6 nations observe
Battle of Leyte anniversary
By Ma. Teresa Yosores
By Ma. Teresa Yosores
Diplomats from five countries—the United States (US), Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada—will join the Philippines in observing the 69th anniversary of
the Battle of Leyte at the MacArthur Memorial National Park in Candagug, Palo,
Leyte on Sunday.
Considered as the largest naval battle in history, the Battle of
Leyte crippled the Imperial Japanese Navy in Southeast Asia and paved the way
for the liberation of the Philippines.
Ambassadors Bill Twedell of Australia, Reuben Levermore of New
Zealand, Christopher Thornley of Canada and Harry K. Thomas of the US and
Deputy Chief of Mission Tesuro Amano of Japan will give their solidarity
greetings.
They will be joined by Lt. Gen. Ernesto G. Carolina (Ret.),
Administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), and Col.
Francisco T. San Miguel (Ret.), executive vice president and secretary general
of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP).
Leyte Gov. Leopoldo L. Petilla, Vice Gov. Carlo Loreto, Defense
Usec. Eduardo G. Batac and Palo Mayor Remedios L. Petilla will also attend the
ceremony.
The program begins with a march of the veterans, a tribute to the
veterans and the lighting of the Peace Torch to be led by Cmdr. Apolonio
Canillas, District Commander of the VFP-Leyte Chapter, and Brig. Gen. Joel
Joseph A. Cabides, MNSA, AFP, Vice President of the VFP-SPAI Region 8 Chapter.
On October 20, 1944, American forces waded ashore in Leyte to start
Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s mission to free the Philippines from Japanese control.
The ground forces were supported by two US Navy fleets—the 7th
Fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaid, and the 3rd Fleet commanded by
Adm. William “Ball” Halsey.
Vice Adm. Marc Mitscher’s Fast Carrier Task Force (TF38) provided
cover at sea.
The Japanese quickly drew up a plan, codenamed Sho-Go 1, to destroy
the US naval force and thwart the invasion. Adm. Soemu Toyoda, commander of the
combined Japanese Fleet, deployed four carrier groups to seek and destroy the
American armada.
The Northern Force, commanded by Adm. Jisaburo Ozawa, was the first
to be deployed. His command included the Zuikaku carrier and the Zuiho, Chitose
and Chiyoda light carriers.
Short of pilots and aircraft, Toyoda planned to draw Halsey’s 3rd
Fleet away from Leyte through three separate forces strategically deployed in a
T-style.
The Center Force, commanded by Vice Adm. Takeo Kurita, was the
largest of the three, with five battleships, including the super battleships
Yamato and Musashi, and 10 heavy cruisers.
Kurita’s force was to cross the Sibuyan Sea and the San Fernando
Strait.
The other two smaller forces—the Southern Force commanded by Vice
Adms. Shoji Nishirmura and Kiyohide Shima—were to steam south through the
Surigao Strait.
The initial battle in Leyte Gulf flared at the Sibuyan Sea on
October 23 and lasted until the following day.
American aircraft and the submarines USS Darter and USS Dace
attacked the Center Force, damage dseveral ships, including the Musashi and
flagship cruisers Atago and Maya of Kurita.
Kurita transferred to the Yamato, which retreated out of US
aircraft range.
The US forces also took losses. Japanese bombers sank the USS
Princeton. But a sizable force of six battleships and eight cruisers under the 7th
Fleet Support Force commanded by Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf engaged the
Southern Force on the evening of October 24.
Oldendorf’s fleet sank the battleships Yamashiro and Fuso and heavy
cruiser Magami. Nishimura retreated along with Shima.
With the Japanese sea forces routed, the US troops secured the
Leyte beachhead and proceeded inland almost without opposition.
The liberation of the Philippines had begun.
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