12/18/2025
On December 18, 1944, US Task Force 38 was caught in a typhoon in the Philippine Sea. Seventy-foot waves battered the fleet, sweeping planes off the decks. Three destroyers (USS Hull, USS Spence, and USS Monaghan) were sunk, and 18 other vessels sustained damage. Nearly 800 men died. This photo of the USS Cowpens shows the dramatic pitching of the ship during the storm. Explore War Diaries for the typhoon on Fold3: https://f3.social/6ybt