Battle of Leyte Gulf April 15, 2010 From October 23-26, 1944, the United States and Japan were engaged in the Battle of Leyte Gulf near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar, and Luzon. This battle is known as the largest naval battle in history. The naval battles Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle off Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar are included in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Allied forces, under the command of Admiral William Halsey, went into battle with 8 fleet carriers, 8 light carriers, 18 escort carriers, 12 battleships, 24 cruisers, and 141 …show more content…
Admiral Hasley followed the bait, and the entire Third Fleet was sent to pursue the decoy force. On the morning of October 25, at Cape Engaño, a battle was fought between the Northern Force and Hasley’s carrier planes, resulting in the loss of majority of the Japanese Northern Force. Since this had just been a decoy, Hasley ended the battle early. On the night of October 24, the Japanese Center Force and Southern Force, -who had made it through the air attacks,- continued on their individual paths toward Leyte Gulf, and MacArthur’s transports and escort carriers. The next morning October 25, in Surigao Strait located south of Leyte, Nishimura and his Southern Force were confronted with PT boats, destroyers, cruisers and old overhauled battleships of the US Seventh Fleet. The American forces reigned in strength and tactics and successfully sunk two battleships, and three out of four destroyers, the battle also took the life of Nishimura. The second wave of the Southern Force retreated to Japan after seeing the annihilation of the first wave. In the Battle off Samar, the large Japanese ships were against the comparatively smaller, and lightly armoured ships. The commander of the Japanese Center Force, Kurita, was the victim of misinformation which ruined his judgement; Kurita mistook American destroyers for heavier cruisers. The