**“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”**
With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS *Samuel B. Roberts* on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’ s vulnerable invasion force were the *Roberts* and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history.
In the tradition of the #1 *New York Times* bestseller *Flags of Our Fathers,* James D. Hornfischer paints an unprecedented portrait of the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement unlike any other in U.S. history—and captures with unforgettable intensity the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory.
**Praise for* **** The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors***
“One of the finest WWII naval action narratives in recent years, this book follows in the footsteps of *Flags of Our Fathers*. . . . Exalting American sailors and pilots as they richly deserve. . . . Reads like a very good action novel.” **— *Publishers Weekly***
“Reads as fresh as tomorrow’s headlines. . . . Hornfischer’s captivating narrative uses previously classified documents to reconstruct the epic battle and eyewitness accounts to bring the officers and sailors to life.” **— *Texas Monthly***
“Hornfischer is a powerful stylist whose explanations are clear as well as memorable. . . . A dire survival-at-sea saga.” **—** * **Denver Post**
* “In *The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors,* James Hornfischer drops you right into the middle of this raging battle, with 5-inch guns blazing, torpedoes detonating and Navy fliers dive-bombing. . . . The overall story of the battle is one of American guts, glory and heroic sacrifice.” **— *Omaha World Herald***