Umhloli wamazwe osolwandle wase-US uVictor Vescovo umemezele namuhla ukuthi i-submersible Limiting Factor, esetshenziswa nguye kanye nochwepheshe we-sonar uJeremie Morizet, uthole ukuphahlazeka komkhumbi wombhubhisi we-US Navy uSamuel B. Roberts cishe ngamamayela angu-4.3 ngaphansi kolwandle.
“Ngochwepheshe be-sonar u-Jeremie Morizet, ngihlole i-Limiting Factor engaphansi kwamanzi lapho kuphahlazeka i-Samuel B. Roberts (DE 413). Iphumula kumamitha ayi-6,895 (amamayela angu-4.28), manje iwukuphahlazeka komkhumbi okujule kakhulu kwesake satholakala futhi sahlolwa. Ngempela 'kwakuyizihambi ezazilwa njengomkhumbi wempi,' uVescovo ubhale kuTwitter namuhla.
Izithombe ezenziwe yi-Limiting Factor zibonisa ukwakheka kwesikhumba, izibhamu namashubhu e-torpedo omkhumbi kanye nezimbobo zamagobolondo ase-Japan.
“Kubukeka sengathi umnsalo wakhe ushaye phansi olwandle ngamandla athile, washaya ingwijikhwebu. Ingemuva layo laphinde lahlukana cishe ngamamitha angu-5 ngenxa yokushayisana, kodwa yonke le ngozi yayihlangene. Lo mkhumbi omncane wathatha iButho Lasemanzini LaseJapane elingcono kakhulu, ulwa nawo kwaze kwaba sekugcineni.”
I-'Sammy B,' yethulwa ngoJanuwari 1944, yacwiliswa ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva, eMpini yaseSamar ePhilippines evame ukubizwa ngokuthi ngesinye sezindawo zokugcina ezinkulu kakhulu emlandweni wezempi.
Umbhubhisi wayeyingxenye yemikhumbi emincane yase-US okwathi, naphezu kokuba yayimbalwa futhi ingakulungele, yakwazi ukuzivumelanisa nezimo futhi yaqukatha amandla anamandla aseJapane. Kubasebenzi bakaSamuel B Roberts abangu-224, abangu-89 babulawa.
“I-Sammy B yabambana nama-heavy Cruiser aseJapane endaweni okwakungenalutho futhi yadubula ngokushesha kwaqeda izinhlamvu zayo; kwakuwukudubula amagobolondo entuthu nemijikelezo yokukhanyisa ukuze nje uzame ukuthungela imikhumbi yaseJapane umlilo, futhi yayilokhu idubula. Bekuyisenzo nje sobuqhawe obungajwayelekile. Lawo madoda - nhlangothi zombili - ayelwa aze afe,” kwengeza umhloli wezilwandle.
Ukutholwa kokuphahlazeka komkhumbi okujule kakhulu emhlabeni kuphawula irekhodi elilodwa elethwe yi-Vescovo.
NgoMashi 2021, walinga indawo yakhe engaphansi kwe-USS Johnston nayo eyacwila ngesikhathi seMpi yaseSamar. Ukutshuza okubili okuhlukene, okuthatha amahora ayisishiyagalombili “kwakuhlanganisa indawo ejulile yokucwiliswa emanzini, enziwa abantu noma engenziwanga muntu, emlandweni.”
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- The ‘Sammy B,' launched in January 1944, was sunk just a few months later, in the Battle of Samar in the Philippines which is often referred to as one of the greatest last stands in naval history.
- The destroyer was part of a small US fleet which, despite being outnumbered and unprepared, managed to adapt to the circumstances and to contain a much stronger Japanese force.
- “With sonar specialist Jeremie Morizet, I piloted the submersible Limiting Factor to the wreck of the Samuel B.
