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 and the United States Navy's Pacific 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.

= 24-25 Oct – Battle of Surigao Strait =



Japanese Forces
Southern Force Vice Admiral Shōji Nishimura (killed during battle)

Force C (sortied from Brunei Bay 22 Oct) Vice Adm. Nishimura
 * Battleship Division 2 (Vice Adm. Nishimura):
 * BB Fuso (sunk by gunfire 25 Oct)
 * BB Yamashiro (sunk by gunfire 25 Oct)
 * CA Mogami (scuttled 25 Oct)
 * Destroyer Division 4 (Capt. K. Takahashi):
 * DD Michishio (sunk by torpedo and gunfire 25 Oct)
 * DD Yamagumo (sunk by torpedo 25 Oct)
 * DD Asagumo (sunk by torpedo and gunfire 25 Oct)
 * DD Shigure

Second Striking Force (sortied from Pescadores, Formosa 22 Oct) Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima
 * Cruiser Division 21 (Vice Admiral Shima):
 * CA Nachi
 * CA Ashigara
 * Destroyer Squadron 1 (Rear Adm. Masatomi Kimura):
 * CL Abukuma (sunk by air attack 26 Oct)
 * Destroyer Division 7 (Cmdr. J. Iwagami):
 * DD Akebono
 * DD Ushio
 * Destroyer Division 18 (Capt. Yoshio Inoue):
 * DD Kasumi
 * DD Shiranuhi (sunk by air attack 27 Oct)
 * Destroyer Division 21 (Cmdr. Hisashi Ishii†):
 * DD Wakaba (sunk by air attack 24 Oct)
 * DD Hatsuharu
 * DD Hatsushimo

American Forces
Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in amphibious command ship Wasatch Task Force 79 (Southern Attack Force) Vice Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson in amphibious command ship Mount Olympus

Fire Support Unit South Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf in heavy cruiser Louisville
 * Battleship Division 2 (Rear Adm. Theodore E. Chandler)
 * BB Tennessee (Capt. J.B. Heffernan)
 * BB California (Capt. H.P. Burnett)
 * BB Pennsylvania (Capt. C.F. Martin)
 * Battleship Division 4 (Rear Adm. George L. Weyler)
 * BB Mississippi (Capt. Redfield)
 * BB Maryland (Capt. Ray)
 * BB West Virginia (Capt. Wiley)
 * Cruiser Division 4 (Rear Adm. Oldendorf)
 * CA Louisville (Capt. S.H. Hurt)
 * CA Portland (Capt. T.G.W. Settle)
 * CA Minneapolis (Capt. H.B. Slocum)
 * Cruiser Division 9 (Rear Adm. Walden L. Ainsworth)
 * CL Honolulu (Capt. H.R. Thurber)
 * Cruiser Division 12 (Rear Adm. Robert W. Hayler)
 * CL Denver (Capt. A.M. Bledsoe)
 * CL Columbia (Capt. M.E. Curts)
 * Screen
 * Destroyer Squadron 56
 * DD Leutze
 * DD Newcomb
 * DD Bennion
 * DD Heywood L. Edwards
 * DD Richard P. Leary
 * Destroyer Division 112
 * DD Robinson
 * DD Ross
 * DD Albert W. Grant
 * DD Bryant
 * DD Halford
 * DD Claxton
 * DD Thorn
 * DD Welles

= 25 Oct – Battle off Samar =



Japanese Forces
Centre Force ('Force A') (sortied from Brunei Bay 22 Oct)

1st Section Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita 2nd Section Vice Admiral Yoshio Suzuki
 * Battleship Division 1 (Vice Adm. Matome Ugaki):
 * BB Yamato
 * BB Nagato
 * Cruiser Division 4 (Vice Adm. Kurita):
 * CA Takao
 * CA Chokai (scuttled 25 Oct)
 * Cruiser Division 5 (Vice Adm. Shintaro Hashimoto):
 * CA Myoko
 * CA Haguro
 * Destroyer Squadron 2 (Rear Adm. Mikio Hayakawa):
 * CL Noshiro (sunk by air attack 26 Oct)
 * DD Shimakaze
 * Destroyer Division 2 (Capt. N. Shiraishi†):
 * DD Hayashimo (sunk by air attack 26 Oct)
 * DD Akishimo
 * Destroyer Division 31 (Capt. T. Fukuoka):
 * DD Kishinami
 * DD Okinami
 * DD Naganami
 * DD Asashimo
 * Destroyer Division 32 (Cmdr. K. Aoki):
 * DD Fujinami (sunk by air attack 27 Oct)
 * DD Hamanami
 * Battleship Division 3 (Vice Adm. Matome Ugaki):
 * BB Kongo
 * BB Haruna
 * Cruiser Division 7 (Vice Adm. Kazutaka Shiraishi):
 * CA Kumano
 * CA Suzuya (sunk by air attack 25 Oct)
 * CA Chikuma (sunk/scuttled 25 Oct)
 * CA Tone
 * Destroyer Squadron 10 (Rear Adm. Susumu Kimura):
 * CL Yahagi
 * DD Kiyoshimo
 * DD Nowaki (sunk by air attack 26 Oct)
 * Destroyer Division 17 (Capt. T. Tanii):
 * DD Urakaze
 * DD Isokaze
 * DD Hamakaze
 * DD Yukikaze

American Forces
Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in amphibious command ship Wasatch Task Group 77.4 (Escort Carrier Group) Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague

'''Task Group 77.4.3 ("Taffy 3") Rear Admiral Clifton A.F. Sprague
 * CVE Fanshaw Bay (Capt. D.P. Johnson)
 * Composite Squadron 68 (Lt. Cmdr. R.S. Rogers):
 * 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * CVE St. Lo (Capt. F.J. McKenna) (sunk 1125 hrs.)
 * Composite Squadron 65 (Lt. Cmdr. R.M. Jones):
 * 17 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * CVE White Plains (Capt. D.J. Sullivan)
 * Composite Squadron 4 (Lt. E.R. Fickenscher):
 * 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * CVE Kalinin Bay (Capt. T.B. Williamson)
 * Composite Squadron 3 (Lt. W.H. Keighley):
 * 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 1 TBF-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * 11 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Carrier Division 26 (Rear Adm. Ralph A. Ofstie)
 * CVE Kitkun Bay (Capt. J.P. Whitney)
 * Composite Squadron 5 (Cmdr. R.L. Fowler):
 * 14 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * CVE Gambier Bay (Capt. W.V.R. Vieweg) (sunk 0907 hrs.)
 * Composite Squadron 10 (Lt. Cmdr. E.J. Huxtable):
 * 18 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Screen
 * DD Hoel (sunk 0855 hrs.)
 * DD Heermann
 * DD Johnston (sunk 1010 hrs.)
 * DE Dennis
 * DE John C. Butler
 * DE Raymond
 * DE Samuel B. Roberts (sunk 1005 hrs.)

Task Group 77.4.2 ("Taffy 2") Rear Adm. Felix B. Stump
 * CVE Natoma Bay (Capt. A.K. Morehouse)
 * Composite Squadron 81 (Lt. Cmdr. R.C. Barnes):
 * 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger	torpedo bombers
 * CVE Manila Bay (Capt. Fitzhugh Lee, III)
 * Composite Squadron 80 (Lt. Cmdr. H.K. Stubbs):
 * 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger	torpedo bombers
 * Carrier Division 27 (Rear Adm. William D. Sample)
 * CVE Marcus Island (Capt. C.F. Greber)
 * Composite Squadron 21 (Lt. Cmdr T.O. Murray):
 * 12 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 11 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * CVE Kadashan Bay (Capt. R.N. Hunter)
 * Composite Squadron 20 (Lt. Cmdr. J.R. Dale):
 * 15 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 11 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * CVE Savo Island (Capt. C.E. Ekstrom)
 * Composite Squadron 27 (Lt. Cmdr. P.W. Jackson):
 * 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * CVE Ommaney Bay (Capt. H.L. Young)
 * Composite Squadron 75 (Lt. Cmdr. A.W. Smith):
 * 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters
 * 11 TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Screen
 * DD Haggard
 * DD Franks
 * DD Hailey
 * DE Richard W. Suesens
 * DE Abercrombie
 * DE Oberrender
 * DE LeRay Wilson
 * DE Walter C. Wann

= 25 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. Ozawa):
 * CV Zuikaku (sunk by air attack 24 Oct)
 * CVL Zuiho (sunk by air attack 25 Oct)
 * CVL Chitose (sunk by air attack, gunfire and torpedoes 25 Oct)
 * CVL Chiyoda (sunk by air attack, gunfire and torpedoes 25 Oct)
 * Combined Air Group:
 * 80 Mitsubishi A6M2 'Zeke' fighters
 * 7 Yokosuka D4Y1 'Judy' dive bombers
 * 25 Nakajima B6N 'Jill' torpedo bombers
 * 4 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers
 * Carrier Division 4 (Rear Adm. Chiaki Matsuda):
 * BB Ise
 * BB Hyuga
 * Combined Air Group for this operation: none
 * Destroyer Division 61 (Capt. S. Amano†):
 * DD Hatsuzuki (sunk by gunfire 25 Oct)
 * DD Akizuki (sunk by air attack 25 Oct)
 * DD Wakatsuki
 * DD Shimotsuki
 * Escort Squadron 31 (Rear Adm. Heitaro Edo):
 * CL Isuzu
 * DD Maki
 * DD Sugi
 * DD Kuwa
 * DD Kiri
 * 2 Light Crusiers:
 * CL Tama (sunk by submarine 25 Oct)
 * CL Ōyodo
 * Supply Unit:
 * AO Jinei Maru (sunk)
 * AO Takane Maru
 * DD Akikaze
 * 6 escort vessels

American Forces
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 38.1 (Task Group One) Vice Adm. John S. McCain, Sr.
 * 2 Fleet Carriers
 * CV Wasp (Capt. O.A. Weller)
 * Air Group 14 (Cmdr. W.C. Wingard):
 * 30 F6F-3 Hellcat, 3 F6F-3N Hellcat, 2 F6F-3P Hellcat, 7 F6F-5 Hellcat, 1 F6F-5N Hellcat
 * 3 F6F-3 Hellcat, 7 F6F-5 Hellcat, 25 SB2C-3 Helldiver
 * 5 TBF-1C Avenger, 1 TBF-1D Avenger, 11 TBM-1C Avenger, 1 TBM-1D Avenger
 * CV Hornet (Capt. A.K. Doyle)
 * Air Group 14 (Cmdr. F.R. Schrader):
 * 11 F6F-3 Hellcat, 2 F6F-3N Hellcat, 1 F6F-3P Hellcat, 21 F6F-5 Hellcat, 2 F6F-5N Hellcat, 3 F6F-5P Hellcat
 * 25 SB2C-3 Helldiver
 * 1 TBM-1C Avenger, 17 TBM-1C Avenger
 * 2 Light Carriers
 * CVL Monterey (Capt. S.H. Ingersoll)
 * Air Group 28 (Lt. Cmdr. R.W. Mehle):
 * 21 F6F-5 Hellcat, 1 F6F-5P Hellcat
 * 9 TBM-1C Avenger
 * CVL Cowpens (Capt. H.W. Taylor)
 * Air Group 22 (Lt. Cmdr. T.H. Jenkins):
 * 25 F6F-5 Hellcat, 1 F6F-5P Hellcat
 * 9 TBM-1C Avenger
 * Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Adm. C. Turner Joy)
 * CA Wichita (Capt. D.A. Spencer)
 * Cruiser Division 10 (Rear Adm. Lloyd J. Wiltse)
 * CA Boston (Capt. E.E. Herrmann)
 * Cruiser Division 5 (Rear Adm. Allan E. Smith)
 * CA Chester (Capt. Henry Hartley)
 * CA Pensacola (Capt. A.P. Mullinnix)
 * CA Salt Lake City (Capt. L.W. Busbey)
 * Screen
 * Destroyer Squadron 46 (Capt. C.F. Espe)
 * DD Izard
 * DD Charrette
 * DD Conner
 * DD Bell
 * DD Burns
 * Destroyer Division 100 (Capt. W.J. Miller)
 * DD Cogswell
 * DD Caperton
 * DD Ingersoll
 * DD Knapp
 * Destroyer Division 92 (Capt. W.M. Sweetser)
 * DD Boyd
 * DD Cowell
 * Destroyer Squadron 12 (Capt. W.P. Buford)
 * DD McCalla
 * DD Grayson
 * DD Brown
 * DD Woodworth
 * Destroyer Squadron 4 (Capt. H.P. Smith)
 * DD Dunlap
 * DD Fanning
 * DD Case
 * DD Cummings
 * DD Cassin
 * DD Downes

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