Douglas MacArthur (centre) and others arriving ashore during the initial U.S. landings at Leyte, Philippines, October 20, 1944.Bosun Mate 1st Class John E. Brandau hoisting the American flag on Leyte Island during the invasion of the Philippines, October 20, 1944.U.S. Successfully running this gauntlet, Nishimura's ships were then set upon by destroyers which unleashed a barrage of torpedoes. US Seventh and …
Among the ships in the decoy fleet was the Kinkaid sent a series of increasingly desperate messages to Halsey, requesting that he dispatch Task Force 34—a collection of Third Fleet battleships, destroyers, and cruisers that was supposed to have been guarding the The Japanese Navy’s “Victory Operation” not only failed to disrupt the Leyte landings, it resulted in serious losses to what remained of Japan’s surface fleet.
The Allied victory secured the beachhead on Leyte and opened the door for the liberation of the Philippines. Believing that Kurita was retreating, Halsey signaled Admiral Kinkaid that he was moving north to pursue the Japanese carriers. At dawn on October 25, Ozawa launched a 75-plane strike against Halsey and Mitscher's carriers. As the Americans withdrew, Kurita again changed course around 5:15 PM and resumed his advance towards the San Bernardino Strait. The Last Big Gun Naval Battle: The Battle of Surigao Strait.
The initial landings were to take place on the island of Leyte, with ground forces commanded by The Imperial Japanese Navy had all but ceased to exist as an offensive force. The ships are, from left to right: Musashi, Yamato, a cruiser and Nagato.Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, 24 October 1944 Japanese battleship Yamato is hit by a bomb near her forward 460mm gun turret, during attacks by U.S. carrier planes as she transited the Sibuyan Sea.USS West Virginia (BB-48) firing during the Battle of Surigao Strait, 24-25 October 1944. The losses in the battle of Leyte Gulf were not evenly distributed throughout all forces. By doing so, Halsey was leaving the landings unprotected. This plan called for the bulk of Japan's remaining naval strength to put to sea in four separate forces. There would be no sense in saving the fleet at the expense of the loss of the Philippines. Listed Japanese losses include only those ships sunk in the battle. The ferocity of the American defense seemingly confirmed the Japanese assumption that they were engaging major fleet units rather than merely escort carriers and destroyers. Toyoda's plan had worked. In the fighting at Leyte Gulf, the Japanese lost 4 aircraft carriers, 3 battleships, 8 cruisers, and 12 destroyers, as well as 10,000+ killed.
By Ozawa drawing away Halsey's carriers, the path through the San Bernardino Straight was left open for Kurita's Center Force to pass through to attack the landings.
At the mismatched Due to the long duration and size of the battle, accounts vary as to the losses that occurred as a part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf and losses that occurred shortly before and shortly after.
In addition, she carries two "Seahawk" LAMPS multi-purpose helicopters, whose primary mission is ASW. The largest effort of the Sibuyan Sea attack was directed against just one battleship, Kurita turned his fleet around to get out of range of the aircraft, passing the crippled After the Japanese Southern and Center forces had been detected, but before it had been engaged or Ozawa's carriers had been located, Halsey and the staff of 3rd Fleet, aboard the battleship At 15:12 on 24 October, Halsey sent an ambiguously worded BATDIV 7 MIAMI, VINCENNES, BILOXI, DESRON 52 LESS STEVEN POTTER, FROM TG 38.2 AND WASHINGTON, ALABAMA, WICHITA, NEW ORLEANS, DESDIV 100, PATTERSON, BAGLEY FROM TG 38.4 WILL BE FORMED AS TASK FORCE 34 UNDER VICE ADMIRAL LEE, COMMANDER BATTLE LINE. The Japanese responded to the American landings with Just after midnight on October 23, Kurita’s First Attack Force was discovered off Palawan by the U.S. submarines On October 24 Third Fleet carrier planes located and attacked the central force in the Sibuyan Sea and the southern force in the The Japanese C Force entered the Surigao Strait in the early hours of October 25 and was Oldendorf “crossed the T” on Nishimura’s formation, meaning that his ships were able to deliver a full broadsides attack with all of their big guns while Nishimura could only employ his forward weapons. The only major operation by these surface ships between the Battle for Leyte Gulf and the Japanese surrender was the suicidal sortie in April 1945 (part of The Japanese fleet had [effectively] ceased to exist, and, except by land-based aircraft, their opponents had won undisputed command of the sea. TF 34 TO ENGAGE DECISIVELY AT LONG RANGES. Pounding the enemy, the Americans sank the battleship During the night, Halsey had passed tactical command of TF 38 to Admiral Mitscher, who ordered the American carrier groups to launch their first strike wave, of 180 aircraft, at dawn—before the Northern Force had been located. The “Battle of Leyte Gulf” was not a single battle, but rather a campaign of several battles over the course of a few days.
IF THE ENEMY SORTIES [through San Bernadino Strait] TF 34 WILL BE FORMED WHEN DIRECTED BY ME.The 3rd Fleet's aircraft failed to locate Ozawa's Northern Force until 16:40 on 24 October.