Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history

Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history

If we sum the total displacement of warships that participated in the four naval confrontations in the Battle of Leyte Gulf (the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle of Samar), we can conclude that it was largest naval battle of the Second World War and even in the history of naval warfare. Battle of Leyte Gulf, also known by the name of the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, was held from October 23 to 27, 1944, near the islands of Leyte and Samar in the Philippine archipelago. The defeat at the Battle of Leyte Gulf severely affected Japanese ability to transfer resources from Southeast Asia to Japanese Archipelago.

Preparations for battle

After the defeats in the battles of Midway and Guadalcanal, the Japanese Imperial Fleet composed of three naval forces engaged in a last attempt to turn the tide of the Pacific War. After the U.S. Marines landed on the island of Leyte, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) decides to interfere with his last forces to repel the invasion. To impede the Japanese naval offensive, U.S. Navy decided to send US Navy’s 3rd Fleet under the command of Admiral William Frederick Halsey Jr. and the 7th Fleet commanded by Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid.

In the fall of 1944, the U.S. Navy held two offensive in the direction of the Philippines , flanking it from the east and south. On September 15, 1944 were held simultaneously two landings, one on the island of Peleliu and another on Morotai island situated in the Moluccas. By landing on Morotai, General MacArthur managed to advance with his naval forces in the southwestern Pacific  along the coast of New Guinea, 300 nautical miles from Mindanao. The gate of American offensive in the Philippine archipelago was open. However, U.S. Navy did not know which would be the reaction of the Japanese Imperial Navy and how much was it willing to risk another confrontation in the Philippine Sea. Imperial Japanese Navy still represented a formidable force for that time. After the Allied landing at Leyte, the Japanese fleet count on interruption of the communication and supply lines of the U.S. Navy, stretched on long distances.

Initially, in the U.S. plans, landing in Leyte Gulf was to be held until December 20, giving the impression that the whole campaign in the Philippines will stretch over a long period. The American air raids meant to destroy Japanese airfields in the Philippines have shown, however, that the enemy U.S. Navy had a military presence much weaker than expected. This discovery determined the Fleet Admiral American William Halsey Jr., commander of the 3rd Fleet, to recommend the speeding of operations in Leyte Gulf and the cease of any further landings.

U.S. Navy General Staff approves the proposal of Admiral William Halsey Jr and set for October 20, 1944, the landing operation in Leyte Gulf. Any large-scale naval operations were halted, and the American war machine in the Pacific has been redirected to the Philippines. U.S. Navy has expected that this new strategy will shorten the war strategy in the Pacific a few months. Japanese documents captured by Americans before the end of the war revealed in detail how the Japanese naval strategy developed after the Battle of the Philippine Sea and also why the Japanese Imperial Navy High Command decided to launch a naval operation in the  Leyte Gulf. Organizational structure of the Japanese fleet suffered in its turn major changes during  June- October 1944. After the disaster suffered by Japanese carriers at the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Admiral Toyoda Soemu, supreme commander of the Imperial Japanese fleet, regrouped his forces with one goal in mind: to strengthen the forces available for the Western Pacific area. The action of air groups from aircraft carriers remained indispensable to the Japanese strategy.

The Japanese fleet was grouped under a new form of organization called The Striking Force under the command of Vice-Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo. In turn, The Striking Force was divided into four battle groups: Central Force under the command of Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita , Southern Force fleet composed of two naval groups commanded by Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura and  Vice Admiral Shima Kiyohide, Northern Force under the direct command of Rear Admiral Ozawa. For the first time in battle, the Japanese carriers will conduct  organized kamikaze attacks.

Balance of forces in Leyte Gulf

At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the American 7th Fleet had on disposition a total of 738 ships. Of these, 157 were combat vessels, 420 were amphibious ships, 84 vessels were used in patrols and removal of mines, and 73 were support ships. US Navy's 7th fleet was equipped with six battleships, five heavy cruisers, six light cruisers, 18 escort carriers, 86 destroyers, 25 frigates and 11 destroyers escort. Under the subordination of the American 7th Fleet were elements of the Australian Navy.

The 3rd fleet was equipped with eight aircraft carriers, 8 light carriers, six battleships with 406.4 mm naval guns, six heavy cruisers, nine light cruisers, 58 destroyers.

Imperial Japanese Navy had only one aircraft carrier, three light carriers, nine battleships, 14 heavy cruisers, six light cruisers and 35 destroyers. It was obvious that the Japanese fleet had no chance in a frontal assault against 7th   and 3rd Fleet. But the Japanese Empire had geographical advantages. Japanese airfields still had enough airfields under control for their planes, although it did not have air superiority.

Taiwan (Formosa), Luzon, Palawan and Borneo were a natural barrier almost uninterrupted from Japan to Malaysia. Behind this barrier, the Japanese were able to repair their ships and then organize them without being directly exposed to the attacks coming from American surface ships. The only ones that thwarted Japanese planes were the US submarines in the area.

Battles of Leyte Gulf

Image: USS Birmingham in his attempt to extinguish the fire on the USS Princeton

Shortly before the start of the battle, Rear Admiral Kurita made ​​the following statement:

"We're going to fight in a battle that will decide the fate of the Empire".

US Navy landing on Leyte Island on October 20, 1944, led the Japanese to accelerate early naval operations. The Japanese fleet fights back at American landing by launching  operation Sho-go (Operation Victory), which had in  plan to  lure  the US Navy 3rd Fleet on north to  San Bernardino Strait. Meanwhile, as this maneuver take place, three Japanese fleets had to interconnect to attack Leyte Island.

The submarine action in Palawan Passage (23 October) was the first action taken by the U.S. Navy against the Japanese fleet located in Leyte Gulf. On October 23, 1944, the submarines Darter and Dace of the 7th Fleet  detected the ships of Central Force led by Vice Admiral Kurita , when they arrived in Palawan Strait. Vice Admiral Kurita's fleet consisted of five battleships (Yamato and Musashi, the largest battleships in history, Nagato, Kongo and Haruna), 10 heavy cruisers (Atago, Maya, Takao, Choke, Myoko, Haguro, Kumano, Suzuya, Tone and Chikuma ), two light cruisers and 15 destroyers. Submarine Darter manages to sink the cruiser Atago (Vice Admiral Kurita’s command ship) and seriously damaged the cruiser Takao, while the submarine Dace manages to sink the cruiser Maya. While watching Takeo cruiser heading to the Brunei shipyard for repairs, the submarine Darter failed on a sandbank, and his crew was transferred to the submarine Dace.

On October 24 followed the Battle of Sibuyan Sea, a series of almost continuous confrontation, both naval and aerial. The 3rd Fleet was not well positioned and in addition had only 60% of its total number of airplanes ready for battle. Planes and torpedo bombers from the aircraft carriers USS Intrepid, USS Essex, USS Lexington and USS Enterprise succeeded to damage the battleship Musashi. After being hit by a total of 17 bombs and 19 torpedoes, the battleship finally sunk. Were damaged the battleships Yamato and Nagato and the heavy cruiser Myoko. Even if Americans managed to reject much of the air strikes organized by Vice Admiral Onishi Takijiro ,a Japanese aircraft manages to launch a 250 kg bomb over the light carrier USS Princeton. After a series of devastating explosions that occur on board, the USS Princeton sinks.

Although he lost the battleship Musashi, sister ship of the battleship Yamato (the largest battleship in history), Vice Admiral Kurita decided to move towards San Bernardino Strait. To defend the strait, Admiral Helsey decides to create battle group 34 consisting of 4 battleships, 5 cruisers and 14 destroyers. The ambiguous message sent by telegraph to Helsey has not entirely clarified the role of this battle group, something that will matter later in the course of battle.

Northern Force commanded by Vice Admiral Ozawa  will succeed eventually to lure US 3rd  Fleet commanded by Admiral Helsey,who decides  to move rapidly north in pursuit of the Japanese fleet. US Admiral, believing that Kurita's Central Force was annihilated by naval aviation of 3rd fleet , has directed his attention to the destruction of all remaining Japanese aircraft carriers belonging to  Northern Force. As a result, San Bernardino Strait remained unguarded. Japanese fleet was located less than 40 nautical miles from the San Bernardino Strait.

The next battle was The Battle of Surigao Strait, the last battle of battleships in history. On the night of October 24, 1944, Southern Force commanded by Vice Admiral Nishimura enters Surigao Strait, which connects Mindanao Sea and Leyte Gulf. Surigao Strait was already known in the pages of history, as the place where he was killed Portuguese explorer Fernando Magellan.

Once arrived in this narrow strait, Japanese ships have fallen into the trap prepared by the supporting force belonging to the US 7th Fleet led by Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf. American Admiral had available an impressive fleet of 6 battleships (USS West Virginia, USS Maryland, Mississippi, USS Tennessee, USS California and USS Pennsylvania), 8 cruisers, 28 destroyers and 39 torpedo boats. U.S. ships manage to sink Japanese battleships Yamashiro and Fuso and cruiser Mogami.

Admiral Halsey's decision to pursue Northern Force commanded by Vice Admiral Ozawa and leave unprotected the Strait of San Bernardino, allowed Central Force , led Vice Admiral Kurita,  to move easily near  Samar island.

Battle of Samar Island was the climax of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Near the island of Samar, the US Navy 7th Fleet retained only 16 escort carriers with very poor performance protected by some light destroyers. Kurita's Central Force received four battleships, among whom was the battleship Yamato. They were accompanied by eight cruisers and 11 destroyers. USS Johnson was sunk by a Japanese destroyer group. The advantage of the US Navy was the 450 planes flying on 6 aircraft carriers. Kurita's Japanese fleet did not have air support, but nevertheless managed to destroy the battleship Yamato escort carrier USS Gambier Bay. Vice Admiral Ozawa was not aware, however, that Kurita managed to lure the carriers of Admiral Halsey.

After he destroyed the carriers from Vice Admiral Ozawa fleet in the Battle of Cape Engano Admiral Halsey found out about critical situation of Leyte and decided to proceed with all speed to the south. The battle ends with the withdrawal of Vice Admiral Kurita, who realizes that he can fight without air support.

 In the battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese fleet lost four battleships, three cruisers and 12 destroyers. In battle fell nearly 12,000 Japanese sailors. U.S. Navy lost one carrier easy, two escort carriers and three destroyers. They were killed about 1,500 American sailors. Losses were recorded also among Australian fleet, which lost the heavy carrier HMAS Australia after a kamikaze attack. Battle of Leyte Gulf marked the end of major naval operations for the Imperial Japanese Navy. US victory in the Gulf of Leyte opened the way to the liberation of the Philippines and other territories occupied by the Japanese in Southeast Asia. In the same time, Japanese Empire lost the important resources in the occupied territories in Southeast Asia. Even if he eventually won the battle, Admiral Hasley was criticized for his recklessness, which caused additional losses to the American fleet.

Bibliography

H. P. Willmott, The Battle of Leyte Gulf: The Last Fleet Action, Indiana University Press, Bloom, 2005.

Milan N. Vego, The Battle for Leyte, 1944: Allied and Japanese Plans, Preparations, and Execution,  Naval Institute Press,2006.

C. Vann Woodward, The Battle for Leyte Gulf: The Incredible Story of World War II's Largest Naval Battle, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc, 2013.