Leyte Gulf, October '44

'lo, folks, I finally remembered to look this up (in "Battleship at
War").
Sorry for the off-topicality.

21 BBs and BCs involved. 4 Japanese groups, 3 including BBs: 1) Adm. Kurita:
Yamato, Musashi, Nagato (BBs), Kongo & Haruna (BCs)
2) Adm. Ozawa:  Ise & Hyuga (BBVs - aviation battleships without planes)
+ 4
carriers with few planes (force intended as a decoy) 3) Adm. Nishimura: Fuso &
Yamashiro (BBs)

USN 1) 3rd Fleet (Halsey) 6 modern BBs (New Jersey, Iowa, Massachusetts, S.
Dakota, Washington, Alabama) +8 CVs and 8 CVLs.  Task: protection of US
invasion forces from surface/carrier air attack.
2) 7th Fleet (Kinkaid) 6 older BBs (Mississippi, Maryland, W. Virginia,
Tennessee, California, Pennsylvania). Task: direct support of invasion,
including bombardment.

Kurita was attacked by carrier aircraft, and the Musashi sunk. Kurita feigned
withdrawal. The 3rd Fleet was decoyed by Ozawa's force, and Kurita advanced
through the San Bernardino Straits. Nishimura advanced through the Surigao
Straits, blocked by the 7th Fleet. Fuso was sunk by torpedoes from USN DDs
(acting without immediate support). Yamashiro and some of her accompanying
cruisers and DDs were sunk by the old BBs. 0408 on the morning
of 25/10/44, the last broadside from 1 BB against another BB was fired
by Missippee.

Kurita headed for Leyte Gulf and the US invasion shipping. The way was blocked
by 6 CVEs, 3 DDs & 4 DEs. Tomiji Koyanagi, in Yamato (I don't know his rank or
position) said they were spotted at 30km at 0640. The US force
was estimated as "4-5 fast carriers, 1-2 battleships and at least 10
heavy cruisers"! The US force withdrew under cover of DD smoke, squalls, DD
torpedo attacks and attack planes.  The "multi-funnelled high freeboard
appearance" of the DDs "confirmed" they were cruisers. The IJN pursued for 2
hours, but believed they were not closing the range, and Kurita broke off due
to high fuel consumption. 3rd Fleet sent the modern BBs after him, but he
escaped,while 3rds aircraft sank Ozawa's carriers, Ise and Hyuga escaping.

sorry about the length, cheers,

> Robin Paul writes:

@:) 'lo, folks, I finally remembered to look this up (in "Battleship
@:) at War").  Sorry for the off-topicality.

I looked it up also (in Sea Power). I also am sorry for the topic erroneity.

@:) [ stuff about the battle off Samar deleted]

@:) 21 BBs and BCs involved. @:) 4 Japanese groups, 3 including BBs:

@:) 1) Adm. Kurita: Yamato, Musashi, Nagato (BBs), Kongo & Haruna
@:) (BCs)

@:) Nishimura advanced through the Surigao Straits, blocked by the 7th
@:) Fleet.

More specifically, the "entire Seventh Fleet Bombardment and Fire Support
Group, consisting of six old battleships, four heavy and four light cruisers,
and 21 destroyers".

Nishimurawas coming in with battleships Yamashiro and Fuso, heavy cruiser
Mogami and four destroyers. Shima, with two heavy cruisers, one light cruiser
and four destroyers, was 40 miles behind. He apparently didn't want to tell
Nishimura he was there because he outranked Nishimura but was less acquainted
with the tactical situation. Had he announced his presence Nishimura would
have had to give up command. Instead Shima basically never entered the battle.

@:) Fuso was sunk by torpedoes from USN DDs (acting without immediate
@:) support).

Looks like this is correct. Five picket destroyers opened the battle
at 0230 (10/25/44) by firing 47 torpedoes from both sides (east and
west) and managed to get away without damage. One destroyer was sunk, two more
were put out of action and both battleships were hit. Fuso turned out of line
and eventually blew apart into two pieces.

@:) Yamashiro and some of her accompanying cruisers and DDs were sunk @:) by
the old BBs.

Yamashiro continued on but was shortly struck (before 0351) by three torpedoes
from another destroyer attack but not sunk. Once the cruisers and moments
later the battleships opened up at 23000 yards she began to sink and the
Mogami went up in flames.