History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: Leyte, June 1944 - January 1945, Vol. 12

Book Description
In volume 12 of his comprehensive history, Samuel Eliot Morison returns to the Pacific for a dramatic retelling of the greatest naval battle of all time. The determining factors in the Battle for Leyte Gulf were superb skill, heroism, and aggressiveness--but confusion, surprise, and faulty assumptions also played significant roles. The Japanese Center Force, comprising more than half of Japan's naval gunfire, steamed undetected into gun range and caught the Seventh Fleet completely by surprise. The Japanese made no use of this wonderful opportunity, however, imagining the enemy to be manifold the strength that it was. The Allied victory at Leyte enabled the U.S. Navy to transport troops and base long-range bomber planes in positions so close to Japan that victory was all but assured. Morison's account includes the key engagements surrounding the taking of Leyte: the U.S. Navy's extraordinary display of "gallantry, guts, and gumption" at the Battle of Samar and the perfect timing and almost faultless execution achieved in the Battle of Surigao Strait, the last naval battle in which air power played no part.


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The Japanese sent three separate fleets to attack the American naval and landing forces in Leyte Gulf. Ozawa's Northern Force was demolished by Halsey's Third Fleet, with Mitscher in tactical command; the Southern Force was wiped out by Seventh Fleet in what probably will be the last battle line engagement in naval history, the night action in Surigao Strait; the Center Force, although lucky to surprise off Samar a vulnerable group of American escort carriers under Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, was thrown back in confusion and suffered grave damage.


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