The last organized offensive operation of the Japanese Navy was the desperate battle of the Lyte Gulf Navy . According to Japan's "Japan Operation Plan", Japan launched this battle, which can be called the last military operation of the Japanese joint fleet, hoping to turn the situation around and get rid of the misfortune of failure. This time, the battle was very smooth at the beginning, but after paying for the mobile fleet, it became a crushing defeat. Now we look back to the Battle of the Light Bay and see what happened.
1. The Japanese Navy in Dilemma
1944 Japan was a year of despair. With the loss of Mariana Islands , Japan's mainland fell into the scope of US strategic bombers. The industry in Japan's Kanto region was bombed by US B-29 strategic bombers, and industrial production capacity began to decline. On the other hand, after the loss of the Mariana Islands, the traffic between the Japanese troops in the north and south was greatly threatened. Although it is not very obvious now, if the Philippines is also taken away by the US military, then the Japanese troops in Southeast Asia will completely become lonely.
There is a saying that people will come to whatever they are afraid of. The next target of the US military is precisely the Philippines. This is not only because of the strategic value of the Philippines, but also because of some military politics. Admiral Chester William Nimitz suggested attacking Taiwan and separating the Japanese army in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. This move can achieve the separation of Japan's land and sea routes from Southeast Asia, allowing Japan to connect with the Japanese garrison in Southeast Asia, so that it cannot get supplies. If is like this, these Japanese troops will starve to death on the island. Even if they are not dead, they cannot pose any threat to the US military.
But Douglas MacArthur advocated login in the Philippines: Philippines is also located on the Japan contact line, which can achieve the same effect. Moreover, Japan's takeover of the Philippines was a huge failure for the United States, and the Badan Death March was also a pain in the heart of the US Army. What's more, MacArthur 1942 evacuated the Philippines and vowed to return to the Philippines. So MacArthur insists on his plan and must attack the Philippines. President Roosevelt himself agreed to MacArthur's combat plan for landing in the Philippines after considering the balance of the army and the navy's military politics.
In order to capture the Philippines, the US military will choose its landing location on Leight Island. The battleships and escort carrier in the 7th Fleet of Navy Lieutenant General Kincaid will provide support, and the powerful Task Force 34th Commandered by Admiral William Halsey will provide air cover for combat troops. Of course, they are also responsible for finding the invading Japanese Navy. The US military is very clear that if such a big move cannot be hidden from the Japanese Navy, they will inevitably take action, and a fierce battle is inevitable.
The Japanese army is also very clear about the US military's movements, but they have no good idea about the current battle situation. At this time, the combined fleet at sunset was no longer powerful enough to stop the US military's attack. The combat aircraft originally deployed in Taiwan to prevent the US military from landing also lost all the air battle with the aircraft carrier fleet of Nimitz on October 12, 1944. The only thing can count on now is the fruitful surface fleet, which can prevent the US military from landing according to the plan of "Jet 2".
2. The bad start of the Japanese Navy
According to the Japanese plan, the first mobile fleet commanded by Jisaburo Ozawa will be sent out, which is no longer much power. The purpose of is to divert the main force of the most powerful US Task Force and to divert it from the landing force of the Leight Island that should have been protected by it. Then the second fleet commanded by Keno Kurita will rush into the Bay of Leight and destroy the landing force of the US military.
, and Nishimura Yoshiji and Shima Kiyoe's fleets are used as mobile forces. Please note that because there is no aviation power, at least one fleet is destined to be sacrificed. , Ozawa Shisaburo's mobile fleet, which suffered heavy losses due to the Philippine sea battle, was simply a bait in this battle.
On October 20, 1944, the US military began to attack Leight Island.The 7th Fleet of the United States, provided by Lieutenant General Thomas Kincaid, has a total of 701 ships, including 157 warships. can be said to be the largest landing operation in the Pacific War.
The Japanese army was also waiting for this opportunity. On the same day, the Japanese fleet began a secret operation. The most important thing to dispatch was Keno Kurita, the daunting battleships consisting of five battleships, Yamato, Musashi, Nagato, Kwang and Hazelna, plus a second fleet consisting of 12 cruisers and 13 destroyers . He tried to break through the Strait of San Bernardino and attack the U.S. landing fleet in the Gulf of Wright.
However, this battle was not going well from the beginning, or a bad start. On October 23, Keno Kurita's second fleet was attacked by the US submarines Minc and Biaopa. . Although these two submarines had long been intercepted by the Japanese Yamato battleship, the Japanese army did not conduct anti-submarine operations.
This led to the fleet being seized by two submarines. The heavy cruisers of Ai Dang and Maya were sunk, and the heavy cruisers of Kaohsiung were also forced to leave the team. Immediately on October 24, the second fleet was attacked by the U.S. aircraft carrier carrier-based aircraft aircraft group, and the Musashi was sunk by the carrier-based aircraft during the battle. Due to losses, Keno Kurita had to take the fleet out of the US attack range. then drove the fleet to the Benardino Strait again at 17:15 pm.
And the Ximura fleet on the south road is not much better. The Ximura fleet, which has battleships Fusang, Shancheng, the top four destroyers of the heavy cruiser and the top four destroyers, sailed towards the Suligao Strait in the Sulu Sea. should launch an attack as planned before entering the strait and joining the Second Fleet.
But Keno Kurita's second fleet was not here at this time. Nishimura Shoji could only choose to launch an attack alone at 4 a.m. on October 25. At the same time, because of the bad relationship with Shima Kiyoyo, Nishimura Shoji did not engage in joint combat with Shima Kiyoyoyo who was about to arrive.
However, unfortunately, when the Nishimura fleet passed Panaon Island, it crashed into the trap of the Seventh Fleet of the United States. Major General Jesse Oldendorf is already on the verge of six battleships, eight cruisers and twenty-eight destroyers. The two sides fought fiercely in the Surigao Strait. The Fusang was torpedoed and sunk in two pieces. The Shancheng battleship was also sunk by six US battleships. The top cruiser lost its maneuverability.
Shima Kiyoung's fleet also retreated after gathering the remaining strength of the Nishimura fleet. However, Shima Kiyoung's flagship Nazhi cruiser also collided with the top and lost power, and was also sunk the next day. As for the Nishimura fleet, the only one who left alive was the only one who left the destroyer Shiyu .
3. The Battle of Wright Bay
Now the Nishimura Fleet and Shima Fleet have suffered heavy losses, and Keno Kurita's second fleet has also suffered losses. Whether the plan can be completed has become an unknown, and all hopes are pressing on Ozawa Jisaburo's mobile fleet. The mobile fleet consists of four aircraft carriers, Ruizhu, Chitose, Chiyoda, two aviation battleships, Ise and Hinata, as well as three heavy cruisers, Tama, Isuzu, Odori and nine destroyers. If Ozawa Shisaburo's mobile fleet can lead the US Task Force 34, then the Japanese Navy will have a chance to continue the Battle of Wright Bay.
Fortunately, Ozawa's fleet was discovered on the afternoon of October 24. At this time, the US military mistakenly believed that Keno Kurita had retreated because Keno Kurita did retreat for a while, so the US military made such a misjudgment. Halsey believes that the Ozawa fleet is the last to threaten the US military in Wright Bay. As long as Ozawa's four aircraft carriers are eliminated, the US military can launch a carefree attack on the Philippines. Therefore, he ordered the fleet to chase Ozawa Jisaburo. Strive to annihilate Japan's last aircraft carrier in one fell swoop. For this reason, he led the fleet to pounce on Ozawa immediately, hoping to take on this great contribution.
But Halsey overlooked a problem, although he had great power, nine aircraft carriers, eight light aircraft carriers, six battleships, seventeen cruisers and sixty-four destroyers. But he took away almost all the fleet, leaving only a few destroyers and escort carriers in Wright Bay to cover the landing forces. The reckless Halsey is like a hunting dog, chasing the mobile fleet of Shisaburo Ozawa. Although Halsey achieved considerable results after the air battle between the two sides and destroyed several warships of Jisaburo Ozawa, he had been led away by the US military.
At this time, Keno Kurita's second fleet had entered the Strait of Bernardino and advanced south along Samar Island. Kincaid's fleet was far south and there was no time to go north to meet Keno Kurita, and Halsey, who was supposed to guard here, was already chasing Ozawa's fleet like crazy. The US fleet that appeared in front of Keno Kurita was only three detachment fleets, Tafi 1-3. Although each of the three detachment fleets had six escort aircraft carriers and several destroyers, the troops were quite powerful, they lacked armor-piercing bombs and torpedoes for ships. can be said that the situation is very dangerous now.
However, this is the most strange battle in the history of naval warfare. Keno Kurita mistakenly thought that the entire US aircraft carrier fleet was under his gun, and immediately launched an attack in joy. , and his attack target was mainly the Tafi 3 detachment fleet. The escort carrier of Tafe 3 immediately retreated, while the three destroyers led by the destroyer Johnster rose up to fight.
rushes towards Keno Kurita's fleet while releasing smoke. The torpedo released by the three destroyers of successfully disrupted Keno Kurita's fleet. The Da and No. 6 wasted ten minutes to avoid the torpedo. The Kumano heavy cruiser was hit on the spot. The Kumano, which was blown away by the bow, was forced to withdraw from the battle, and the King Kong battleship was also injured by the destroyer's shelling.
Although the destroyers Johnston, Hoel and Samuel B. Roberts were all sunk in the end, they also gave the US escort aircraft to take off the air strikes with time. Many of the aircraft that took off in did not have special bombs, so they could only use any bombs. , but even so, they still sank the three heavy cruisers of the scattered Kurita fleet's fleet of .
then escort aircraft carrier retreated south. Although the two escort aircraft carriers were sunk by Keno Kurita's battleship shelling and attacked by the Kamikaze Special Attack Team, the main force was thrown in. , but Keno Kurita dared not continue fighting because he was worried that the US military had returned to the voyage and appeared nearby, so he ordered a retreat northward.
was caught up by carrier-based aircraft sent by Halsey on October 26. Several battleships of the Kurita fleet were injured, and the King Kong was also sunk by a US submarine while returning to the flight. This battle of the Lyte Bay, which was a start and abrupt, ended.
Conclusion
In fact, there are many coincidences in this naval battle. If Halsey did not chase Jisaburo Ozawa, then Keno Kurita was destined to be unable to succeed. And without the fighting of destroyers in the Tafi 3 detachment fleet, the escort aircraft carrier would inevitably be unable to escape. For Japan, this naval battle also used up their last strength. From then on, the US Navy can launch a worry-free attack on Japan in a truly sense, and Japan can only silently wait for its failure.
References: "History of World War II of the US Navy"
"Pacific War"
"War of Wright Bay"
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