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"The Battle of Leyte Gulf is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.
It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon, from 23–26 October 1944, between combined American and Australian forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 20 October, United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in Southeast Asia, and in particular depriving its forces and industry of vital oil supplies. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) mobilized nearly all of its remaining major naval vessels in an attempt to defeat the Allied invasion but was repulsed by the U.S. Navy's 3rd and 7th Fleets. The IJN failed to achieve its objective, suffered very heavy losses, and never sailed to battle in comparable force thereafter. The majority of its surviving heavy ships, deprived of fuel, remained in their bases for the rest of the Pacific War.
The battle consisted of four separate engagements between the opposing forces: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar, as well as other actions."
"The Battle of Leyte Gulf is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.
It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon, from 23–26 October 1944, between combined American and Australian forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 20 October, United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in Southeast Asia, and in particular depriving its forces and industry of vital oil supplies. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) mobilized nearly all of its remaining major naval vessels in an attempt to defeat the Allied invasion but was repulsed by the U.S. Navy's 3rd and 7th Fleets. The IJN failed to achieve its objective, suffered very heavy losses, and never sailed to battle in comparable force thereafter. The majority of its surviving heavy ships, deprived of fuel, remained in their bases for the rest of the Pacific War.
The battle consisted of four separate engagements between the opposing forces: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar, as well as other actions."
Center Force sorties on 22 October ....
A couple of maps illustrating the line of battle...
Leyte ... the naval side of things..Carl von Clausewitz ...Samuel Eliot Morison ....
In the beginning .... On the night of October 24/25, part of the Southern Force, led by Nishimura entered the Surigao Straight where they were initially attacked by Allied PT boats..... that was the beginning ......
"In short, Leyte was a tactical action with strategic and political moment. Its dimensions were epic. As emeritus Naval War College professor George Baer points out, Leyte “was, in tonnage engaged and space covered, the greatest naval battle of all time.” Now any sea-power expert worth his salt—doubtless including Professor Baer—will tell you that tonnage and square miles are imperfect proxies for naval might.
Firepower is another, arguably more reliable proxy. Partisans of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance use it to make the case that the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the mid-1944 invasion of the Mariana Islands that Spruance oversaw, qualifies as history’s greatest.
In terms of operational results, moreover, the Philippine Sea covered the amphibious landings on Saipan, which from then on provided the Army Air Force an outpost to launch strategic bombing raids against Japan proper. Such strikes demolished Japanese naval aviation. Indeed, the fracas was so lopsided that American flyboys dubbed it the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.
So debilitated was the Imperial Japanese Navy’s (IJN) flying corps after the encounter with Spruance’s carrier task forces that IJN flattops steamed out for Leyte Gulf virtually bare of pilots and planes. The force that had struck at Pearl Harbor with such skill and verve was reduced to a decoy, sent forth in hopes of luring American strength away from the Philippines."
Carl von Clausewitz deems concentrating superior might at the decisive place and time the simplest and highest law of strategy. That could mean endeavors spanning a large area, but Clausewitz seems to envision a focal point where overpowering the foe makes all the difference. It’s hard to generalize. In short, ranking fleet actions against one another by metrics A, B, C or some combination of metrics is a dicey business.
As historian Samuel Eliot Morison recalls, logistics had already deranged Japan’s strategic position before Leyte. Fuel shortages compelled IJN commanders to disperse assets, thinning out the navy’s combat power while accepting the danger of piecemeal defeat. Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita’s surface fleet had withdrawn to South China Sea anchorages to be close to its fuel supplies, while Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa’s aircraft carriers remained in Japan’s Inland Sea to train air groups to replace the ones devastated by repeated blows, most recently at the Philippine Sea.
We blunder, then, by reasoning from part of something to the whole—from trying to learn too much from too little information. Extrapolating from a single example is especially misleading."
So let us rest and take notice of the sacrifices made.
This is a picture of the amidships steering ....
It is my understanding that there were three (3) locations to steer a Fletcher- DD.
The bridge, amidships and aft steering compartment.
The compass shown is the amidships station.
Regarding Leyte Gulf; I posted this on the USS Hornet Thread in response to the photo of the restoration of an FM-2 Wildcat...
This is incredible work that you and your fellows are doing. And I love FM-2 photos. That's the aircraft my uncle flew off the USS Kalinin Bay CVE-68.
Here is a photo of my uncle (he is on the left, ENS(T) John E. Buchanan. He is seen with his flight leader LT Hippe and fellow pilot LT(JG) Volpe and ship's captain on 24 OCT 44. Their flight had just returned from shooting down 11 Japanese aircraft on the way towards the TAFFY Groups. My uncle got 3 that day. The next day was the Battle of Samar. He would be awarded a DFC for his actions on 24 & 25 OCT along with the rest of his flight.
Oh, and if he looks old for a ensign, its because he had been commissioned only 4 months prior. Previously he had been a Naval Aviation Pilot 1/C...he was a Silver Eagle, and Enlisted Navy Pilot.
“Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
Mark Twain
Regarding Leyte Gulf; I posted this on the USS Hornet Thread in response to the photo of the restoration of an FM-2 Wildcat...
This is incredible work that you and your fellows are doing. And I love FM-2 photos. That's the aircraft my uncle flew off the USS Kalinin Bay CVE-68.
Here is a photo of my uncle (he is on the left, ENS(T) John E. Buchanan. He is seen with his flight leader LT Hippe and fellow pilot LT(JG) Volpe and ship's captain on 24 OCT 44. Their flight had just returned from shooting down 11 Japanese aircraft on the way towards the TAFFY Groups. My uncle got 3 that day. The next day was the Battle of Samar. He would be awarded a DFC for his actions on 24 & 25 OCT along with the rest of his flight.
Oh, and if he looks old for a ensign, its because he had been commissioned only 4 months prior. Previously he had been a Naval Aviation Pilot 1/C...he was a Silver Eagle, and Enlisted Navy Pilot.
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That's a great photo !! Look at that hog leg strapped to the officer on the right!
My personal docent is active as a volunteer on the Cassin Young.
One of his "interests" is keeping the signal flags fresh.
As you can see in the background he does a great job achieving this personal mission.
No this isn't a sequel to a Marilyn Chambers movie...
Those "famous green deck tiles" on U S Navy warships.... ever wonder what it looked like underneath?
"Jesse B. Hutton removes tile and concrete from the flooring of the Officer's Wardroom to gain access to wasted metal in the decking underneath during the Fall Field Day aboard USS KIDD (DD-661) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim NesSmith) — at USS KIDD Veterans Museum."
On most visits to museum ships the curse of sun and time applies a measured impact.
Now think of those details long gone due to rotting canvas.
The labor of kindness is displayed in this illustration for this platform on the USS KIDD.
"New canvas was laced onto the semaphore platforms on the Flying Bridge during the Fall Field Day aboard USS KIDD (DD-661) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim NesSmith) — at USS KIDD Veterans Museum.
Were the Benson - class DD's really a "bastard class" ?
Consider the following recital in the publication "US Destroyers 1934- 45" authored by David McComb. Obvious is the battle USN BuENG was waging against the traditional shipyards.
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