Ship Refused to Sink: 75th Anniversary
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Episode #597 of Hometown Heroes, airing October 10-14, 2019, marks the 75th anniversary of a remarkable moment in the Pacific war, when the cruiser USS Houston (CL-81) took on more water relative to its displacement than any other ship that survived the war. It even rolled beyond the degree believed to be its sinking point, but did not capsize.
The USS Houston was crippled by a Japanese torpedo on October 14, 1944. Click here for the complete damage report.
This episode includes an account recorded in 1971 by the U.S. Naval Institute’s oral history initiative. In it, you’ll hear Rear Admiral George H. Miller explaining what happened when the cruiser was struck by that Japanese torpedo, how extensive the damage was, and how remarkable it was that the ship survived.
Rear Admiral George H. Miller, from the U.S. Naval Institute’s website.
At the time, Miller was serving as damage control officer aboard the Houston. The teenager who was steering the ship when that fateful torpedo struck, was Jonas Hofer, who shared his experiences with Hometown Heroes in 2014. Click here for part I of Hofer’s original interview, and access part II through this link.
Making a video about his Bible study for my channel right now, I’m learning a lot about this event and the history of it all searching for pictures and more information on the event. I’m really enjoying this project. Thank you for putting this together and what your doing for these veterans.
To all the veterans, Thank you for your service.