Battle of Leyte Gulf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Leyte Gulf
Part of the Pacific War, World War II
The light aircraft carrier USS Princeton afire, east of Luzon, 24 October 1944.
Date 23–26 October 1944 Location Leyte Gulf, The Philippines Result Decisive Allied victory
Belligerents
United States  Australia	Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
William Halsey, Jr (3rd Fleet) Thomas C. Kinkaid (7th Fleet)	Takeo Kurita (Center Force) Shōji Nishimura  † (Southern Force) Kiyohide Shima (Southern Force) Jisaburō Ozawa (Northern Force) Yukio Seki   † (Kamikazes)
Strength
8 fleet carriers 8 light carriers 18 escort carriers 12 battleships 24 cruisers 141 destroyers and destroyer escorts Many PT boats, submarines, and fleet auxiliaries About 1,500 planes	1 fleet carrier 3 light carriers 9 battleships 14 heavy cruisers 6 light cruisers 35+ destroyers 300+ planes (including land-based aircraft)
Casualties and losses
~2,800 dead; 1 light aircraft carrier, 2 escort carriers, 2 destroyers, 1 destroyer escort sunk 200+ planes	~10,500 dead; 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers 3 battleships, 10 cruisers, 11 destroyers sunk ~500 planes

The Battle of Leyte Gulf, was the biggest naval battle in modern history. The battle was part of World War II, and happened in the seas near the Philippines island of Leyte. It took place from 23 October to 26 October 1944, between the Allies and the Empire of Japan. The Allies started the battle to cut the way between Japan and its colonies in South East Asia. Japan took its oil for fuel from that area. The Japanese gathered all the ships they had left to fight the Allied troops. However, they failed and lost many ships and aircraft.

The battle was the last big naval fight of World War II. Without fuel, the Imperial Japanese Navy never again sailed to battle. Most of their ships returned to Japan, and were inactive for the rest of the war.

The first use of kamikaze aircraft was during this battle. A kamikaze hit the Australian flagship HMAS Australia on 21 October. Many other suicide attacks by the "Special Attack Force" began on 25 October, and did great damage to the Allied ships.

• Orders of battle: Sibuyan Sea, Surigao Strait, Cape Engaño, Samar.

Images for kids

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  The four main actions in the Battle of Leyte Gulf: 1 Battle of the Sibuyan Sea 2 Battle of Surigao Strait 3 Battle off Cape Engaño 4 Battle off Samar. Leyte Gulf is north of 2 and west of 4. The island of Leyte is west of the gulf.

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  Musashi departing Brunei in October 1944 for the Battle of Leyte Gulf

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  Yamato hit by a bomb near her forward gun turret in the Sibuyan Sea, 24 October 1944

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  USS Princeton explodes at 15:23

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  Musashi under aerial bombardment

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  The Battle of Surigao Strait

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  USS West Virginia firing on the Japanese fleet

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  The Battle off Samar

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  St. Lo exploding after a kamikaze strike.

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  The Japanese aircraft carriers Zuikaku, left, and (probably) Zuihō come under attack by dive bombers early in the Battle off Cape Engaño.

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  The crew of Zuikaku salute as the flag is lowered on the listing carrier after an airstrike. She was the last carrier participating in the attack on Pearl Harbor to be sunk.

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  Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey – Commander U.S. Third Fleet at Leyte Gulf

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  A 60th-anniversary memorial ceremony in Palo, Leyte, Philippines, on 20 October 2004

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  The Battle of Surigao Strait Memorial in Surigao City, Philippines.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla del golfo de Leyte para niños