To Halsey the Japanese carriers represented a target too inviting to ignore. General Douglas MacArthur in light cruiser Nashville Some 250,000 troops still remained on Luzon, but the loss of air and naval support at Leyte so narrowed Gen. Yamashita's options that he now had to fight a passive defensive of Luzon,[2]:325 the largest and most important island in the Philippines. The goals of this operation were threefold: (1) to win positions that would allow the Allies to sever Japan’s supply lines to the East Indies, (2) to make possible an invasion or neutralization of Formosa [Taiwan] and the east China coast, and (3) to provide bases for an attack on the Japanese home islands. [2]:187–188 The regiment's 2nd Battalion was pushed back off Hill 918 to a defensive position along the highway together with their artillery base, which consisted of Batteries A and B of the 49th Field Artillery Battalion and Battery B of the USMC 11th 155mm Gun Battalion. [2]:233 The 77th Division's 305th and 307th Infantry Regiments came ashore at 0700 unopposed, supported by a company from the 776th Amphibian Tank Battalion. Share. Just after midnight on October 23, Kurita’s First Attack Force was discovered off Palawan by the U.S. submarines Darter and Dace. By autumn 1944 the Japanese had been dislodged from many key outposts in the southwest and central Pacific, and other Japanese-controlled islands had been allowed to wither on the vine. Those relief forces were non-existent;[2]:22 Roosevelt's true intentions in ordering MacArthur to flee the Philippines had been to prevent his capture by the Japanese. In its opening salvo the Darter sank the Japanese heavy cruiser Atago, Kurita’s flagship, and proceeded to seriously damage the cruiser Takao. The Battle of Leyte Gulf, was the biggest naval battle in modern history. Battle of Leyte Gulf: The Largest Sea Battle of the Second World War (Images of War) Halsey, however, had never actually formed Task Force 34; he opted instead to take all of those ships with him to sail against Ozawa. [2]:35 The third island, Homonhon, was taken without any opposition the next day. After five days of battling against seemingly impregnable hill positions and two nights of repulsing enemy counterattacks proved fruitless, Irving decided on a double envelopment of the enemy defenders. The struggle also reduced Japanese land-based air capability in the Philippines by more than 50%. It was also a personal matter of pride for MacArthur. Moreover, the seizure of Leyte would bypass and isolate Japanese forces on Mindanao. Interpreting “the world wonders” as a stinging rebuke from the commander of the Pacific Fleet, an insulted Halsey at last dispatched an air strike to harass the already retiring Japanese central force. This continued south to the port of Ormoc City, then along the western shore to Baybay town. Although delayed by a storm, the Rangers were on Suluan and Dinagat islands by 0805. [citation needed], Gen. Krueger planned a giant pincer operation to clear Ormoc Valley, with X Corps forces moving south, and XXIV Corps units pushing north from Baybay. As the Sixth Army pushed deeper into Leyte, the Japanese struck back in the air and at sea. This amphibious maneuver was made in eighteen LVTs of the 727th Amphibian Tractor Battalion. Adm. William (“Bull”) Halsey’s Third Fleet covered the landings with carrier-based aircraft and guarded against attacks by the Japanese fleet. [2]:234, Moving north, the 77th Division faced strong opposition at Camp Downes, a prewar Philippine constabulary post. The initial landings were entirely successful and almost completely uncontested, as the Japanese had chosen to mount their defense farther inland and out of the range of naval gunfire. Clifford's outfit suffered 26 killed, 101 wounded and two missing, in contrast to 900 Japanese dead. Maj. Gen. James L. Bradley's 96th Infantry Division was to clear Catmon Hill, a 1,400 ft (430 m) promontory, the highest point in both corps beachheads, and used by the Japanese as an observation and firing post to fire on landing craft approaching the beach on A-day. USS Enterprise (CV-6) under attack at Battle of Leyte Gulf 1944.jpg 737 × 494; 183 KB USS Intrepid (CV-11) during Battle of Leyte Gulf 1944.jpeg 3,656 × 2,687; 3.37 MB Aerial of US invasion of Engebi Island in Eniwetok atoll. Battle 360. Fought in the seas surround the island of Leyte in the Philippines from 23 October to 26 October 1944, this battle cut Japan off from her Southeast Asian colonies and therefore all of Japan's oil. [2]:99–106 In its drive through Leyte Valley, the 24th Division inflicted nearly 3,000 enemy casualties. 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