Hero Ships (2008)

Episode Overview

The original Samuel B. Roberts, DE-413, met its fate during history's largest naval confrontation. In October 1944, while serving as part of a small contingent guarding jeep carriers in Leyte Gulf, the ship confronted a vastly outnumbering Japanese fleet. Despite overwhelming odds, the DE-413 fought valiantly, managing to repel much of the enemy force before ultimately sinking. The name "Samuel B. Roberts" has been used twice more, including for the FFG-58, launched in 1984, which took part in Desert Storm and continues to be ready for homeland security missions today.