About this Unit
USS John C. Butler (DE-339) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort commissioned by the United States Navy in March 1944. Named in honor of Ensign John Clarence Butler, the ship is best known for her heroic role in the Battle off Samar during the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, where she and other small escorts bravely confronted a vastly superior Japanese force. Throughout World War II, the USS John C. Butler provided vital escort and anti-submarine duties in the Pacific Theater. After the war, she was decommissioned in 1946 and placed in reserve, before being struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1972.
Historical Facts
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Namesake: USS John C. Butler (DE-339) was named in honor of Lieutenant (junior grade) John Clarence Butler, a naval aviator killed at the Battle of Midway, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
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Class and Construction: She was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort, the lead ship of her class, launched on October 12, 1943, at Consolidated Steel Corporation in Orange, Texas.
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Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on March 31, 1944, with Lieutenant Commander John E. Pace in command.
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Taffy 3 at Leyte Gulf: USS John C. Butler is most famous for her role in the Battle off Samar (part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf) on October 25, 1944, as one of the destroyer escorts of the heroic “Taffy 3” unit.
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David vs. Goliath: During the battle, John C. Butler and her group faced off against a much larger Japanese force, including battleships and heavy cruisers, in a desperate fight to protect American escort carriers.
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Torpedo Attack on Yamato: John C. Butler launched torpedoes at the Japanese super-battleship Yamato during the battle—though they missed, the action helped distract the enemy and contributed to the confusion.
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Battle Damage: She was hit by a shell from a Japanese cruiser, which caused damage and casualties, but she managed to stay afloat and continue the fight.
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Presidential Unit Citation: For their extraordinary heroism during the Battle off Samar, John C. Butler and the ships of Taffy 3 were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
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Postwar Service: After World War II, John C. Butler assisted in occupation duties in the Pacific before decommissioning in 1947 and entering the Reserve Fleet.
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Final Fate: USS John C. Butler was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1972 and scrapped soon after, but her legacy as part of the “small boys” who stood tall at Samar endures.
