Battle of Leyte Gulf

battle_name=Battle of Leyte Gulf

Battle of the Sibuyan Sea

Kurita's powerful "Center Force" consisted of five battleships (Yamato, Musashi, Nagato, Kongo, and Haruna), and twelve cruisers (Atago, Maya, Takao, Chokai, Myoko, Haguro, Noshiro, Kumano, Suzuya, Chikuma, Tone, and Yahagi), supported by thirteen destroyers.

Related Topics:
''Yamato'' - ''Musashi'' - ''Nagato'' - ''Kongo'' - ''Haruna'' - ''Atago'' - ''Maya'' - ''Takao'' - ''Chokai'' - ''Myoko'' - ''Haguro'' - ''Noshiro'' - ''Kumano'' - ''Suzuya'' - ''Chikuma'' - ''Tone'' - ''Yahagi''

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As Kurita passed Palawan Island shortly after midnight on October 23, his force was spotted by the submarines USS Dace and Darter. Although the submarines' report of the sighting was picked up by the radio operator on Yamato, the Japanese failed to take anti-submarine precautions. Kurita's flagship Atago was sunk by Darter and Maya by Dace. Takao was damaged and turned back to Brunei with two destroyers, shadowed by the submarines. On October 24, Darter grounded on the Bombay Shoal. All efforts to get her off failed, and she was abandoned.

Related Topics:
October 23 - USS ''Dace'' - ''Darter'' - October 24

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Kurita survived and moved his flag to Yamato.

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At about 08:00 on October 24, the force was spotted entering the narrow Sibuyan Sea by planes from USS Intrepid. 260 planes from Intrepid, Bunker Hill and other carriers of Task Group 38.2 attacked at about 10:30, scoring hits on Nagato, Yamato, Musashi and severely damaging Myoko. The second wave of planes concentrated on Musashi, scoring many direct hits with bombs and torpedoes. As she retreated, listing to port, a third wave from Enterprise hit her with eleven bombs and eight torpedoes. Kurita turned his fleet around to get out of range of the planes, passing the crippled Musashi as he retreated. He waited until 17:15 before turning around again to head for the San Bernardino Strait. Musashi finally rolled over and sank at about 19:30.

Related Topics:
October 24 - Sibuyan Sea - USS ''Intrepid'' - ''Bunker Hill'' - ''Enterprise''

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Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Onishi Takijiro had directed his First Air Fleet of 80 planes based on Luzon against the carriers Essex, Lexington, Princeton and Langley of Task Group 38.3. Princeton was hit by an armour-piercing bomb and burst into flames. At 15:30 the aft magazine exploded, killing 200 sailors on Princeton and 80 on the cruiser Birmingham which was alongside assisting with the firefighting. Birmingham was so badly damaged that she was forced to retire, and other nearby vessels were damaged too. All efforts to save Princeton failed, and she sank at 17:50.

Related Topics:
Onishi Takijiro - Luzon - ''Essex'' - ''Lexington'' - ''Princeton'' - ''Langley'' - ''Birmingham''

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