GQ Johnny: The Heart of a Warrior

Inspired by the true stories of the men who served on the USS Johnston and USS Hoel during the largest naval battle in history — the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On October 25, 1944, a small US Navy task group code-named "Taffy Three" was surprised by Japan's Center Force fleet of 23 ships, led by the Yamato, the largest battleship ever built. Most of the sailors were barely 18 years old, and three quarters had never been to sea. Their captain, Ernest E. Evans — the first Native American to captain a US Navy ship — had drilled them relentlessly. That preparation saved their lives. Against overwhelming odds, these young men defeated the Japanese fleet, secured General MacArthur's return to Leyte Gulf, and turned the tide of the war in the Pacific. Their personal stories have never been told. This film tells them.