The Battle Of Sibuyan Sea

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):

October 24, 1944

The Japanese Raiding Force in the Sibuyan and Sulu Seas were attacked by Task Force 38 planes from aircraft carriers under the command of Admiral William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. on October 24, 1944. 

On the night of October 23, Halsey’s carrier forces steamed into position to destroy Japanese forces. 

Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman’s Task Group 38.3 took station off the Polillo Islands east of Luzon. To the southeast, 140 miles distant, Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan guided Task Group 38.2 (which included Admiral Halsey) off San Bernardino Strait, while Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison occupied the southernmost position off Leyte Gulf 120 miles southeast of Bogan. 

The raiding force under Japanese Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, included the two most lethal battleships in the world, Yamato and Musashi, a total of five battleships, 10 heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and 13 destroyers. 

U.S. pilots on Curtiss Helldiver bombers and Hellcat fighters inflicted heavy punishment and sank the battleship Musashi and damaged the battleships Yamato, Haruna, Nagato, Yamashiro, Fuso and many other destroyers. The cruiser Myoko was forced back to Brunei for repairs. 

The Battle of the Sibuyan Sea inflicted heavy damage on the Imperial Japanese Navy. A solitary Japanese plane attacked and damaged the USS Princeton (CVL-23) by dropping a 550 pound bomb. The American ship then collided with the USS Birmingham (CL-62). 100 men from the Princeton and 220 from the Birmingham perished, while another 430 suffered wounds. 

Commander David McCampbell, USN, who commanded Air Group 15, followed by his wingman, Ensign Roy Rushing, faced an incoming enemy force of more than 60 aircraft. 

McCampbell successfully shot down nine enemy planes while Rushing downed six in an attempt to break up the group of 60 Japanese aircraft before they had a chance to reach the U.S. Navy fleet. McCampbell became an instant ace on October 24 and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org and artstation.com