The Battle of Leyte Gulf is considered to be the largest naval battle of WWII, with over 200,000 naval personnel involved. Though the US lost 6 ships in the entire battle, Japanese forces lost 26 vessels. Most importantly, the task group did protect the Invasion Force on Leyte, and the Japanese failed in their attempt to keep their industrial and oil supply chain functional. The bravery displayed on that day will not be forgotten, nor the sacrifices made to benefit future generations. I think author Byron G. Como said it best when he wrote “the ship is merely a weapon to be chipped and dulled, even broken in the din of battle. But the men who wielded the weapon well, they are the stuff of legend.”

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