Brave ship and crew:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Antoine_Saugrain
Antoine Saugrain fought off 12 kamikaze torpedo planes on 5 December 1944. Twelve gunners were wounded and merchant seamen took over the machine guns to fight off the attack. Two days later she was sunk by a torpedo plane while in tow in the
Surigao Strait near
Leyte Gulf. Some of the 450 survivors had to swim a long time before being rescued.
The Coast Guard frigate's role of escorting convoys from the staging areas to the invasion sites likewise was crucial. In late November, the
Coronado and
San Pedro left
Humboldt Bay,
New Guinea, to steam the 1,250 miles to escort a convoy of ships bringing supplies and men to Leyte. The voyage proceeded without incident until 5 December when enemy planes attacked the convoy. One Japanese torpedo plane attacked the SS
Antoine Saugrain from the port beam. The torpedo struck the freighter at the stern, exploded, and carried away its rudder. Fifteen minutes later another torpedo bomber approached the
Saugrain and despite heavy gunfire, put a torpedo in the ship at the number two hold. This torpedo fatally wounded the vessel. The
Saugrain had on board nearly 450 crew and Army troops. The
Coronado and
San Pedro steamed to the assistance of the freighter and saved all hands.