Leyte

Leyte

[Diagram by types of ship] [Diagram by Task Groups]

Start: Monday October 23, 1944

Ending: Friday October 27, 1944

Superlatives are missing for the battle of Leyte, the greatest encounter on sea of all times (*) and the coup de grâce to the Japanese Imperial Navy. It also opened the last era of the war in the Pacific, the one of the Japanese despair, with the first attack by Kamikaze.
Having its back to the wall, the Japanese empire risked everything to destroy the American troops landed on Leyte Island on October 20th. The loss of the Philippines was unacceptable for the high-command in Tokyo. It would have meant an empire cut in two and the homeland in the north isolated from the only available energy sources, in the south. Not to react meant defeat, the reaction ended in a defeat.
The battle raged for four days and provoked as many major distinct naval engagments. If the US victory is unquestionable, the Americans came very close to defeat. If the meagre forces opposed to the big Japanese battleships off Samar had shown less determination, the US landing fleet could have been destroyed, putting the outcome of the war into question.

(*) The battle off Jutland, the second in importance in naval history, retains an advantage as to the number of capital ships (battleships, battle cruisers and fleet carrier) involved: 58 vs 30 in Leyte

Place: Philippines Type: Gun battle

Related battles: Battle of the Sea of Sibuyan (Leyte), Battle of Surigao Strait, First attack by kamikaze, in Leyte Gulf, Battle of Cape Engano (Leyte), The end of Cape Engano's cripples (Leyte), The other "Taffies" at Samar (Leyte), Battle of Samar (Leyte), "Bull's Run" to the San Bernardino Strait (Leyte), Palawan Passage (Leyte)

The Yamato and a Japanese heavy cruiser during the battle off Samar. It is one of the rare instance where battleships were able to get aircraft carriers within range of their guns.

Allies Japan
Forces
Lee (TF 34, made of components of TF 38 in the first hours of October 25th. Detached to the South at 11:15): 6 battleships, 7 cruisers, 18 destroyers.
Mitscher (Task Force 38, charged to cover the landing against a sorty of the Japanese fleet): 8 fleet carriers, 8 light carriers, 6 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers, 3 anti aircraft cruisers, 66 destroyers.
Oldendorff (Guarded of the straits south of Leyte Island): 6 battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers, 28 destroyers, 39 motor torpedo boats.
T.L. Sprague (TG 77.4: the three "Taffies", patrolling in the Gulf of Leyte to give air support to the landed troops): 18 escort carriers, 9 destroyers, 14 escort destroyers.
Christie (TG 7.1. Submarine support for the 7th fleet, engaged around Leyte): 7 submarines.
Lockwood (Task Force 17, submarine fleet of the Pacific): 22 submarines.
Total: 8 fleet carriers, 8 light carriers, 18 escort carriers, 18 battleships, 7 cruisers, 10 heavy cruisers, 10 light cruisers, 3 anti aircraft cruisers, 121 destroyers, 14 escort destroyers, 39 motor torpedo boats, 29 submarines
Kurita (Central Force or Force "A", sailing from Brunei and in charge of forcing the San Bernardino Strait): 3 battleships, 2 battlecruisers, 10 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, 16 destroyers.
Nishimura (Force "C", sailing from Brunei and in charge of forcing the straits south of Leyte): 2 battleships, 1 heavy cruiser, 4 destroyers.
Shima (Force sailing from Japan and in charge of forcing the straits south of Leyte): 2 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 7 destroyers.
Ozawa (Main body: it is the decoy: his carriers without aircraft must draw to the North the American covering task force): 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 2 battleships, 3 light cruisers, 5 destroyers, 4 escort destroyers, 6 escort or patrol boats, 2 Oilers.
Miwa (6th Submarine fleet. HQ at Kure): 1 submarine tender, 14 submarines.
Total: 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 7 battleships, 2 battlecruisers, 13 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers, 32 destroyers, 4 escort destroyers, 6 escort or patrol boats, 1 submarine tender, 2 Oilers, 14 submarines
Losses 1 light carrier, 2 escort carriers, 2 destroyers, 1 escort destroyer, 1 motor torpedo boat, 3 submarines lost.
5 escort carriers, 1 light cruiser, 1 anti aircraft cruiser, 4 destroyers, 1 escort destroyer damaged. 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 3 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 9 destroyers, 1 Oiler, 1 submarine lost.
3 battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 3 destroyers damaged.

Additional information on the web : [Microworks][Golze]

Made by LemaireSoft © March 22, 2002

	Allies	Japan
Forces	Lee (TF 34, made of components of TF 38 in the first hours of October 25th. Detached to the South at 11:15): 6 battleships, 7 cruisers, 18 destroyers. Mitscher (Task Force 38, charged to cover the landing against a sorty of the Japanese fleet): 8 fleet carriers, 8 light carriers, 6 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers, 3 anti aircraft cruisers, 66 destroyers. Oldendorff (Guarded of the straits south of Leyte Island): 6 battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers, 28 destroyers, 39 motor torpedo boats. T.L. Sprague (TG 77.4: the three "Taffies", patrolling in the Gulf of Leyte to give air support to the landed troops): 18 escort carriers, 9 destroyers, 14 escort destroyers. Christie (TG 7.1. Submarine support for the 7th fleet, engaged around Leyte): 7 submarines. Lockwood (Task Force 17, submarine fleet of the Pacific): 22 submarines. Total: 8 fleet carriers, 8 light carriers, 18 escort carriers, 18 battleships, 7 cruisers, 10 heavy cruisers, 10 light cruisers, 3 anti aircraft cruisers, 121 destroyers, 14 escort destroyers, 39 motor torpedo boats, 29 submarines	Kurita (Central Force or Force "A", sailing from Brunei and in charge of forcing the San Bernardino Strait): 3 battleships, 2 battlecruisers, 10 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, 16 destroyers. Nishimura (Force "C", sailing from Brunei and in charge of forcing the straits south of Leyte): 2 battleships, 1 heavy cruiser, 4 destroyers. Shima (Force sailing from Japan and in charge of forcing the straits south of Leyte): 2 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 7 destroyers. Ozawa (Main body: it is the decoy: his carriers without aircraft must draw to the North the American covering task force): 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 2 battleships, 3 light cruisers, 5 destroyers, 4 escort destroyers, 6 escort or patrol boats, 2 Oilers. Miwa (6th Submarine fleet. HQ at Kure): 1 submarine tender, 14 submarines. Total: 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 7 battleships, 2 battlecruisers, 13 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers, 32 destroyers, 4 escort destroyers, 6 escort or patrol boats, 1 submarine tender, 2 Oilers, 14 submarines
Losses	1 light carrier, 2 escort carriers, 2 destroyers, 1 escort destroyer, 1 motor torpedo boat, 3 submarines lost. 5 escort carriers, 1 light cruiser, 1 anti aircraft cruiser, 4 destroyers, 1 escort destroyer damaged.	1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 3 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 9 destroyers, 1 Oiler, 1 submarine lost. 3 battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 3 destroyers damaged.