Fuel and lubricants were sourced from the USA and the West Indies. On October 24 Third Fleet carrier planes located and attacked the central force in the Sibuyan Sea and the southern force in the Sulu Sea. The failure of the Centre Force to press home its attack on the landing forces meant that the Japanese Northern Force aircraft carriers had been sacrificed in vain. The Battle of Leyte Gulf cost the Imperial Japanese Navy heavily,[5] effectively destroying it as an offensive force. As the Japanese ships sailed north through the narrow strait, they were subjected to torpedo attacks from U.S. PT boats and destroyers. For the next several hours, the two submarines shadowed the Japanese armada and radioed vital information about its speed, heading, and makeup back to the Pacific Fleet. The only Japanese carriers involved in the battle were in the northern decoy force. The battle of Leyte Gulf secured the beachheads of the U.S. Sixth Army on Leyte against attack from the sea. This required a massive fleet train to carry the necessary supplies. On 10 October the assigned forces sailed from their assembly areas at Hollandia, Manus Island, Morotai and Guam. The assault would also take place beyond the range of land-based aircraft, hence all air support would need to come from US Navy aircraft carriers. Had the Centre Force pressed home its attack the landing force could have suffered serious losses and the invasion might have been placed in jeopardy. Halsey, however, had never actually formed Task Force 34; he opted instead to take all of those ships with him to sail against Ozawa. It had originally been planned to attack the Philippines at a somewhat later date, but the air strikes revealed an unexpected weakness in the Japanese defense of the islands. Following the initial Japanese advance in late 1941 and early 1942, and the halting of the offensive in the Solomons and New Guinea, the United States, supported by its allies, began its trans-Pacific assault. The United States capitalized on the success of its “island hopping” campaign by pouring men and matériel into its newly won bases. When dawn broke, the submarines made visual contact with the lead elements of the Japanese force and launched torpedoes. 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. To Halsey the Japanese carriers represented a target too inviting to ignore. The ensuing engagement reflected the dramatic imbalance in power that now existed between U.S. and Japanese naval strength, and the result was so lopsided that it was almost an anticlimax when measured against the action which was taking place simultaneously at Samar. In doing so, he had left the American amphibious forces on Leyte woefully unprotected. Updates? Interpreting “the world wonders” as a stinging rebuke from the commander of the Pacific Fleet, an insulted Halsey at last dispatched an air strike to harass the already retiring Japanese central force. Leyte Gulf was the greatest naval battle of the modern era, involving some 370 ships and over 200,000 personnel, primarily from the United States and Japan. Halsey deployed a total of 5 fleet carriers, 5 light carriers, 6 battleships, 8 cruisers, and 41 destroyers against Ozawa’s force, which consisted of a single fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, a pair of obsolete carrier-battleship hybrids, 5 destroyers, 4 destroyer escorts, and 3 cruisers. With the outcome of the war already decided, the Japanese were now seeking little more than a “fitting place to die,” according to their planning documents. Sea based air power provided essential air cover to the fleet and land forces in an operation beyond the range of Allied land-based aircraft. Fought in the seas surround the island of Leyte in the Philippines from 23 October to 26 October 1944, this battle cut Japan off from her Southeast Asian colonies and therefore all of Japan's oil. Of particular note is the substantial additional effort required to protect the ships of the logistic force, removing escort vessels and aircraft from offensive operations. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Leyte-Gulf, United States History - Battle of Leyte Gulf, military operations in the Philippines, 1941–45, Douglas MacArthur at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On paper this was a formidable force, however, there were a number of major weaknesses, primarily the lack of trained aircrews. The Japanese C Force entered the Surigao Strait in the early hours of October 25 and was annihilated in a night engagement with destroyers and battleships of the U.S. The initial landings were entirely successful and almost completely uncontested, as the Japanese had chosen to mount their defense farther inland and out of the range of naval gunfire. This enemy force of powerful fast battleships and cruisers sank an escort carrier and two destroyers, but lost three heavy cruisers in return and withdrew without attacking the landing forces in Leyte Gulf. With the exception of the Mississippi, each of these battleships had been damaged during the Pearl Harbor attack and subsequently returned to service. Kinkaid’s covering force was almost out of ammunition after the previous day’s bombardments and the Surigao Strait night action. This should have been clarified by higher command prior to the operation. Several important lessons can be drawn from the Leyte Gulf operation. With the bulk of the Seventh Fleet engaged with Nishimura at Surigao Strait, all that stood between Kurita and the landing beaches were the ships of Taffy 3—a naval task force that consisted of just six escort carriers, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts under the command of Rear Adm. Clifton Sprague. Ammunition arrived from the USA via Australia. In what was perhaps the unlikeliest naval victory of the Pacific War, Taffy 3 lost two destroyers, Johnston and Hoel, and the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts. Gen. Walter Krueger’s Sixth Army were ashore by the end of the first day, but the Japanese had already put in motion a plan that was designed to drive the U.S. from the Philippines and potentially turn the tide in the Pacific. The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history. The assault on Leyte marked the joining of the two major advances on Japan—the central Pacific offensive commanded by Nimitz and the southern Pacific approach under MacArthur. The series of battles that historians now label as the Battle of Leyte Gulf took place between October 23rd-26th, 1944. Whatever the battle’s official name, after October 1944 the Imperial Navy was finished. Menyok. The effect was devastating. Just before 3:30 pm a massive explosion ripped through the Princeton, and hundreds of sailors on the light cruiser USS Birmingham, which was preparing to take the Princeton under tow, were killed. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was fought from October 23-26 1944 and was the largest naval battle of World War II. On September 21 Manila was struck by U.S. carrier planes for the first time, and Luzon was hit the following day. [3]Australia was the first Allied vessel at Leyte hit by a suicide aircraft; although this was not part of the organised kamikaze attacks on the Allied forces, which began four days later, but the act of an individual pilot. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was fought October 23-26, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945) and is considered the conflict's largest naval engagement. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Having been battered by U.S. aircraft and submarines, Kurita initially appeared to be retiring to the west, but he soon resumed course, and the Japanese central force pushed doggedly onward toward the San Bernardino Strait and Leyte. Comprises 4 scenarios of the different phases of the battle: 1) Entrance of Leyte 2) San Bernardino Strait 3) The Chase 4) Surigao Strait 110 Counters. Kurita’s First Attack Force, having passed through the San Bernardino Strait, moved southward along the coast of Samar. Units of the RAN provided essential capabilities that complemented those of the US Navy at Leyte Gulf. It was now overwhelmingly clear that the aircraft carrier, with its air wing, … In the end, it would be Gen. Douglas MacArthur who prevailed. Americans and Japanese came away from the battle of Leyte Gulf with … The escort carrier USS Gambier Bay was sunk, becoming the only U.S. aircraft carrier of the war to be lost to naval gunfire, and the escort carrier USS St. 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. Responding, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched plan Sho-Go 1. Ernest Evans of the destroyer USS Johnston was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. King advocated bypassing the Philippines and attacking Formosa directly, while other naval officers, such as Adm. Chester Nimitz, favoured limited operations in the Philippines as a prelude to the Formosa offensive. The battle was part of World War II, and happened in the seas near the Philippines island of Leyte. Task Group 30.8 of the Third Fleet, which augmented the Seventh Fleet support force, comprised 34 oilers, 11 escort carriers, 19 destroyers and 26 destroyer escorts. MacArthur was given overall command of the Leyte operation, and Nimitz provided strong naval support from the U.S. Pacific Fleet. It may well be regarded as the largest naval battle in military history. Such was the ferocity of Taffy 3’s attack that the Japanese identified the handful of U.S. destroyers as heavy cruisers and escort carriers were taken to be fleet carriers. The RAN was also represented in Task Group 77.7, the Leyte Gulf Service Force of the Seventh Fleet, by the oiler Bishopdale, the provision ship Merkur and the ammunition ships Poyang and Yunnan. Despite having already lost most of his fleet, Nishimura pressed onward. Read 3 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. By this point, Halsey had shifted the Third Fleet to the north in pursuit of the Japanese decoy force. At the Battle of the Surigao Strait the Japanese Southern Force night attack on the landing forces was repulsed by Admiral Kinkaid’s covering forces, including Shropshire and Arunta. The Darter successfully sank the heavy cruiser Atago (Admiral Kurita's flagship), while the D… “No one”, wrote Captain Tarbuck, USN, the Senior Naval Adviser at MacArthur’s headquarters, “could see this great panorama of ships without realising the impotence of any great army engaged in oceanic warfare without control of the sea and air”. The Imperial Japanese Navy had all but ceased to exist as an offensive force. The potential naval threat to this and future Allied invasions was removed, and the need to provide extensive protection to logistics forces was also greatly reduced. At the Battle of Cape Engano the Northern Force lost four aircraft carriers, a light cruiser and four destroyers, before the remaining force withdrew. Japanese offensives are represented by black arrows, and American offensives are represented by white arrows. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [4] As a consequence of the casualties and damage, Australia, escorted by Warramunga, sailed for Manus Island. Leyte Gulf was the last naval battle between battleships in history. The Japanese battleship Fuso was sunk, as were the destroyers Asagumo, Michishio, and Yamagumo. Planning was complicated by the huge distances involved, for while the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944 were conducted 50 nautical miles across the English Channel, Leyte Gulf was more than 500 nautical miles from the main staging areas in Morotai and Palau. Part of the carrier force was struck by Japanese aircraft on October 13–14, and two U.S. cruisers were damaged and forced to retire. Capabilities such as the infantry landing ships, logistics ships and survey ships were what might now be termed ‘niche’ capabilities. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... U.S. landing ships, tanks (LSTs), on the beach at Leyte Island in the Philippines, October 1944. Over the following days, U.S. carrier planes responded with attacks on Japanese air bases in Formosa and the northern Philippines, and October 18–19 saw further strikes on targets near the landing beaches. Carmella Jasna. At the same time, U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy cruisers and destroyers on the flanks of the battleship line opened fire. News. 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 San Bernardino Strait—to aid Taffy 3. By autumn 1944 the Japanese had been dislodged from many key outposts in the southwest and central Pacific, and other Japanese-controlled islands had been allowed to wither on the vine. With little more than a token combat air patrol to defend it, the Japanese fleet quickly became prey to U.S. bombs and torpedoes. Kurita’s armada had been whittled down somewhat over the course of the previous days’ engagements, but it still remained one of the most powerful collections of surface ships to see action in the Pacific War. the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea) was fought in the Pacific Theater during World War II and was one of the largest naval battles in modern history. The United States lost 1 light carrier, 2 escort carriers, and several other vessels. USS Charrette (DD-581) screening USS New Jersey (BB-62) during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 24 October 1944 (80-G-K-2191).jpg 5,580 × 4,158; 6.31 MB USS Cowell (DD-547) underway in October 1944.jpg 595 × 740; 278 KB Halsey also held an overwhelming advantage in air power: not only were his pilots more experienced than the raw recruits that the Japanese were rushing into service, but just one of his heavy carriers boasted an air complement that equaled that of the entire Japanese decoy fleet. At the end of the strait, the USS California, USS Maryland, USS Mississippi, USS Pennsylvania, USS Tennessee, and USS West Virginia were arrayed in a line of battle under the command of Rear Adm. Jesse Oldendorf. The Battle of Leyte Gulf, was the biggest naval battle in modern history. At the Battle off Samar Island the Japanese Centre Force attacked the US Navy Escort Carrier Force, which was left exposed by Halsey’s departure. Although Taffy 3’s carrier planes has been outfitted for close air support of the landing forces, they dominated the airspace above the Japanese ships and were eventually joined by aircraft from Taffy 2, another task force that was a short distance away. Among the ships in the decoy fleet was the Zuikaku, the last surviving carrier to have participated in the Pearl Harbor attack. A third key principle of war is cooperation. Early in the day, a 550-pound (220-kg) bomb from a Japanese dive-bomber penetrated the flight deck of the light carrier USS Princeton and ignited a series of fires on the decks below. Nishimura went down with his flagship, the battleship Yamashiro, and the cruiser Mogami was seriously damaged. Within 45 minutes the three Australian ships had disembarked over 2800 troops of the US 21st Regimental Combat Team on the undefended island. The Battle of Leyte Gulf book. Bosun Mate 1st Class John E. Brandau hoisting the American flag on Leyte Island during the invasion of the Philippines, October 20, 1944. In other words, the last great battleship engagement of World War II, and in all of history, was staged in five parts, each bearing its own name: As Kurita sailed his mighty force northward, he was suddenly ambushed by an array of undetected torpedoes. Although delayed by a storm, the Rangers were on Suluan and Dinagat islands by 0805. The Allies would also gain another staging base for subsequent assaults on islands closer to Japan. The retaking of the Philippines began with an assault on the Leyte Gulf-Surigao Strait area. 0:06. The Battle of Leyte Gulf consisted of two preliminary strikes against the Japanese forces on the way to battle and three massive engagements once the fleets tangled. Explosion on USS St. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Escort carrier USS St. In its opening salvo the Darter sank the Japanese heavy cruiser Atago, Kurita’s flagship, and proceeded to seriously damage the cruiser Takao. The battle cost the IJN most of its remaining warships, including 3 battleships, one of which was the huge Musashi, 6 heavy and 4 light cruisers, and 9 destroyers, in addition to its remaining carriers. U.S. soldier and his war dog in a foxhole on Leyte Island, October 1944. …forces seized offshore islets in Leyte Gulf, and on October 20 they landed four divisions on the east coast of Leyte.…. The main landings at Tacloban and Dulag were accompanied by a full bombardment from battleships, cruisers, destroyers and rocket ships, including Australia, Shropshire, Arunta and Warramunga. Read The Battle for Leyte Gulf: The Incredible Story of World War II's Largest Naval Battle. The Commanding Officer, Captain Dechaineux, was killed and Commodore Collins was wounded. Japan’s total losses in the Battle of Leyte Gulf amounted to 3 battleships, 1 large carrier, 3 light carriers, 6 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers, and 11 destroyers. Corrections? Beginning at about 8:00 am and continuting for several hours, waves of Halsey’s planes descended on the Japanese carriers, and in short order, all four —Chitose, Chiyoda, Zuiho, and Zuikaku—had been sunk. The Royal Australian Navy’s contribution to Kinkaid’s force, under the command of Commodore Collins, consisted of the heavy cruisers HMA Ships Australia and Shropshire; the destroyers Arunta and Warramunga; the infantry landing ships Westralia, Kanimbla and Manoora; the frigate Gascoyne; and the motor launch HDML 1074. The wider battle in Leyte Gulf, which took place over several days, effectively ended the usefulness of the Japanese surface fleet. However, much hard fighting would be required before the island was completely in Allied hands at the end of December 1944: The Battle of Leyte on land was fought in parallel with an air and sea campaign in which the Japanese reinforced and resupplied their troops on Leyte while the Allies attempted to interdict them and establish air-sea superiority for a series of amphibious landings in Ormo… Battle of Leyte Gulf The USS Princeton engulfed in flames after being bombed by the Japanese Navy on the Sibuyan Sea, at Luzon, Philippines, October 24, 1944. But his work on the Battle of Leyte Gulf might just possibly be the best one ever written - by anyone. The warship was lost during the Battle off Samar, part of the larger, sprawling Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944. S01:E10 - The Empire's Last Stand. The second person who played a decisive role in the Battle of Leyte Gulf was Admiral William F. Halsey. Another key principle of war is sustainment. On the following morning, the two Australian cruisers were attacked by a lone Japanese dive-bomber, which crashed into the port side of Australia, killing 30 crew and wounding 64, many of them skilled and experienced bridge and gunnery control personnel. By 1944 these two lines began to converge on the ‘Taiwan-Luzon-China’ triangle. Action of 24 July 1945 The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the Battles for Leyte Gulf, and formerly known as the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history. The Northern Force aircraft carriers were intended to distract and divert the American fast aircraft carrier group while the two Japanese battleship groups entered Leyte Gulf and attacked the invasion shipping. Omissions? It took place from 23 October to 26 October 1944, between the Allies and the Empire of Japan. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Lo (CVE 63) after she was hit by a Kamikaze off Samar on Oct. 25, 1944. In all but the latter, the RAN made a small, but still substantial, contribution to the successful outcome of the operation. The advance from Morotai to Leyte in one bound was a calculated risk, as the Allied forces would be ringed by Japanese airfields and land-based aircraft with greater staying power than the aircraft from USN aircraft carriers.[1]. After supporting the American landings in the western Caroline Islands throughout early September 1944, Adm. Marc Mitscher’s fast carrier task force began launching attacks against Japanese positions in the Philippines. On the morning of 20 October Task Group 78.3, which included Westralia, Kanimbla and Manoora, entered Leyte Gulf and commenced landing operations at Panaon Island. 9:19. These included Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar and other naval action in the general vicinity. Thus, the US fleet carriers were successfully lured away from the entrances to Leyte Gulf, opening a path for the Japanese Centre Force. The change in territorial control, along with the enormous increase in U.S. and British naval power in the theatre, had made the Pacific an Allied “mare nostrum.”. Rescue and repair efforts continued throughout the day. The Dace struck a mortal blow to the heavy cruiser Maya, which sank in less than five minutes with great loss of life. 0:24. At 10:00 am Nimitz himself sent what would become one of the most famous radio messages of the entire war: “WHERE IS RPT WHERE IS TASK FORCE THIRTY FOUR RR THE WORLD WONDERS.” The last three words were meant to serve as meaningless padding to deter Japanese code breakers and should have been stripped from the final message, but they were included in the printout that was given to Halsey. A key principle of war is the selection and maintenance of the aim of an operation. The American Joint Chiefs of Staff, acting with necessary haste, moved to capitalize on the situation. These were the only Australian casualties of the operation. In doing so he left the San Bernadino Strait unguarded, subsequently sparking a major controversy as to whether his main focus should have been to destroy the Japanese fleet or protect the landings. Halsey believed his primary role was destroying the Japanese fleet, while MacArthur believed Halsey’s primary role was protecting the landings. Battle of Leyte Gulf 1 レイテ沖海戦 1. The Japanese had failed to achieve their objectives while the Allies would ultimately achieve theirs. On October 20 the amphibious landings at Leyte began after air strikes, and heavy naval bombardment prepared the beaches. Amphibious ships moved troops 500 nautical miles to landing beaches. With no aerial reconnaissance of his own to determine the makeup of the enemy fleet, and unaware that Halsey had taken the bait and moved his ships away from Leyte, Kurita believed that he had engaged a significant portion of the Third Fleet. Three naval engagements were fought in the battle for Leyte Gulf on 24-25 October 1944. Admiral Halsey ordered his ships to intercept the approaching Northern Force. Shore based opposition to the landings was light and Japanese aircraft made only sporadic attacks during the day. The aim of SHO-1 was to disrupt the landings by attacking the transport shipping in Leyte Gulf. It was unusual in that it was a series of actions, not a single battle. More than 130,000 men of Lieut. This final stage of the Battle of Leyte Gulf has been derisively termed “Bull’s Run.”. Another 17 aircraft carriers, 6 battleships, 16 cruisers and 56 destroyers of the Third Fleet, under Admiral Halsey, USN, were tasked with covering the invasion. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. As his carrier force entered Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941, he and the men under his command looked at the carnage in the smoke and flames billowing … The Princeton was eventually scuttled by a pair of torpedoes from the cruiser USS Reno. Read Afternoon of the Rising Sun: The Battle of Leyte Gulf Ebook Online. A third of all fresh produce came from the USA, the rest from Australia. Battle of Leyte Gulf, (October 23–26, 1944), decisive air and sea battle of World War II that crippled the Japanese Combined Fleet, permitted U.S. invasion of the Philippines, and reinforced the Allies’ control of the Pacific. The St. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Displaying an aggression that sharply belied their underdog status, the three U.S. destroyers, led by the USS Johnston, launched an audacious torpedo attack that damaged the heavy cruiser Kumano and caused the Yamato to take evasive maneuvers that carried Kurita away from the battle. The Battle of Leyte Gulf officially entered the books as the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, though most of the action occurred nearly one thousand miles from the June turkey shoot. Historical Map of East Asia and the Western Pacific (23 October 1944 - Battle of Leyte Gulf: From the Marianas and New Guinea, the Allies now converged on the Philippines, landing on Leyte in October. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Ernest J. Just after midnight on October 23, Kurita’s First Attack Force was discovered off Palawan by the U.S. submarines Darter and Dace. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was fought from October 23-26 1944 and was the largest naval battle of World War II. He also took the fast battleships USS New Jersey (Halsey’s flagship) and USS Iowa, along with three light cruisers and eight destroyers, on a futile pursuit of Kurita’s long gone fleet. Mini-game. Returning to the Philippines, Allied forces began landing on Leyte on October 20. This plan had to overcome significant resistance from within the American high command, however. If the Japanese lost their hold in the Philippines, their Empire would be cut in two, and maintaining the flow of oil to the home islands would become even more difficult. Three Japanese cruisers, Chikuma, Chōkai, and Suzuya, were sunk; a fourth, Kumano, was heavily damaged. Lo was struck by a kamikaze and sank shortly after the main engagement had ended. The Japanese Navy activated its Operation SHO-1 defence plan as soon as the Allied assault forces were sighted on 17 October. The Allied offensive in the Pacific in 1944 was to climax with the Allied invasion of the Philippines. Men of the central Philippines attack force, under Vice Adm. Thomas Kinkaid (commander of the Seventh Fleet and MacArthur’s principal naval subordinate), went ashore on the east coast of Leyte. The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the amphibious invasion of the Gulf of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita from 20 October - 31 December 1944. Beyond the range of Allied land-based aircraft small group of Japanese defenders and destroyed radio! 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Cat-And-Mouse pursuit of the Japanese fleet quickly became prey to U.S. bombs and torpedoes by that Afternoon the..