DECISIVE DEFEAT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21549, 31 October 1944, Page 3

DECISIVE DEFEAT

JAPANESE NAVY 24 WARSHIPS SUNK MANY OTHERS DAMAGED WASHINGTON, Oct. 29. Admiral Chester Nimitz. Comman-der-in-Chief of the United States Pacinc fleet, announced that the Third and beventn American fleets same or damaged 58 Japanese warships at a cost of only six American vessels lost in the second battle oi Che Philippine Sea. A Pacific Fleet communique, issued by Admiral Nimitz at Pearl Harbour, says: “Ampliiying reports of the second battle of the Philippine Sea, although still subject to revision as more information is received, indicate an overwhelming victory for the Third and Seventh Fleets. The Japanese Fleet has been decisively defeated and routed. The second battle of the Philippine Sea ranks as one ot the major sea battles of the second World War.

"Movements of major Japanese fleet units north of the Singapore area were detected on October 2l and 22. Submarine scouts .sighted the enemy force and sank two Atago class heavy cruisers and severely ■ damaged a third. Ships of the Third Fleet moved into position east of the Philippines oil burigao Strait, San Bernadino Strait and Poilla Island.

“Carrier searches on October 23 discovered two strong enemy naval forces moving eastwards, one through the Sibuyan Sea and the other through the Sulu Sea. Photographs by carrier aircraft showed that the force moving eastwards through the Sibuyan Sea included five battleships, thought to be the Yatmato, Masashi, Nagato, Kongo and Harana, eighi cruisers, and 13 destroyers. The force mbving eastwards through the Sulu Sea consisted of two battleships of the Yamoshiro class, two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and seven or eight destroyers. Bombers’ Onslaught on Enemy Ships “As soon as the presence of the two enemy fleet forces in the Philippines was discovered on October 23, Hellcats and Avenger torpedo-planes ana Helldiver dive-bombers of the Third Fleet carriers were launched to attack both forces. One battleship and one cruiser in the Sibuyan Sea were severely damaged and set on fire, and may have sunk. Three other battleships and three heavy cruisers received bombs and torpedoes. pne light cruiser was torpedoed, capsized and sank. Bomb hits were on both battleships in the Sulu Sea. Cruisers and destroyers were strateo with rockets and machine-guns.

"Meanwhile, east of the Philippines, enemy shore-based aircraft attacked our carriers. In the ensuing air battle we shot down over 150 aircraft. Oui own losses, concerning which exact figures are not yet available, were: Tne light carrier Princeton, hit by a oomb which caused a bad fire. Later the Princeton’s magazine blew up, and the ship was so badly damaged that she had to be sunk by our forces. “During the afternoon of October 23, a land-based navy search plant discovered the presence of an enemy carrier force approximately 200 miles off Cape Engano, northern Luzon, heading southwards. This force consisted oi 17 warships, including t large carrier believed to be oi tilt Zuikaku class, three light cruisers, two battleships with flignt decks an, a heavy cruiser, a light cruiser, three other cruisers, and six destroyers. Enemy Surprised At Dawn

“To meet this serious threat, the Third Fleet commander concentrated several of his carrier task groups ant started northwards at high speed foi a dawn attack. These Third Flee, units steamed at full speed tnrougi. the night and caught tne enemy completely by surprise on the morning of October 24 that there was no effective air opposition. Later in ttio forenoon, the enemy carrier aircrai. which had been refuelled ashore on the Philippines, flew out to join then ships, which already had met disaster. The enemy planes arrived too late to get into tne light. We shot down 2i. "The following destruction was inflicted on the enemy in this action: — Sunk. —One carrier of the Zuikaku class, one light carrier of the Zumu class, two light carriers of the Chitose class, one light cruiser or large destroyer, one destroyer, one cruiser. Damaged.—Two battleships, three cruisers, four destroyers. “None of the 'Third Fleet ships engaged with the enemy carriers were damaged. We lost 10 planes, an shot cfown by ‘flak.’ Before all trie damaged enemy ships could be tracked down, the engagement was broken off in order to proceed to tot assistance of the Seventh f leet carrier escort groups which were then under attack off Samar Island, Tim enemy force of battleships, cruisers and destroyers, which nad been attacked in the Sibuyan Sea, sorueu through San Bernadino Strait in spite of the damage inflicted by our came, aircraft, and attacked the Seventn Fleet units off Samar Island on tiiu morning of October 24. in tne ensuing battle, most oi the enemy s neavy ships were badly damaged Dy m<Seventh Fleet units and Ttord f lee, carrier aircraft. One cruiser was seen to sink. One destroyer was lei. dead in toe water. The enemy iom ran north-westwards during tne earij hours of darkness and passed westwards through San jsernaaino bu'au. We sank a straggling cruiser. Sunk or Decisively Defeated “Meanwhile the southern enen.. lorce crossed .the Sulu Sea ana Mindanao Sea and attempted to .j.-.s. torough tne Surigao strait and me. the Seventh Fleet in a night acuo.. on October 23. All units of un» enemy lorce were sunk or decisively defeated. “Third Fleet carrier aircraft were launched on October 24 against me cnppted and damaged enemy neeu, westwards tnrough tne Subiyan seu. Damage was inflicted on toe enemy during the retirement througn the San Bernadino Straits, and mciuaeu one cruiser sunk, one battleship possibly sunk, three battleships ana three cruisers damaged. Tne tova. damage inflicted during the penou October 22-27 included: — Sunk

Two battleships Four carriers Six heavy cruisers Three lignt cruisers Three small cruisers or large destroyers Six destroyers Severely damaged—may have sunk One battleship Three heavy cruisers Two light cruisers Seven destroyers Escaped in damaged condition Six battleships Four heavy cruisers One light cruiser Ten destroyers During the same action we lost one light carrier, two escort carriers, two destroyers, one destroyer escort, and a few lesser craft. The following battleships which were seriously damaged at Pearl Harbour participated: West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, California, Pennsylvania. The new carriers Lexington. Wasp and Hornet also participated. United States submarines played a highly important part in all actions and sank or damaged several warships.