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AIR–SEA COMBAT
THE BATTLE THE BA

OF LEYTE GULF

The warfare between the Japanese Imperial Navy and the
US Navy in the Pacific during World War II was remarkable
for the significant role of aircraft and the epic scale of the
combat. The Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 was one TTLE OF LEYTE GULF
of the largest sea battles ever fought.

By autumn 1944 Japanese naval Yamashiro, was among the ships sunk
aviation was a battered remnant of by armor-piercing shells. Only a
the force that had shocked the United handful of crew survived.
States with its attack on Pearl Harbor Meanwhile, the approach of the
almost three years earlier. Japan still other Japanese naval force through
possessed an impressive array of the Sibuyan Sea on October 24 had
battleships and cruisers, but without triggered a fierce air–sea battle.
adequate air cover, a sortie by these Halsey’s carrier aircraft swarmed
heavily gunned warships had become to attack the battleship Musashi,
almost suicidal. Nonetheless, when one of the largest, most powerfully
the United States began amphibious gunned warships ever built. Hit by
landings on Leyte Island in the 19 bombs and 17 torpedoes in five
Japanese-occupied Philippines on successive air strikes, the massive ship
October 20, the Imperial Navy sent sank with the loss of over 1,000 lives.
every available vessel to attack the Attacks by Japanese land-based aircraft
landing force. The Japanese divided inflicted some damage on US naval
their striking forces in two, one sailing forces, but little in relation to their
south of Leyte Island and the other to own losses of pilots and machines.
the north. Land-based aircraft on the In the hope of at least dying to
Philippines would supply air cover, some effect, a group of Japanese pilots
while Japan’s few remaining carriers volunteered to carry out suicide
were used as a decoy. Without their attacks, crashing their aircraft into
aircraft they headed away from the enemy ships. The first American ship
action, in the hope that the carriers sunk by kamikaze pilots was the escort
of Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr.’s carrier USS St. Lo on October 25.
Third Fleet would follow.
The Japanese southern force, THE END OF AN ERA
including two battleships and four The battle almost ended badly for
cruisers, was ambushed by Admiral the Americans. After the sinking of
Thomas Kinkaid’s Seventh Fleet the Musashi, Halsey accepted the bait
while attempting the passage of of the decoy Japanese carriers and
the Surigao Strait on the night pursued them to destruction. In
of October 24–25. American the absence of the main American
destroyers and PT boats first made carrier force, Japanese heavy cruisers
torpedo runs, scoring a series of slipped through the San Bernadino
hits that sank the battleship Fuso Strait and surprised escort carriers
with all hands. The Japanese then and destroyers supporting the troop
encountered the American main landings. The US Navy was briefly at
force of six battleships and eight the mercy of Japanese naval guns, but
cruisers, some equipped with bold torpedo runs by the destroyers
advanced radar fire control that and attacks by aircraft from the escort
allowed them to hit Japanese carriers drove the Japanese off. Having
warships at a range of over 20,000 lost three battleships, eight cruisers
yards (18,280m) in the dark. and four carriers, the Imperial Navy
The second Japanese battleship, had fought its last major battle.