page_title: Invasion of Leyte naval order of battle
section_title: Task Group 38.3
hierarchical_section_title: Invasion of Leyte naval order of battle / US Third Fleet / Fast Carrier Force (Task Force 38) / Task Group 38.3
caption_attribution_description: Frederick C. Sherman in the rank of Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy
context_page_description: On 17 October 1944, troops of the United States Sixth Army under the direct command of Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, invaded the Philippine island of Leyte. This operation was the beginning of General Douglas MacArthur's fulfillment of his promise in March 1942 to the Filipino people that he would liberate them from Japanese rule.
  MacArthur's formal title was Supreme Commander, Allied Forces, Southwest Pacific Area. The amphibious landings were carried out and supported by the United States Seventh Fleet, including 1 British and 11 Australian ships, under the direction of Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid.
  Seventh Fleet
  Combat ships: 18 escort carriers, 6 old battleships, 5 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers, 34 destroyers, 17 destroyer escorts
  280+ amphibious landing and support ships
  110+ auxiliaries
  In case the Imperial Japanese Navy interfered, additional air cover was provided by the fast carriers of the US Third Fleet under the command of Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr..
  Third Fleet
  9 fleet carriers, 8 light carriers, 6 fast battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 7 light cruisers, 3 anti-aircraft light cruisers, 58 destroyers
context_section_description: Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman
  2 fleet carriers
  Essex (Capt. C.W. Wheeler)
  Air Group 15 (Cmdr. H.T. Utter)
  VF-15: 46 F6F Hellcat fighters, 4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters
  VB-15: 25 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers
  VT-15: 15 TBF Avenger, 5 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
  Lexington (Capt. E.W. Litch)
  Air Group 19 (Cmdr. T.H. Winters)
  VF-19: 37 F6F Hellcat fighters, 4 F6F-xN Hellcat night fighters
  VB-19: 30 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers
  VT-19: 18 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
  2 light carriers
  Princeton (Capt. W.H. Buracker)
  Air Group 27 (Lt. Cmdr. F.A. Bardshar)
  VF-27: 21 F6F Hellcat fighters
  VT-27:   9 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
  Langley (Capt. J.F. Wegforth)
  Air Group 44 (Cmdr. M.T. Wordell)
  VF-44: 25 F6F Hellcat fighters
  VT-44:   9 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
  4 fast battleships (Vice Admiral Willis Augustus Lee)
  Washington (Capt. Thomas R. Cooley)
  Battleship Division 8 (Rear Adm. Glenn B. Davis)
  Massachusetts (Capt. W.W. Warlick)
  Battleship Division 9 (Rear Adm. Edward Hanson)
  Alabama (Capt. Vincent R. Murphy), South Dakota (Capt. Charles B. Momsen)
   Cruiser Division 13 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose)
  3 light cruisers: Santa Fe (Capt. Jerauld Wright), Mobile (Capt. C.C. Miller), Birmingham (Capt. Thomas B. Inglis)
  1 anti-aircraft light cruiser: Reno (Capt. R.C. Alexander)
  Screen (Capt. C.R. Todd)
  14 destroyers (all Fletcher-class): Clarence K. Bronson, Cotten, Dortch, Gatling, Healy, Porterfield, Callaghan, Cassin Young, Irwin, Preston, Laws, Longshaw, Morrison, Prichett
caption: Vice Adm. Frederick C. Sherman
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