The four day battle of leyte gulf was considered one of the largest naval conflicts of world war ii. On october 24, 1944, the musashi came under heavy fire from u. Forces landed on the island of leyte, the first of the japaneseheld philippine islands to be invaded. The 1944 battle of leyte gulf, fought between the allies and japan, is perhaps the largest naval battle in history. Vann woodward recreates the gripping account of the battle for leyte gulfthe greatest naval battle of world war ii and the largest engagement ever fought on the high seas. Yamato battleship, 19411945 in the battle of leyte gulf, 2226 october 1944 yamato, along with her sister ship musashi, were the largest battleships ever built in history.
The battle was showcased by three separate primary engagements. Yamato, great harmony was the lead ship of her class of battleships built for the imperial japanese navy ijn shortly before world war ii. The battle of leyte gulf, generally considered to be the largest naval combat in history, was fought 2425 october 1944 in the waters of the philippine islands by elements of the imperial japanese navy s combined fleet and the united states navy s pacific fleet. The incredible story of world war iis largest naval battle vann woodward, c. The battle was the largest in history both in terms of the number of ships involved and the amount of area covered. Battle of leyte gulf timeline october 20 general douglas macarthur lands on leyte island and begins to achieving his longheld goal to liberate the philippines. This force, much augmented with three of the old battleships did in fact start off towards the japanese. Here are 8 facts about this clash that will blow your mind. Ten aircraft fell to japanese aa, but it was the first time carrier planes sank a battleship underway, unassisted by. The three destroyers of taffy two are drawn up in battle line astern of the six baby flattops. Headed toward the philippines, the naval command suggested that admiral kurita takeo of the battleship unit detach an element of his fleet to enter leyte gulf through the surigao strait. For the invasion of the island, see battle of leyte. Battle of leyte gulf, greatest naval battle in history, october 1944 uss reno fighting fires from alongside the port quarter of the burning uss princeton 24 october princeton had been hit by japanese air attack earlier in the day.
Japanese battleship musashi leaving brunei in 1944 for the battle of leyte gulf. The allies started the battle to cut the way between japan and its colonies in south east asia. The battle of leyte gulf, generally considered to be the largest naval combat in history, was fought 2425 october 1944 in the waters of the philippine islands by elements of the imperial japanese navys combined fleet and the united states navys pacific fleet. This was an excellent description of the events that made up the battle of leyte gulf. Their operational plan was, as usual, very complicated, involving the movement. The plan called for two segments of the southern force to enter leyte gulf via surigao strait and attack the transports and supporting units off the leyte beachhead. She and her sister ship, musashi, were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed, displacing 72,800 tonnes at full load and armed with nine 46 cm 18. The american navy lost more than 1,500 men and 6 ships, but its victory at the battle of leyte gulf was instrumental in recapturing the philippines, in turn making almost inevitable the final japanese surrender. The incredible story of world war iis largest naval battle.
October 2326, 1944 october 1, 2016 by trevor from october 2326, 1944, the japanese navy unsuccessfully went up against the american navy off the coast of the philippines in one of the largest naval battles in history. The battle for leyte gulf 2326 october 1944 a brief account of the battle background the pacific war december 1941 to october 1944 in december 1941, within hours of the destruction of the united states battle fleet at pearl harbor, japanese forces began their assault on the philippines. The historical background for the map is the battle of leyte gulf in 1944 which was the largest naval battle in world war 2. Against an american loss of six ships sunk and 1 1 damaged, the japanese suffered 26 sinkings and 25 vessels seriously damaged. Surviving the largest naval battle in history battle of. Jan 23, 2016 the historical background for the map is the battle of leyte gulf in 1944 which was the largest naval battle in world war 2. Labanan sa look ng leyte is considered to have been the largest naval battle of world war ii and is, by some criteria, a contender for the title largest naval battle in history, with over 200,000 naval personnel involved.
Many thanks to my grandpa for recording it many years ago and my aunt for preserving it. It resulted with a major allied win and crippled the japanese fleet to a point where it effectively ceased to exist. Returning to the philippines, allied forces began landing on leyte on october 20. It was fought in waters near the philippine islands of leyte, samar, and luzon, from 2326 october 1944, between combined american. The battle of leyte gulf 2226 october 1944 was one of the largest and most complex naval battles in history and ended as a massive american victory that effectively destroying the. The battle was fought between the american forces and the imperial japanese navy and took place close to the philippines islands of leyte, luzon and samar, in the. Oct 19, 2014 the battle of leyte gulf is remembered by many historians as the largest naval battle ever fought. Mar 11, 2017 the ensuing battle of leyte gulf would consist of a series of coordinated actions over the course of several days in late october, and though some confusion would cause problems for the americans, the end result was the permanent crippling of the japanese navy and the taking of leyte island, a crucial step in liberating the philippines as a. The allied forces lost 1 light carrier uss princeton, the largest american ship sunk during the battle, 2 escort carriers, 2 destroyers and 1 destroyer escort a total of 37,000 tons of shipping. The incident occurred as the carrier, without prior warning, reversed her engines while leyte gulf was behind her and slammed into the cruisers bow.
Called the last of the great sea battles, the battle of leyte gulf used every known weapon of naval war, except mines, and in shear destruction the battle has no rival in naval history. Some training ships, 2 old battleships, 4 cruisers and 8 destroyers were also part of the decoy fleet. Labanan sa look ng leyte is considered to have been the largest naval battle of world war ii and is, by some criteria, a contender for the title largest naval battle in. They were met by a wellprepared force of american warships at the north end of the strait, including the destroyer uss melvin, where philip hollywood was a 19year old fire controlman second class manning one of the ships guns. The battle of leyte gulf was fought october 2326, 1944, during world war ii 19391945 and is considered the conflicts largest naval engagement. The battle of leyte gulf was fought from october 1944 and was the largest naval battle of world war ii.
One of the japanese ships sunk was the mammoth 63,000ton battleship musashi, the largest ves. The engagement, fought in waters near the phillipoine islands of leyte, luzon, and samar, took place from october 2326. Battle of leyte gulf simple english wikipedia, the free. James hornfischer talked about the role of commander ernest evans and his destroyer. The stage was being set for the battle of leyte gulf. The battle of leyte gulf was a naval battle of the pacific campaign of world war ii, fought in the seas around the island of leyte in the philippines from 23 october to 26 october 1944. Battle of leyte gulf in pictures war history online.
From october 2326, 1944, the japanese navy unsuccessfully went up against the american navy off the coast of the philippines in one of the largest naval battles in history. The central force was to arrive in leyte gulf via san bernardino strait two hours later and attack what remained of our forces after their engagement by the southern force. Wwiis largest battleship revealed after 70 years underwater. October 23 american submarines ambush the japanese center force in palawan passage. The battle for leyte gulf proceedings may 1952 vol. Mar 05, 2019 on october 24, 1944, the musashi came under heavy fire from u. Five japanese warships sunk during battle of leyte gulf. The battle of leyte gulf is also considered as the largest naval battle in history in terms of tonnage of ships sunk. Responding, the imperial japanese navy launched plan shogo 1. May 9, 2015 ijn battleship ise at the battle of leyte gulf 1944. The battle was part of world war ii, and happened in the seas near the philippines island of leyte. She was named in memory of the world war ii battle of leyte gulf in the pacific. Destroying the battleship musashi 19 torpedo and 17 bomb. Leyte gulf the ran in the biggest naval battle of all time.
Leyte if the japanese had pressed their advantage after wiping out spragues force. Stille is a retired usn commander and a graduate of and former faculty member at the naval war college. Mark stille has succeeded in squeezing significant information into a limited number of pages. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The ensuing battle of leyte gulf would consist of a series of coordinated actions over the course of several days in late october, and though some confusion would cause problems for the americans, the end result was the permanent crippling of the japanese navy and the taking of leyte island, a crucial step in liberating the philippines as a. The battle of leyte gulf was the greatest naval engagement in history. This book is a detailed and comprehensive account of the fighting from both sides. It begins by setting the stageinformation about the two fleets, their leadership and their strategies. Introduction and the battle of palawan passage this is the first of a four article series on the battle of letye gulf. Of the five separate engagements that made up the battle as a whole, the forces. Cutlers analysis and questions were thought provoking and helped me to better appreciate the possible errors in judgment on both the american and japanese leaders that affected the outcome. Robb white, usnr, public relations, cincpac 0900 shells from japanese battleships have been falling closer and closer. For a variety of reasons including a national debt to the longsuffering filipino peoplea huge amphibious force set its sights on leyte gulf that fall. October 20 general douglas macarthur lands on leyte island and begins to achieving his longheld goal to liberate the philippines.
Battle of leyte gulf, october 2326, 1944, decisive air and sea battle of world war ii that crippled the japanese combined fleet, permitted u. Jul 01, 1994 this was an excellent description of the events that made up the battle of leyte gulf. Japanese navy shipsyamato battleship, 19411945 in the. The battle of leyte gulf, october 23 25, 1944 by tim lanzendorfer the fourday battle of leyte gulf in october 1944 marked the eclipse of imperial japanese naval power, the last sortie in force of the imperial navy, and the largest naval battle ever fought on the face of the earth. Uss leyte gulf cg55 is a ticonderogaclass guided missile cruiser in the united states navy. She is powered by four large gasturbine engines, and she has a large complement of guided missiles for air defense, attack of surface targets at sea and ashore, and antisubmarine warfare asw. The battle of leyte gulf was fought from october 1944 and.
The battle was four separate actions, none of which were fought in the gulf itself, and the result was the destruction of japanese naval power in the pacific. Of the five separate engagements that made up the battle as a whole, the forces involved in the three principal ones are listed here. Nishimuras southern force consisted of the old battleships yamashiro. Ijn battleship ise at the battle of leyte gulf 1944 ship. Oct 25, 2016 the american navy lost more than 1,500 men and 6 ships, but its victory at the battle of leyte gulf was instrumental in recapturing the philippines, in turn making almost inevitable the final japanese surrender. The american navy defeats the japanese southern force. The battle of surigao straits, the battle off samar island, and the battle of cape engano. It took place from 23 october to 26 october 1944, between the allies and the empire of japan. In the event, kurita, sustaining a few losses and fearing that san bernardino strait. On 14 october 1996, leyte gulf collided with the nimitzclass aircraft carrier, uss theodore roosevelt while conducting operations off the coast of north carolina.
Dec 08, 2017 all five of these ships sunk in the battle of surigao strait, a part of the larger battle of leyte gulf, in a night attack by american ships. It may well be regarded as the largest naval battle in military history. The battle of leyte gulf was fought from october 2326 1944 and was the largest naval battle of world war ii. 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. The incredible story of world war iis largest naval battle kindle edition by. Yamato battleship, 19411945 in the battle of leyte gulf, 2226 october 1944. May 9, 2015 ijn battleship ise at the battle of leyte gulf 1944 stay safe and healthy. Military art military history old sailing ships german submarines ship.
Media in category battle of leyte gulf the following 61 files are in this category, out of 61 total. The battle for leyte gulf is an excellent descriptive account of the actions of both the japanese and the us navy in late october 1944. The battle of leyte gulf, was the biggest naval battle in modern history. All five of these ships sunk in the battle of surigao strait, a part of the larger battle of leyte gulf, in a night attack by american ships. Her design plans were based upon japans belief that a powerful navysporting big guns were the key to control the pacific by intimidation. The separate ozawa decoy fleet, meanwhile, was designed to be sunk by the enemyit was composed of the last 4 aircraft carriers that were left to japan, which had few aircraft to fill them. A jap battleship, a cruiser, and a destroyer are ignored by.
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