BATTEL OF LEYTE GULF

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The Attack by Kamikaze started in October 1944.

Officially first Kamikaze attack was by Seki and his four members of Shikishima Corp departing Mabalacat at 0725 on Oct 25 diving into US 77.4.3 at 1049.

 Kuno of Yamato Corp might be the first on Oct 21, but not clear evidence.

Most possible first attack was made by Kato and Miyakawa of Kikusui Corp, miyahara and Takizawa of Yamazakura Corp and Ueno of Asahi Corp departing Dabaw at 0630 Oct 25 and diving into US fleet 77.4.1 at 0740.

These attack by Kamikaze were intended to help Japanese fleets fighting around the Philippines.

The US military was considering going through Okinawa, Taiwan, Philippines, etc. before the attack on mainland Japan. The recapture of Philippines was an important operation leading to an attack on the mainland, and it was a life-and-death battle for Japan as it cut off Japan's heavy oil supply sea lane. The US military began to capture Philippines from the Leyte Gulf. October 20 U.S. forces support battleship Mississippi, West Virginia (sunk in Pearl Harbor attack, then returned to the front with major repairs), naval gunfire support by six Maryland and other destroyers, and air raids by carrier-based aircraft. , About 300 large troops have begun landing. The Japanese army also reinforced the army from mainland China and dispatched four fleets to attack the US military in the Leyte Gulf. The four fleets include aircraft carrier 4 (including Zuikaku who also participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor), battleship 9 (including Yamato and Musashi), and the U.S. military's strength is 17 regular aircraft carriers, 18 escort aircraft carriers, 12 battleships, etc. With overwhelming strength, it is also called "the biggest sea battle in history".

The four main actions in the Battle of Leyte Gulf:

1 Battle of the Sibuyan Sea

2 Battle of Surigao Strait

3 Battle of (or '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.

1 Battle of the Sibuyan Sea 

On October 22, the Kurita fleet, which had set sail in Brunei to advance to the Leyte Gulf to attack US Navy and Army landing the Philippines. It was sailing off the coast of Parawan Island,  attacked by a US submarine on the 23rd, and heavy cruiser Atago and Maya sank. Since Atago was a flagship, the flag was transferred to the battleship Yamato and continued to advance.

1st unit 

Commander: Takeo Kurita, Lieutenant General

4th Fleet (directly led by Commander-in-Chief) Heavy cruiser Atago, Takao, Maya, Chokai

1st Fleet (Commander: Lieutenant General Matome Ugaki) Battleship Yamato, Musashi, Nagato

5th Fleet Heavy Cruiser Myoko, Haguro

2nd Destroyer Squadron Light Cruiser Noshiro, Destroyer Shimakaze

       Second Destroyer Destroyer Hayashio, akishio

       31st Destroyer Destroyer Kishinami, Okinami, Asashimo, Naganami

       32nd Destroyer Destroyer Hamanami, Fujinami

Second unit (directly directed by Third Fleet HQ)

Commander: Lieutenant General Yoshio Suzuki

Third Fleet Battleship (Kongou / Haruna)

7th Squadron Heavy Cruiser (Kumano, Suzuya, Tone, Chikuma)

Tenth Squadron Light Cruiser (Yahagi)

4th Destroyer Destroyer (High Tide, Asagumo, Yamagumo, Nowaki)

17th Destroyer Destroyer (Urakaze, Isokaze, Hamakaze, Yukikaze)

The next day, October 24, rushed into the Sibuyan Sea. US Army 3rd Fleet, 38th Task Force, 2nd Group, 3rd Group A total of 264 aircraft sank the battleship Musashi, dropped out of the heavy cruiser Myoko, and left two destroyers. Battleship Yamato also received a hit, but the battle continued and headed for the Leyte Gulf. 

The Kurita fleet that entered the Sibuyan Sea was attacked by the 3rd Fleet (commander: General William Halsey) and the 38th Task Force Task Force 38 (commander: General Marc A. Mitscher).

 (TASK GROUP 38.2) Commander: Maj. Gen. Gerald F. Bogan, Flagship: Aircraft Carrier Intrepid \

(Aircraft carrier Bunker Hill) Light aircraft carrier Independence, Cabot 

Battleship New Jersey (Halsey Jr.), Iowa 

Light cruiser 3, destroyer 18