15. Typhoon Cobra severely damaged the United States Pacific Fleet in December, 1944
On December 17, 1944, Admiral William F. Halsey steered the United States Pacific Fleet’s Task Force 38 into the eye of a typhoon. The ships had been operating in the Philippine Sea, conducting bombing and strafing raids on Japanese airfields in the Philippines in support of MacArthur’s operations in the islands. Task Force 38 consisted of seven large fleet carriers, six light carriers, 50 destroyers and destroyer-escorts, fifteen heavy and light cruisers, and eight battleships. There were also oilers, tankers, and support ships. The destroyers were attempting to refuel when the storm hit, and many of them were so low on fuel they rode high in the water. Seawater had to be taken aboard as ballast, an act many captains hesitated to order.
Three destroyers were sunk during the storm. Several aircraft carriers suffered damaging fires when airplanes broke loose from their restraints, collided with each other, and ignited. Others had aircraft lashed to the flight decks washed overboard. A total of 146 aircraft were lost in the storm. The light carrier Monterey was severely damaged by fire. The Officer of the Deck during the storm was Lt. Gerald Ford. He later reminisced he had nearly been washed overboard during the event. In addition to the three lost destroyers, nine other ships were damaged to the point they returned to port for repairs. Nearly all of the ships of Task Force 38 suffered damage from the typhoon, and 790 American sailors lost their lives to the storm.
