How the world's deepest shipwreck was found

[Jilly_in_VA]

On 23 October 1944, the first engagements of a gigantic naval battle began in Leyte Gulf, part of the Philippine Sea. It was the biggest in modern human history.

Over the following three days, more than 300 US warships faced off against some 70 Japanese vessels. The Americans had with them no fewer than 34 aircraft carriers – only slightly fewer than all the carriers in service around the world today – and some 1,500 aircraft. Their air fleet outnumbered the Japanese five to one.

The battle had two major effects – it prevented the Japanese interfering with the American invasion of the Philippines (which had been captured by the Japanese nearly four years earlier) and effectively knocked the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) out of action for the rest of World War Two. Nearly 30 Japanese ships were sunk, and many of the remainder – including the biggest battleship ever built, the Yamato – would be so badly damaged they would be largely confined to port for the rest of the war.

While the wider battle largely saw the US outnumber the Japanese fleet, one crucial action was different. A small force – Task Force 77, mainly destroyers and unarmoured aircraft carriers – found itself battling a much larger Japanese formation.

The battle took place off the island of Samar. Massively outnumbered, the small US flotilla fought against overwhelming odds, pressing home their attack against the much larger and better-armed Japanese ships.

The US resistance was so fierce that it prompted the Japanese commander, Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, to turn his fleet around, believing he was now facing the bulk of the US forces. The small, relatively unarmoured American destroyers came as close as possible to the Japanese warships, preventing them using their powerful long-range guns. The small US force prevented a potential massacre, but their resistance came at a heavy cost. Five of the 13 US ships were sunk.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220121-the-dive-to-find-the-worlds-deepest-shipwreck

[Chainfire]

1. For me, that is a very interesting story.

These types of missions add detail to the large picture.

That foray was a sort of Banzai mission for the Japanese. A final admission that they had lost their dominance of the sea. By this time, all navies had come to the realization that aircraft carriers, not battleships, were the key to controlling the ocean. The Japanese sacrificed most of their remaining carriers in a feint. We took the bait, chasing after and destroying the planeless carriers, and that is why the American jeep carriers, defending the area, took such a licking.

As at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese failed to capitalize on their partial victory around Samar by wiping out the rest of the escort carriers, which was certainly in their power to do, before Admiral Halsey returned, from chasing decoys, to the real battle.

[Jilly_in_VA]

2. My dad served in the Pacific in WWII

He as a Lieutenant and weather officer on a seaplane tender. He knew a lot about the Battle of Leyte Gulf but I would have to consult his memoir because I don't remember right now if he was actually near it at the time and he's no longer here to ask. I know he'd be fascinated by this article, which was why I published it. I really disagree with the families of the survivors who didn't want Vescovo to go down there. He wasn't going to disturb anything, he just wanted to find it.

[Sneederbunk]

3. Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors

by James Hornfischer is a good book on this battle.

[Javaman]

4. An amazing book and the description of the battle is truly unreal.

it was relentless and horrific.