Leyte Gulf - Battle of Cape Engano - Animated

The time is 7.10am on the 25th of October 1944. Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa paces the bridge aboard the Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Zuikaku, which is steaming south from Japan towards Leyte Gulf and the Philippines. Ozawa waits for reports from the rest of the Japanese fleet, which is carrying out Operation Shogo I, the Imperial Japanese Navy's final attempt at turning the tide of the war in the Pacific theatre. As part of this plan, Japan's last aircraft carriers are to be offered up as bait to draw away Allied naval forces from their task of protecting General Douglas MacArthur's invasion force, which is storming the island of Leyte. Three minutes later at 7.13am, a lookout aboard Zuikaku spots a US Navy scout aircraft, which can only mean that an overwhelming enemy strike will soon be inbound. This will be the final battle for Japan's once great aircraft carriers. 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During registration, use the code warships to get exclusive rewards including a bunch of doubloons, credits, premium account time and a free ship after you complete 15 battles. Jump in for naval combat on the oceans today. While Ozawa's carriers are rounding Cape Engano, a desperate naval battle is taking place far to the south off the island of Samar. Unbeknownst to Ozawa, his diversion could not have worked better. The US 3rd Fleet, under the command of Admiral Bull Halsey, had spotted his decoy force the previous day and raced north to engage what he believes is the main Japanese fleet. In doing so, Halsey left the San Bernardino Strait unguarded, which allowed Rear Admiral Takeo Kurita's powerful center force to infiltrate the Leyte Gulf. With his mission accomplished, the only thing left for Vice Admiral Ozawa's northern force is to face Halsey's massive fleet with Japan's remaining carriers. Ozawa will tell his American interrogators after the war that I expected complete destruction of my fleet, but if Kurita's mission was carried out, that was all I wished. The day before, Northern Force launched 75 aircraft, the bulk of its offensive punch against 3rd Fleet's carriers, but did no damage to any American warships. Today, the 8 fleet carriers, 8 light carriers, 6 fast battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 9 light cruisers and 58 destroyers of the US 3rd Fleet are preparing for battle against the 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 2 carrier-battleship hybrids, 3 light cruisers and 10 destroyers of the Japanese Northern Force. For Task Force 38's commander, Rear Admiral Mark Mitcher and Admiral Halsey, this is the moment they have been waiting for. After Ozawa's force slipped away after the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Halsey resolved to destroy the Japanese fleet once and for all when he got the opportunity. Now he believes he is about to deal the final blow to Japan's Navy. Aboard the carrier USS Enterprise, Executive Officer Thomas Hamilton drafts the order of the day, writing, Today may be the biggest in our Navy's history. Enterprise will set the pace. However, Halsey and Mitcher are unaware that Imperial Japan's carrier force is a mere shadow of its former self. Ozawa's decoy force is a relatively weak formation of warships. More importantly, the four carriers have been stripped of most of their air wings, which have instead been sent to land bases in the Philippines. The Japanese Northern Force can only field 117 aircraft, almost entirely manned by untrained and untested pilots. They stand no chance against Task Force 38, which boasts between 600 and 1,000 aircraft piloted by veterans of the Pacific War. Ozawa believes that this battle is already a foregone conclusion. Having detected the Japanese fleet at around 1am on the 25th of October, Admiral Halsey had ordered Task Force 34, comprising six fast battleships, to draw ahead of Task Force 38 and make haste towards the enemy. He intends for Task Force 38's airstrikes to be followed by the heavy fire of Task Force 34's battleships. Shortly after 6am, Admiral Mitcher gave the order to launch scout aircraft as well as the first strike group of 180 aircraft. Although Mitcher does not have a precise bearing on the enemy fleet, he wants his aviators to be ready to hit them as soon as they are detected. The 60 Hellcat fighters, 65 Helldiver bombers, and 55 Avenger torpedo aircraft are vectored 50 miles to the north and circle until 7.13am when a scout Hellcat fighter reports the position of the Japanese fleet. The Northern Force is 140 miles to the north of the US 3rd Fleet and with perfect flying weather. Led by Commander Dave McCampbell, who scored nine kills in a dogfight the previous day, the American strike group sets off towards their target. The last battle fought between aircraft carriers in the Second World War is about to begin. Commander McCampbell and the American strike group are detected by Japanese radar at 8.17am and Ozawa launches whatever fighters he has left. 10 minutes later, the 180 US Navy aircraft are spotted on the horizon and 30 Japanese Zeros are vectored to intercept the incoming force. The Japanese warships open fire with everything they have, including Sanchikidan, or beehive anti-aircraft shells, which explode amongst the incoming aircraft. Some American aviators will recall this being the heaviest flak they have ever encountered, even worse than their attack on the super battleships Musashi and Yamato. The Japanese Combat Air Patrol also pounces on the formation, shooting down an Avenger and damaging several other aircraft. Yet, the fearsome Hellcats quickly get to work breaking up the interceptors, shooting down almost every single enemy aircraft. It is not known how many of the 30 Zeros survived the encounter, but very few are able to limp back to bases in the Philippines. With the Combat Air Patrol dealt with, the dive bombers and torpedo aircraft begin their attack runs on the Japanese warships. The first victim is the destroyer Akitsuki, which is set upon at 8.37am. A Helldiver drops a 1,000lb bomb which penetrates and explodes directly in the engine room, cutting power to the rest of the ship. The resulting fires cause secondary explosions and Akitsuki sinks in less than 10 minutes. Avenger torpedo aircraft from VT-4 of the USS Essex attack the hybrid carrier battleship Ise, which carries no aircraft. Although the American pilots claim three hits, it is later revealed that all of the torpedoes missed. Meanwhile, Commander McCampbell directs 12 Helldivers to attack the light carrier Chitose, which narrowly survived destruction at the Battle of the Philippine Sea. She is not so lucky this time, as the Helldivers plant eight bombs across the length of her flight deck. Avengers also drop torpedoes and score two hits on Chitose's port side. The ship's captain, Commander Kanji Yano, works in vain to save the ship, but more Helldivers from USS Lexington drop another four bombs into her burning flight deck. With Chitose a burning wreck, the order is given to abandon ship. She will sink an hour later, taking 904 men with her, including Commander Yano. At this point, American pilots have noticed that the Japanese carriers seem to be devoid of any aircraft. More torpedo aircraft from the USS San Jacinto and Bellowood move in to attack the light cruiser Tarma, which is trying in vain to protect Chitose. A single torpedo impacts the No. 2 boiler room, which temporarily leaves the ship dead in the water. Emergency repairs are able to restore propulsion, but Tarma soon falls behind the rest of the formation, and she is eventually forced to limp back towards Japan on her own. The light carrier Zuiho is targeted by Helldivers from the USS Enterprise. Despite evasive manoeuvres, Zuiho is struck by a 500lb bomb, which jams the rear elevator and knocks out the rudder. Three more near-misses cave in the side of her hull, and Zuiho develops a list, but her damage control teams are able to successfully restore steering and fight the fires. By 8.55am, the list has been righted and she remains floating. To Zuiho's starboard is Ozawa's flagship and Japan's last operational fleet carrier, Zuikaku. As the last remaining carrier from the attack on Pearl Harbor, Zuikaku has survived many close calls and has earned a reputation as a lucky ship. This time, 40 Helldivers and 10 Avengers line up on her, determined to finally send Zuikaku to the bottom. Rear Admiral Takeo Kaizuka orders the ship to flank speed as she desperately attempts to evade the incoming attackers. Zuikaku manages to outmanoeuvre two torpedoes, while her crew puts up a large blanket of anti-aircraft fire. However, Helldivers plant at least four bombs into the flight deck, causing extensive damage to the hangar bay. Almost simultaneously, a torpedo impacts the port side, which knocks out the rudder and shorts the switchboard control. The carrier develops a marked list while her speed drops from 24 knots to barely 10 knots as a result of the damage. Nonetheless, her damage control party is able to restore power to the ship and correct the list by 9am. Zuikaku's reputation as a lucky ship is still intact, as the first wave of American aircraft leave the scene. However, more U.S. Navy aircraft arrive to attack the northern force at just after 10am. The second wave is much smaller than the first, comprising 36 aircraft from the USS Lexington, Franklin and Langley, after problems coordinating the strike. Luckily for the Americans, this battle is taking place at relatively close range between the two fleets for an aircraft carrier engagement, so Admiral Mitch's pilots quickly find the Japanese fleet. With limited aircraft, the second wave mostly concentrates on the light carrier Chiyoda. Six Helldivers from Lexington and Franklin nose over to attack the carrier and score four direct hits. Chiyoda loses power and begins to drift out of formation while the rest of the aircraft attack the wounded Zuiho but score no hits. The second wave departs as Admiral Azawa transfers his flag from Zuikaku to the light cruiser Oyodo to take advantage of its better communications centre. Meanwhile, a full-blown crisis has overtaken Admiral Halsey's flagship, the battleship USS New Jersey. Earlier that morning, Commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Admiral Thomas Kincaid, had asked Halsey if Vice Admiral Willis Lee's fast battleships were blocking the San Bernardino Strait, to which Halsey replied in the negative, confident that he had made the right decision in chasing the enemy carriers. At 8.22am, Kincaid radios Admiral Halsey fast battleships are urgently needed immediately at Leyte Gulf. Over the next hour, Kincaid sends increasingly desperate updates about the plight of Task Unit Taffy 3 as they grapple with an overwhelming enemy surface force. At 10am, Kincaid transmits in the clear with no Halsey does not fully grasp the situation and tells Kincaid that it is simply too late for him to do anything. At Pacific Fleet Headquarters in Pearl Harbour, Commander-in-Chief Admiral Chester Nimitz has been monitoring the situation and is also growing concerned. He decides to send Halsey a message asking where the battleships of Task Force 34 are located. The message reads, Turkey trots to water. Where is, repeat where is Task Force 34? The world wonders. As part of US Navy cryptography, the first four and the last three words are intended to serve as a relevant padding to confuse Japanese codebreakers. However, the message decoder on the USS New Jersey did not delete the padding phrases, leading Halsey to believe that Nimitz is reprimanding him. A furious Halsey throws his cap on the ground and begins sobbing. His Chief of Staff shakes him by the shoulders and shouts, Stop it! What the hell's the matter with you? Pull yourself together! After calming down, Halsey orders Task Force 34 south to support Taffy 3, but his light escorts will need refuelling before they can impact the battle. As such, Kincaid's warships will have to fend for themselves while the heavy surface ships of 3rd Fleet slowly make their way towards the island of Samar. In the meantime, Admiral Mitchell's fleet carriers will continue to pound the decoy Japanese carrier force. A 3rd American strike group of 160 aircraft head for Azawa's northern force at noon. At this point, Azawa is retiring to the north as fast as possible, having completed his task of luring the US 3rd Fleet away from Leyte. The last remaining 9 Zero fighters have run out of fuel and are forced to ditch in the ocean because of the damage to the carrier flight decks. Lagging behind the main formation is the light carrier Chioda, which is being towed by the cruiser Isuzu. When radar detects the incoming third wave, Azawa orders Isuzu back to the main formation to provide anti-aircraft fire, leaving Chioda behind. At 1.15pm, the American aircraft spot their target through the cloud layer. Strike Commander Theodore Winters ignores the crippled Japanese warships and directs most of the attackers towards Suikaku, which is now making 24 knots again. Finally, her string of luck is at an end. Almost 100 dive bombers and torpedo aircraft from Lexington and Essex bear down on her. At least 5 bomb hits are scored, while the Avengers launch an anvil attack. 6 torpedoes slam into her, sealing the ship's fate. At 1.27pm, Rear Admiral Kaizuka gives the order for all men to assemble on the flight deck before abandoning ship. As the carrier lifts to port, Kaizuka addresses his crew for the final time and each man salutes as the Imperial Navy ensign is lowered. Suikaku, the last Japanese fleet carrier, will sink 2.5 hours later with the loss of 842 men, including Rear Admiral Kaizuka. Seeing that Suikaku is finished, Commander Winters directs the attack aircraft from the Enterprise, San Jacinto and Franklin against Weho, which can barely manoeuvre after the damage suffered earlier in the battle. Avengers from Enterprise's VT-6 hit her with a torpedo directly under the bridge, wounding Captain Kuro Sugiyura. The onslaught continues for another 10 minutes. Helldivers score 2 direct hits with bombs and 7 near-misses, which force the carrier to reduce speed. Another torpedo strikes the starboard side, which further wrecks the hull beneath the waterline. Zuiko comes to a halt and begins to drift as the pumps are overwhelmed by inrushing seawater. Around this time, Admiral Mitcher is informed that Task Force 38 is now just 60 miles from the nearest enemy warships of Northern Force. He orders his carriers to halt while sending a force of cruisers and destroyers ahead to engage the remnants of the Japanese fleet in a surface battle. The third American strike wave returns to its carriers, while Commander Winters stays behind to document the results of the attack. He watches as the aircraft carrier Zuikaku, veteran of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, capsizes and sinks. The US Navy has finally settled a long-standing score. Zuiko continues to list. By 2.10pm, every sailor has been called to work the pumps in an attempt to save the ship. However, the fourth wave arrives at just before 3pm to finish off the rest of the Japanese carriers. This is a smaller attack that targets the stricken Zuiko. She stands no chance as Helldivers score several more direct hits and Avengers strike the small carrier with two torpedoes. At 3.10pm, the wreckage of Zuiko slips beneath the surface, taking 215 men with her. The crippled Chioda is now the last remaining Japanese aircraft carrier in Northern Force. As Winters is returning to base, he spots four American cruisers and ten destroyers coming over the horizon towards Chioda, which is dead in the water and without any protection. Winters orbits above the doomed light carrier and radios coordinates to the cruisers, while assuring them that there are no Japanese battleships lurking in the area. At 4.25pm, the heavy cruisers Wichita and New Orleans open fire from a range of 20,000 yards and are soon joined by the light cruisers Santa Fe and Mobile. Chioda quickly takes several hits and returns fire with her eight one-inch anti-aircraft guns, but the rounds fall well short. Within 15 minutes, she is a burning wreck as the American destroyers prepare for a torpedo attack. But just as the destroyers are about to launch their torpedoes at 4.47pm, Chioda rolls over and sinks. Survivors are seen in the water, but the American warships are refused permission to rescue them as they pursue the rest of the Japanese fleet. Of the 1,470 officers and men aboard Chioda, there are no known survivors. The fifth and final wave of American aircraft overtakes the fourth wave as they head back to base. This strike group is composed of 96 aircraft from Essex, Lexington, Langley, and Enterprise, and arrives over the remnants of Ozawa's fleeing northern force at 5.30pm. With no more aircraft carriers left, the pilots decide to focus on the converted battleship carriers Issei and Hyuga. The American aircraft dive in, but lack of daylight hampers the bombing of the Japanese vessels. Despite claiming 37 confirmed hits on the two battleships, it is revealed after the war that neither Issei nor Hyuga were directly struck by American bombs. The last wave of US Navy aircraft leave without scoring a single hit, but the battle is still not over. In fact, it is an American submarine that will claim the next victim. USS Jalau is on her first wartime patrol when she picks up a nearby contact on radar while surfaced. Her skipper, Lieutenant Commander Joseph Issenhauer, gives chase and eventually comes across the wounded light cruiser Tama, which is limping northwards at reduced speed. Issenhauer lines up the shot from 1,000 yards away and fires three bow torpedoes, but all miss. He then fires a salvo of four torpedoes from just 800 yards away. At this close range, it is almost impossible for Jalau to miss. Three of the four torpedoes impact Tama, which breaks in half and sinks. All 450 Japanese sailors aboard are lost. Other US submarines attempt to ambush Azawa's fleet, but no more hits are scored. Meanwhile, the advanced formation of American cruisers and destroyers are continuing their pursuit. As dusk falls over the battlefield, the Japanese northern force is now strung out over an area of about 45 miles. Aided by night fighters from the carrier USS Essex, the American cruisers and destroyers discover a group of three Japanese destroyers and one light cruiser, which are picking up survivors from the sunken aircraft carriers. The US warships open fire at 6.52pm, surprising the Japanese. Aboard the destroyer Hatsuzuki, Captain Shigetaka Amano decides to lead an aggressive but fatal charge against the larger American force, to allow the rest of the Japanese vessels to escape. Hatsuzuki turns towards the cruisers and maneuvers as if she is launching torpedoes. Although she has no torpedoes, the American formation is forced to temporarily turn away. For the next two hours, Hatsuzuki trades fire with the American force, while Captain Amano continues to repeat the torpedo attack maneuver. This allows the rest of the Japanese fleet to get away, but Hatsuzuki eventually takes multiple hits from American main batteries. Minutes before 9pm, the burning destroyer explodes and sinks, taking all but eight of the 280 men aboard with her. Hatsuzuki's sacrifice finally marks the end of the battle of Cape Engano. The Imperial Japanese Navy has lost four carriers, a light cruiser, and two destroyers along with 4,200 men. The US Navy has lost only 12 aircraft in what will be the final carrier battle of the Second World War. The Battle of Leyte Gulf efficiently comes to an end the following day, as American aircraft continue to hunt down the retreating Japanese warships scattered throughout the Philippines. The destroyer Nowaki is the last ship destroyed on the 26th of October, bringing an end to one of the largest naval battles in history. After three days of battle involving 360 vessels, the Japanese Navy has lost 28 ships and 13,000 men, while the United States has lost seven ships and 3,000 men. Despite suffering heavy losses, especially amongst the ships of Tafi III, the Allies will maintain their dominance of the Pacific Ocean. Japan's last attempt at turning the tide of the war at sea has failed, and the Imperial Japanese Navy has ceased to exist as an effective fighting force. With its naval power finally extinguished, the Japanese will now resort to more desperate measures, including the use of kamikaze. Admiral Bull Halsey's actions during the Battle of the Leyte Gulf have been heavily scrutinised, specifically his decision to leave the San Bernardino Strait undefended in order to chase the Japanese decoy force. Halsey is not reprimanded and remains in command of the US Third Fleet for the rest of the war. Some historians, such as James Hornfisher, contend that Halsey was justified in chasing what he believed to be the main Japanese force, but the commander of Tafi III, Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, will never forgive Halsey. The two men later meet in person, where Halsey tells Sprague, I want you to know I think you wrote the most glorious page in American naval history that day. The commander of Tafi III will forever refer to Halsey as, It will be another two months until Douglas MacArthur's Allied forces secure Leyte, which essentially severs Japan's access to its occupied territories in the Dutch East Indies. The capture of Leyte also opens the door for the reconquest of the Philippines and the invasion of Okinawa in April of 1945. There, the Japanese Navy launches one final attack with the largest warship in the world of the time, the super battleship Yamato. It Download World of Warships for free using the link in the description. During registration, use the code warships to get exclusive rewards including a bunch of doubloons, credits, premium account time, and a free ship after you complete 15 battles. Thanks so much to our awesome patrons who make these videos possible. Welcome to all our new patrons this month and a special thanks to our patron of the week, Bread, who has been a long-time supporter of the channel. We're so grateful for your support. Each week we select our favourite patron reactions to shout out and our favourite comment this week is from Alex13 who says, It was really interesting to see that the Japanese Navy's gambit of drawing the main US Navy fleet from Leyte worked, and that the Americans thought the Japanese still had the capabilities to cause significant damage with their aircraft carriers. If you'd like to join our Patreon and get access to exclusive benefits such as early access to videos, ad and sponsor free, we would love to have you as part of our community.