# 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 (bringing together the IJN's 2nd Fleet, 3rd Fleet and 5th Fleet) and the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet (bringing together the USN's 3rd Fleet and 7th 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

## 24–25 Oct – Battle of Surigao Strait

(according to Tully, Anthony (2009). Battle of Surigao Strait. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-35242-2.)

### Japanese Forces

Southern Force Vice Admiral Shōji Nishimura (killed during battle) in battleship Yamashiro
    Force C (sortied from Brunei Bay 22 Oct)
    Vice Adm. Nishimura (KIA)
       Battleship Division 2 (Vice Adm. Nishimura – KIA)
          2 Fusō-class old battleships (12 × 14-in. main battery)
             Fusō (sunk by torpedoes 25 Oct), Yamashiro (sunk by gunfire 25 Oct)
          1 Mogami-class heavy cruiser (6 × 8-in. main battery)
             Mogami (damaged by gunfire and air attacks, scuttled 25 Oct)
       Destroyer Division 4 (Capt. Kameshirou Takahashi)
          3 Asashio-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery)
             Michishio (sunk by torpedo and gunfire 25 Oct), Yamagumo (sunk by torpedo 25 Oct), Asagumo (sunk by torpedo and gunfire 25 Oct)
          1 Shiratsuyu-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery)
             Shigure
    Second Striking Force (sortied from Pescadores, Formosa 22 Oct)
    Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima in heavy cruiser Nachi
       Cruiser Division 21 (Vice Admiral Shima)
          2 Myōkō-class heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery)
             Nachi, Ashigara
       Destroyer Squadron 1 (Rear Adm. Masatomi Kimura)
          1 Nagara-class light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
             Abukuma (sunk by air attack 26 Oct)
          4 destroyers
             2 Fubuki-class (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Akebono, Ushio
             1 Asashio-class (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Kasumi
             1 Kagero-class (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Shiranui (sunk by air attack 27 Oct)

### American Forces

Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in amphibious command ship Wasatch
    Task Force 77 (Central Philippines Attack Force)
    Vice Admiral Kinkaid
       Task Group 77.2
       Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf in heavy cruiser Louisville
          Task Unit 77.2.2 (Left Flank)
          Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf
             3 heavy cruisers
                1 Northampton-class (9 × 8-in. main battery)
                   Louisville (Capt. S.H. Hurt)
                1 Portland-class (9 × 8-in. main battery)
                   Portland (Capt. Thomas G. W. Settle)
                1 New Orleans-class (9 × 8-in. main battery)
                   Minneapolis (Capt. H.B. Slocum)
             2 light cruisers
                Both Cleveland-class (12 × 6-in. main battery)
                   Denver (Capt. Albert M. Bledsoe)
                   Columbia (Capt. Maurice E. Curts)
             Destroyer Squadron 56 (Capt. Roland N. Smoot)
                9 Fletcher-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                   Newcomb, Richard P. Leary, Albert W. Grant (damaged by friendly and enemy gunfire), Robinson, Halford, Bryant, Heywood L. Edwards, Bennion, Leutze
          Task Unit 77.2.1 (Battle Line)
          Rear Admiral George L. Weyler in battleship Mississippi
             6 old battleships
                2 Colorado-class (8 × 16-in. main battery)
                   West Virginia (Capt. Herbert V. Wiley)
                   Maryland (Capt. Herbert J. Ray)
                2 Tennessee-class (12 × 14-in. main battery)
                   Tennessee (Capt. J.B. Heffernan)
                   California (Capt. H.P. Burnett)
                1 New Mexico-class (12 × 14-in. main battery)
                   Mississippi (Capt. H.J. Redfield)
                1 Pennsylvania-class (12 × 14-in. main battery)
                   Pennsylvania (Capt. C.F. Martin)
             6 destroyers
                4 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                   Sigourney, Claxton, Aulick, Cony
                2 Gleaves-class (4 × 5-in. main battery)
                   Thorn, Welles
       Task Group 77.3 (Right Flank)
       Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey in light cruiser Phoenix
          1 heavy cruiser
             1 County-class (8 × 8-in. main battery)
                Shropshire (Capt. C.A.G. Nichols, RN)
          2 light cruisers
             Both Brooklyn-class (15 × 6-in. main battery)
                Phoenix (Capt. J.H. Duncan)
                Boise (Capt. J.S. Roberts)
          Destroyer Squadron 24 (Capt. Kenmore M. McManes)
             5 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                Hutchins, Bache, Beale, Daly, Killen
             1 Tribal-class (8 × 4.7-in. main battery)
                Arunta
       Picket Patrol
       Destroyer Squadron 54 (Capt. Jesse G. Coward)
          Destroyer Division 107
             2 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                Remey, Monssen
          Destroyer Division 108
             3 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                McDermut, McGowan, Melvin
       Task Group 70.1 Motor Torpedo Boats
          18 motor torpedo boats (MTB)
             MTB Squadron 7: MTBs 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 134, 137
             MTB Squadron 12: MTBs 146, 150, 151, 152, 190, 191, 192, 194, 195, 196

## 25 Oct – Battle off Samar
### Japanese Forces

Centre Force ('Force A') (sortied from Brunei Bay 22 Oct)
    1st Section
    Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita
       Battleship Division 1 (Vice Adm. Matome Ugaki)
          2 battleships
             Yamato (9 × 18-in. main battery)
             Nagato (8 × 16-in. main battery)
       Cruiser Division 4 (Vice Adm. Kurita)
          1 heavy cruiser
             Chōkai (10 × 8-in. main battery) (scuttled 25 Oct)
       Cruiser Division 5 (Vice Adm. Shintaro Hashimoto)
          1 heavy cruiser
             Haguro (10 × 8-in. main battery)
       Destroyer Squadron 2 (Rear Adm. Mikio Hayakawa)
          1 light cruiser
             Noshiro (6 × 6.1-in. main battery) (sunk by air attack 26 Oct)
          9 destroyers
             8 Yugumo-class (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Akishimo, Asashimo, Fujinami (sunk by air attack 27 Oct), Hamanami, Hayashimo (sunk by air attack 26 Oct), Kishinami, Okinami, Naganami
             1 Shimakaze (experimental destroyer type with 15 torpedo tubes)
                Shimakaze (6 × 5-in. main battery)
    2nd Section
    Vice Admiral Yoshio Suzuki
       Battleship Division 3 (Vice Adm. Suzuki)
          2 battleships
             Kongō (8 × 14-in. main battery)
             Haruna (8 × 14-in. main battery)
       Cruiser Division 7 (Vice Adm. Kazutaka Shiraishi)
          4 heavy cruisers
             Kumano (10 × 8-in. main battery)
             Suzuya (10 × 8-in. main battery) (sunk by air attack 25 Oct)
             Chikuma (8 × 8-in. main battery) (sunk/scuttled 25 Oct)
             Tone (8 × 8-in. main battery)
       Destroyer Squadron 10 (Rear Adm. Susumu Kimura)
          1 light cruiser
             Yahagi (6 × 6.1-in. main battery)
          6 destroyers
             5 Kagero-class (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Hamakaze, Isokaze, Nowaki (sunk by air attack 26 Oct), Urakaze, Yukikaze
             1 Yugumo-class (6 × 5-in. main battery)
                Kiyoshimo
          Note: Battleship Musashi and heavy cruisers Atago (Kurita's original flagship), Takao, Myōkō, and Maya had been assigned to Center Force, but had been sunk or damaged by air and submarine attacks prior to the Battle off Samar.

### American Forces

Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in amphibious command ship Wasatch
    Task Force 77 (Central Philippines Attack Force)
    Vice Admiral Kinkaid
       Task Group 77.4 (Escort Carrier Group)
       Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague
          Task Unit 77.4.3 ("Taffy 3")
          Rear Admiral Clifton A.F. Sprague
             6 escort carriers
                Fanshaw Bay (Capt. D.P. Johnson)
                   Composite Squadron 68 (Lt. Cmdr. R.S. Rogers)
                      16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                St. Lo (Capt. F.J. McKenna) (sunk by kamikaze 1125 hrs.)
                   Composite Squadron 65 (Lt. Cmdr. R.M. Jones)
                      17 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                White Plains (Capt. D.J. Sullivan)
                   Composite Squadron 4 (Lt. E.R. Fickenscher)
                      16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                Kalinin Bay (Capt. T.B. Williamson)
                   Composite Squadron 3 (Lt. W.H. Keighley)
                      16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      1 TBF, 11 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                Carrier Division 26 (Rear Adm. Ralph A. Ofstie)
                   Kitkun Bay (Capt. J.P. Whitney)
                      Composite Squadron 5 (Cmdr. R.L. Fowler)
                         14 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                         12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                   Gambier Bay (Capt. W.V.R. Vieweg) (sunk by gunfire 0907 hrs.)
                      Composite Squadron 10 (Lt. Cmdr. E.J. Huxtable)
                         18 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                         12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
             Screen
                3 Fletcher-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                   Hoel (sunk by gunfire 0855 hrs.), Heermann, Johnston (sunk by gunfire 1010 hrs.)
                4 John C. Butler-class destroyer escorts (2 × 5-in. main battery)
                   Dennis, John C. Butler, Raymond, Samuel B. Roberts (sunk by gunfire 1005 hrs.)
       Task Unit 77.4.2 ("Taffy 2")
       Rear Admiral Felix B. Stump
          6 escort carriers
             Natoma Bay (Capt. A.K. Morehouse)
                Composite Squadron 81 (Lt. Cmdr. R.C. Barnes)
                   16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                   12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
             Manila Bay (Capt. Fitzhugh Lee, III)
                Composite Squadron 80 (Lt. Cmdr. H.K. Stubbs)
                   16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                   12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
             Carrier Division 27 (Rear Adm. William D. Sample)
                Marcus Island (Capt. C.F. Greber)
                   Composite Squadron 21 (Lt. Cmdr T.O. Murray)
                      12 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      11 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                Kadashan Bay (Capt. R.N. Hunter)
                   Composite Squadron 20 (Lt. Cmdr. J.R. Dale)
                      15 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      11 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                Savo Island (Capt. C.E. Ekstrom)
                   Composite Squadron 27 (Lt. Cmdr. P.W. Jackson)
                      16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
                Ommaney Bay (Capt. H.L. Young)
                   Composite Squadron 75 (Lt. Cmdr. A.W. Smith)
                      16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
                      11 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
          Screen
             3 Fletcher-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery)
                Haggard, Franks, Hailey
             5 John C. Butler-class destroyer escorts (2 × 5-in. main battery)
                Richard W. Suesens, Abercrombie, Oberrender, LeRay Wilson, Walter C. Wann

## 25 - 26 Oct – Battle off Cape Engaño
### Japanese Forces

Northern Force ('Main Body') (sortied from Japanese Home Islands 20 Oct) Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa
    Carrier Division 3 (Vice Adm. Jisaburo Ozawa)
       1 fleet carrier
          Zuikaku (sunk by air attack 25 Oct)
       3 light carriers
          Zuihō (sunk by air attack 26 Oct)
          Chitose (sunk by air attack, gunfire and torpedoes 26 Oct)
          Chiyoda (sunk by air attack, gunfire and torpedoes 26 Oct)
             Combined air group
                39 Mitsubishi A6M2 'Zeke' fighters
                42 Yokosuka D4Y1 'Judy' dive bombers
                33 Nakajima B6N 'Jill' torpedo bombers
                4 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers
    Carrier Division 4 (Rear Adm. Chiaki Matsuda)
       2 hybrid battleship carriers
          Ise (8 × 14-in. main battery)
          Hyūga (8 × 14-in. main battery)
             Combined air group for this operation: none
    Screen
       1 light cruiser
          Isuzu (7 × 5.5-in. main battery)
       8 destroyers
          4 Akizuki-class (6 × 3.9-in. main battery)
             Akizuki (sunk by air attack 25 Oct), Hatsuzuki (sunk by gunfire 25 Oct), Shimotsuki, Wakatsuki
          4 Matsu-class (3 × 5-in. main battery)
             Kiri, Kuwa, Maki, Sugi
       2 light cruisers
          Tama (7 × 5.5-in. main battery) (sunk by submarine 25 Oct)
          Ōyodo (6 × 6.1-in. main battery)
    Supply Unit
       2 oilers: Jinei Maru (sunk), Takane Maru
       1 destroyer: Akikaze (4 × 4.7-in. main battery)
       6 escort vessels: CD-22, CD-29, CD-31, CD-33, CD-43, CD-132

### American Forces

(according to)
Third Fleet
Admiral William F. Halsey in battleship New Jersey
    Task Force 38 (Fast Carrier Force)
    Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher in fleet carrier Lexington
       Task Group 38.2 (Task Group Two)
       Rear Adm. Gerald F. Bogan
          1 fleet carrier
             Intrepid
          2 light carriers
             Cabot
             Independence
          2 fast battleships
             Both Iowa-class (9 × 16-in./50-cal. main battery)
                Iowa
                New Jersey
          3 light cruisers
             Biloxi
             Vincennes
             Miami
          16 destroyers
       Task Group 38.3 (Task Group Three)
       Rear Adm. Frederick C. Sherman
          2 fleet carriers
             Essex
             Lexington
          1 light carrier
             Langley
          2 fast battleships
             Both South Dakota-class (9 × 16-in./45-cal. main battery)
                South Dakota
                Massachusetts
          3 light cruisers
             Santa Fe
             Mobile
             Reno
          10 destroyers
       Task Group 38.4 (Task Group Four)
       Rear Adm. Ralph E. Davison
          2 fleet carriers
             Franklin
             Enterprise
          2 light carriers
             San Jacinto
             Belleau Wood
          2 fast battleships
             1 North Carolina-class (9 × 16-in./45-cal. main battery)
                Washington
             1 South Dakota-class (9 × 16-in./45-cal. main battery)
                Alabama
          2 heavy cruisers
             New Orleans
             Wichita
          15 destroyers
       Task Force 34 (formed at 02:40 on 25 October, dissolved at 10:55 on 25 October)
       Vice Adm. Willis A. Lee
          6 fast battleships
          2 heavy cruisers
             New Orleans
             Wichita
          5 light cruisers
             Santa Fe
             Mobile
             Biloxi
             Vincennes
             Miami
          18 destroyers