USS Hoel (DD-533) Fletcher-Class Destroyer (1.5:1 Scale)

Creator notes

The USS Hoel (DD-533) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, best remembered for its courageous actions during the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944. Commissioned on July 29, 1943, Hoel was named after Rear Admiral William R. Hoel, a Union naval officer during the American Civil War. Under the command of Lieutenant Commander Leon S. Kintberger, the destroyer served in the Pacific Theater, participating in operations in the Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, and Philippines. Its most famous action came during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, when Hoel was assigned to the escort carrier group known as Taffy 3. The group unexpectedly encountered a powerful Japanese surface fleet, including four battleships, six heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and eleven destroyers. Hoel launched all ten of her torpedoes in two attacks against Japanese warships. Although repeatedly struck by heavy shells, she continued fighting with her remaining 5-inch guns, drawing enemy fire away from the vulnerable escort carriers. After sustaining more than 40 shell hits, Hoel was sunk at approximately 8:55 a.m. Of her crew, only 86 survived, while approximately 252 were killed. Texture Pack: Re