston’s withstanding resilience was not without recognition. It was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, with Evans eventually receiving the Medal of Honor, highlighting his remarkable contribution to Johnston’s naval valor.
“In no engagement in its entire history has the United States Navy shown more gallantry, guts, and gumption than in the two morning hours between 0730 and 0930 off Samar,” said historian and biographer Samuel Eliot Morison on Johnston’s cordial contribution in the retaking of the Philippines during the Battle of Leyte Gulf from October 1944.
Commander Evans, also an indigenous descendant, is the first Native American officer to obtain the Medal of Honor. His wife, Margaret Evans, accepted his award in September 1945.
“The Johnston was a fighting ship, but he was the heart and soul of her,” said Robert C. Hagen, a U.S. gunnery officer, on Evans’ fundamental involvement in the ship’s success.
USS Johnston's valiant final stand in the Battle of Samar, to its rediscovery in the 21st century, serves as a powerful reminder of the profound sacrificial efforts made during World War II. The recognition of Johnston's and its heroic commander, Ernest Evans, stands as a lifelong testament to the extraordinary bravery displayed by countless individuals, both Filipino and American, in the liberation of the Philippines from Japan's captivity. It etches an enduring inspiration and remembrance of past wars' victored in unity and collaborative attempts, resilient enough to stand against oppressive forces, giving way to due respect and freedom.
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