A National Salute to
BOB HOPE
And the Military

The inspiration and planning for the National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military was provide by a veteran’s group called Task Unit 77.4.3/Taffy 3 (“Taffy III” for short.) The common bond of these World War II Navy men is that they served bravely on warships of Task Unit 77.4.3 that were sunk during the famous Battle off Samar during the Battle for Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944. (“Taffy III” was the call sign of this task unit.) In recent years, these men have devoted their efforts toward raising awareness and money for monuments to preserve the history and honor the veterans of this era. The nearby Battle of Leyte Gulf Memorial is an earlier project funded and built on Port tidelands by Taffy III. The National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military is the latest and most ambitious Taffy 3 commemorative project. The project was built with donated funds.

^{San Diego Port Authority}

I had worked with the late John Ibe (a Saint Lo survivor and Task Unit 77.4.3/Taffy 3 board member) when this project was in the early planning stages in February 2001.  At that time John purchased 500 copies of the Second Edition of my book to support their venture in this project.  John used my book to educate supporters and gather donators using the unique history of Taffy 3.  Sadly, John passed away in June 2006.  Here is a dedication page to John from the Gambier Bay Association.

^{Robert Jon Cox}