The U.S. Seventh Fleet Moves In Position

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):

October 19, 1944

The U.S. Seventh Fleet ships started moving to their assigned positions off the Leyte landing beaches on October 19, 1944. The U.S. ship bombardment of Leyte installations began on the 18th while the shore bombardment resumed on the 19th. 

Two days earlier, Japanese lookouts spotted U.S. soldiers landing on Suluan Island at the mouth of Leyte Gulf. Admiral Soemu Toyoda, Commander-in-Chief, Japanese Combined Fleet, then issued Sho-1 Operation alert. 

The following day on October 18, Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita’s First Striking Force (Center and Southern forces) sorties from Lingga Roads, off Singapore. 

The 6th Rangers were tasked to secure the three small islands of Suluan, Dinagat and Homonhon in the Leyte Gulf. In Suluan they dispersed a small number of Japanese defenders and destroyed a radio station, while they found no enemy on Dinagat. They erected navigation lights for the amphibious transports to follow three days later. The next day, the Rangers occupied Homonhon without opposition, while reconnaissance by underwater demolition teams revealed clear landing beaches for the assault troops on Leyte itself. 

To take Leyte, American and Allied forces mounted the largest amphibious operation in the Pacific. General Douglas MacArthur was designated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the supreme commander of sea, air, and land forces drawn from both the Southwest Pacific and Central Pacific theaters of operation. 

Allied naval forces consisted of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, commanded by Vice Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid. With 701 ships, including 157 warships, Kinkaid's fleet would transport and put ashore the landing force. 

The U.S. Sixth Army, commanded by Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger, with two corps of two divisions each, would conduct operations ashore. Maj. Gen. Franklin C. Sibert's X Corps included the 1st Cavalry Division and the 24th Infantry Division, the latter less the 21st Infantry, which had been temporarily organized as an independent regimental combat team (RCT). 

Maj. Gen. John R. Hodge's XXIV Corps included the 7th and 96th Infantry Divisions, the latter less the 381st Infantry, also organized as an RCT in army reserve. 

The Sixth Army reserve would include the 32d and 77th Infantry Divisions and the 381st RCT. Supplementing these forces were a battalion of Rangers and a support command specially tailored for large amphibious operations. 

The 6th Ranger Infantry Battalion was tasked to secure outlying islands and guide naval forces to the landing beaches.

 The new Sixth Army Service Command (ASCOM), commanded by Maj. Gen. Hugh J. Casey, was responsible for organizing the beachhead supplying units ashore, and constructing or improving roads and airfields. General Krueger had under his command a total of 202,500 ground troops. 

The U.S. Seventh Fleet was intended to be covered and supported by the U.S. Third Fleet under Admiral Halsey and under Admiral Nimitz' Central Pacific command, while the Seventh Fleet came under General Macarthur's Southwest Pacific Forces.

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

Photo credit: wikipedia.org