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1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf begins...
1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf begins...
Item # 724519
October 24, 1944
THE NEW YORK TIMES, October 24, 1944
* Battle of Leyte Gulf - Sibuyan Sea
* Philippines - William Halsey
* Largest naval battle in history
The front page has a three column heading: "LEYTE DRIVE GAINS" with subheads that include: "JAPANESE SET BACK" and more. Coverage continues on page 10 with related maps. (see images)
Complete with all 38 pages, rag edition in nice condition.
background: On October 24, 1944, the Battle of Leyte Gulf reached a violent crescendo characterized by the massive Battle of the Sibuyan Sea and a series of high-stakes tactical maneuvers. Throughout the day, American carrier-based aircraft launched relentless waves of attacks against Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita’s "Central Force," ultimately sinking the Musashi, one of the largest and most powerful battleships in history, after it sustained dozens of torpedo and bomb hits. While the Japanese fleet appeared to retreat under this pressure, the day also saw the tragic loss of the light carrier USS Princeton, which was decimated by a single Japanese bomb that triggered a catastrophic internal explosion. However, the most pivotal moment occurred late in the evening: Admiral William "Bull" Halsey, convinced that Kurita’s force was neutralized, took the Japanese "decoy" bait and steamed his entire Third Fleet north to engage a nearly empty carrier task force. This decision left the vital San Bernardino Strait completely unguarded, setting the stage for a near-disastrous confrontation the following morning when Kurita’s heavy surface ships returned to find only a small group of outgunned American escort carriers and destroyers standing between them and the vulnerable invasion beaches.
Category: The 20th Century
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