Battle off Samar

E55200

World War II battle naval battle

The Battle off Samar was a dramatic World War II naval engagement in October 1944 in which a small, outgunned U.S. escort carrier task unit unexpectedly fought off a much larger Japanese surface fleet near the Philippines.

Aliases (2)

Statements (49)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	World War II battle → naval battle →
alsoKnownAs	Action off Samar → Battle off Samar Island →
belligerent	Imperial Japanese Navy → United States Navy →
casualties	heavy U.S. losses in ships and personnel → significant Japanese losses in cruisers and aircraft →
characterizedAs	one of the most heroic last-stand actions in U.S. naval history →
combatantFormation	Japanese Center Force → U.S. Task Unit 77.4.3 →
commander	Clifton A. F. Sprague NERFINISHED → Takeo Kurita →
conflict	World War II →
countryInvolved	Empire of Japan → United States of America →
date	25 October 1944 →
followedBy	Battle of Cape Engaño →
JapaneseForceCommander	Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita →
JapaneseObjective	attack U.S. invasion fleet in Leyte Gulf →
JapaneseShipsInvolved	battleships → destroyers → heavy cruisers → light cruisers →
location	off Samar, Philippines →
near	Leyte Gulf →
notableJapaneseShip	Haruna → Kongō → Nagato → Yamato →
notableU.S.Ship	USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) → USS Hoel (DD-533) → USS Johnston (DD-557) → USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413) →
objective	protect U.S. invasion forces at Leyte →
partOf	Battle of Leyte Gulf NERFINISHED →
partOfOperation	Allied invasion of Leyte →
precededBy	Battle of the Sibuyan Sea NERFINISHED →
relatedWork	The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors →
result	Japanese operational failure → United States tactical victory →
startDate	25 October 1944 →
strategicSignificance	helped secure Allied landings on Leyte →
theater	Pacific Theater of World War II →
U.S.ShipsInvolved	destroyer escorts → destroyers → escort carriers →
U.S.TaskUnitCommander	Rear Admiral Clifton A. F. Sprague →
U.S.TaskUnitDesignation	Taffy 3 →

Referenced by (7)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Battle of Surigao Strait → Battle of the Sibuyan Sea →	followedBy
Battle off Samar ("Battle off Samar Island") →	alsoKnownAs
Takeo Kurita ("Japanese Center Force at Leyte Gulf") →	commanded
Second Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy) →	engagedInBattle
Battle of Leyte Gulf →	hasPart
Takeo Kurita →	participatedIn