Question: How many people died in the battled that took place in October 1944? Passage 1:On February 7, 1917 Satō was assigned command of the 2nd Special Task Fleet, a task force of Japanese destroyers deployed to Malta in the Mediterranean as part of Japan’s assistance to the Allied war effort under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Sato commanded two squadrons of 17 destroyers from aboard the flagship , patrolling the eastern Mediterranean from Alexandria to Marseilles and from Alexandria to Taranto against the Imperial German Navy and Austro-Hungarian Navy. His forces escorted convoys of merchant vessels and troopships, and performed anti-submarine warfare duties. Future admirals Tamon Yamaguchi and Raizō Tanaka were members of his staff. These operations were under the overall command of Royal Navy Admiral Sir Somerset Gough-Calthorpe, and Rear Admiral George A Ballard, who highly praised Satō in dispatches to London. The Japanese ships were at sea on combat duty on average 25 days or more each month. The Japanese Navy spent 72 percent of their time at sea compared with 60 percent by the British and about 45 percent by the French and Italian Navy.
 Passage 2:Sheridan had her early vocal training while at school at the Dominican Convent in Eccles Street, Dublin, with additional lessons from Vincent O'Brien. In 1908, she won a gold medal at the Feis Ceoil. From 1909 to 1911 she studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, during which time she was introduced to the Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi, who was instrumental in arranging further studies for her in opera in Rome. With Marconi's help she auditioned in 1916 for Alfredo Martino, a prominent singing teacher attached to the Teatro Costanzi, and she made her début there in January 1918 in Puccini's La Bohème. In July 1919 she appeared at the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) in the title role in Iris by Pietro Mascagni. Sheridan returned to Italy, where her career continued to grow, with performances at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan and at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, primarily in Puccini roles. In 1922 she first sang at La Scala, Milan, in La Wally by Catalani under the direction of Toscanini. For the next few years she would sing at La Scala with great success. Perhaps her greatest role was Madama Butterfly, which she sang extensively in Italy and at Covent Garden. When she played the part of Madama Butterfly, Puccini was said to be spellbound.
 Passage 3:Rear Admiral Herbert James Ray (1 February 1893 – 3 December 1970) was an officer in the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II. A 1914 graduate of the Naval Academy, he served on the submarines and during World War I. In March 1942, as Chief of Staff and Aide to the Commandant of the Sixteenth Naval District, Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell, he participated in General Douglas MacArthur's escape from the Philippines. In Australia, he served with MacArthur's General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area staff. In September 1943, he became Captain of the battleship , which he commanded in the Battle of Tarawa, Battle of Kwajalein, Battle of Saipan and the Battle of Peleliu. In October 1944, he participated in the Battle of Surigao Strait, in which Maryland joined the other battleships in engaging the Japanese battleships and and their escorts. Ray left Maryland in December 1944, and was appointed Deputy Director of the Naval Division of the US Control Group Council for Germany. After VE Day, he became the Junior United States Member of the Tripartite Naval Commission in Berlin. He retired from the Navy on 30 June 1949, and received a tombstone promotion to rear admiral due to his combat decorations.

Output: 3