Leyte Gulf order of battle
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, generally considered to be the largest naval combat in history, was fought 24–25 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. Of the five separate engagements that made up the battle as a whole, the forces involved in the three principal ones are listed here.
Since the Japanese assumed the tactical initiative in all three actions, their forces are listed first in each section.
Losses in these three actions
IJN: 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 2 old battleships, 3 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 9 destroyers, 1 oiler
USN: 2 escort carriers, 2 destroyers, 1 destroyer escort
- The light aircraft carrier was heavily damaged and scuttled with great loss of life on 24 October while engaging in battle against land-based Japanese aircraft flying into the Leyte area east of Luzon. The loss of Princeton is always included in the casualties of the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
24–25 Oct – Battle of Surigao Strait
Japanese Forces
Southern ForceVice Admiral Shōji Nishimura in battleship Yamashiro
American Forces
Seventh FleetVice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in amphibious command ship Wasatch
25 Oct – Battle off Samar
Japanese Forces
'''Centre Force '''American Forces
Seventh FleetVice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in amphibious command ship Wasatch
25 - 26 Oct – Battle off Cape Engaño
Japanese Forces
Northern ForceVice Admiral '''Jisaburo Ozawa'''
American Forces
Third FleetAdmiral William F. Halsey in battleship New Jersey