I went to junior high and high school with her! I always knew she’d do well. Very no nonsense, even as a kid.

Fair winds and following seas Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent. A true American Hero your sacrifice will never be forgotten, from one CT to another CT.

RIP Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent. You were there when I could not be. 🙏🕊️

My father was there aboard USS Princeton CVL 23 which was sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf By Japanese Kamakase bomb .It took 3 days to put the fires and munitions out.Oct 23 - 25 1944

QuiNhon 67/68 LCM 8 landing craft . We unloaded ammo at sea and transported to beach in harbor and once on my way back end with 60 tons of small arms ammo a navy swift boat came in my direction stopped near me and a sea am stood up and fired at something floating in the channel and it blew water over 100 ft. In the this old Army would like to thank the Navy ! ❤

Easter Offensive 1972, on board the Lloyd Thomas, Welcome home Jerry.

Spent Dec 67-Jan 68 on the Gun Line USS T.E.Chandler DD-717, ceased fire for 6hrs on Xmas and new years. SM2 L. Garcia USN. Tin Can Rider...

Great video! I was born here in '79 and was recently informed of some of the history of this place. Looking forward to hear more. Thank you

My Father Kenneth McLaughlin served on CVE-73 USS Gambier Bay, ha passed in 1969 when I was 3

My papa was an electrician on Biddle 75-79 and told me this story

I have no words but thank you all

Wow beautiful! Brave as can be on the high seas ❤

RIP my Friend.

Whenever i'm having a bad day I think of Halsey and receiving that message, and his reaction. Very memorable moment in history.

This collection of videos are THE BEST representation of this pivital battle available! Clean, clear, concise, and accurate. Thanks!

I was there also, they came through our compartment I was attached to VA-52 senior plane captain. as I recall we did not miss breakfast that morning. what I recall is the rioters and that's what they were locked themselves in the aft mess hall thinking they would have some leverage untill the captain threatened to flood the compartment, although that wasn't possible apparently they decided to vacate that area. this what I was told by our line officer true or not it take hours to prepare meals for that many people and as I said earlier I don't recall anyone missing breakfast. I would think that if a few thousand men missed breakfast it would have been Duelley noted, since the Hawk had some fantastic food.

I knew someone who was on the Killen. He a gunner operator.

They also name MM A school in Great Lakes after him

The balls of these pilots to dive in even though there's just two planes into the wall of flak

Couldn’t stop watching, perfect narration. Bravest of the brave. From Australia

My grandfather was on the USS Frank E Evans, but he was on it before the collision.

My Father was a Signalman aboard the USS St. Lo. He was 19 years old when she was sunk in October of 1944. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

The real heroes of these battles were excellent and aggressive US Naval pilots of the aircraft carriers.. the Combat Air Patrols protected the fleet that no ship was sunk!.. BZ

You cannot blame Adm Spruance.. he has to protect those Marianas land invasion… look what happened later under Adm Bull Halsey when he left the invasion force at Leyte gulf to chase after Japanese aircraft carriers up north..the Japanese almost wipe out the invasion landings protected only by baby carriers and destroyers..

BLM mattered back then too.

My father, Kenneth McLaughlin WT/3 served on USS Gambier Bay

This was fantastic...great, great job...

Hellcat and the training

need a movie on this heroic tale

Halsey was single handedly responsible for more losses of American ships and men that the Japanese! He was pathetic! He had to have some compromising photos of someone very high up! Typical, we won WW2 in-spite of our leadership!

My grandfather was on the St.Lo. Alvin Sharp F2C...he never forgot how the "Tin cans saved our baby flatops.." Neither will I nor will my children or my grandchildren.

I served 3 years on the 'Hawk, where I first learned of these atrocities. Years later as a USAF Civvy working at the DoD's Race-Relations Institute (original name, renamed DEOMI), I learned that so, so many more instances of this hate-fueled behavior was obscured by the Military, the Feds, and in some cases the press. To say learning about these events was the lowest point in my education is an understatement. Fast forward decades, and the division exists in ways, fueled by cultural mistrust of what our fathers and grandfathers went through. The cycle needs to stop.

My dad Enrico Trotta served on USS Louisville CA 28 Flagship and this is his story with Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf aboard: Battle of Surigao Strait: Oct. 24, 1944: The Older Battleships and Older Cruisers did the Majority of the Pacific Bombardment for the Newer Battleships and New Cruisers screened the Aircraft carriers. USS LOUISVILLE CA- 28 Heavy Cruiser Greatest Sea Battle - Surigao Strait Give Credit To The Cruisers Not the Battleships From my diary and the Louisville Man of War Book this story should set the records straight that the cruisers proved their weight in gold not the battleships like so many stories told. It was October 24, 1944 aboard the flagship heavy cruiser U.S.S. Louisville CA-28 with the 7 th Fleet - Battleship/Cruiser Force Task Group 77.2 with Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf aboard. I was a 20 year old seaman 1st class assigned to portside 20 mm anti-aircraft gun crew by turret B - 8 inch gun. I had a ring side seat to the greatest naval battle ever. The U.S. Fleet consisted of: 6 Battleships 4 Heavy cruisers (Louisville CA-28 Flagship) 4 Light cruisers 24 Destroyers At about 3:15 a.m. we stared to close in and were given the range of the Japanese ships. The Louisville opened first at 3:50 a.m. with her 9 - 8 inch/55 cal. main battery guns. The second time she fired the 8 inch guns she scored a direct hit and other cruisers and battleships opened up - lighting up the night. The “Lady Lou” as she was known, main battery fired over and over shaking the 600 foot ship from bow to stern. The Japanese ships were caught by surprise and were all a blaze. (Crossing the “T” with no way out for Japan). At 4:00 a.m. a Japanese destroyer tried to make a run on us and our 5 inch/25 cal. and main battery 8 inch guns opened up on it - sending death and destruction to sink it. When the battle was over in 15 minutes the Japanese ship losses were: 2 Battleships 5 Cruisers 7 Destroyers The U.S. ship losses were: Destroyer USS Albert Grant hit but not sunk. 'friendly Fire from U.S. cruisers - 6 inch shells" During the battle the Louisville fired more main battery 8 inch shells than the total of all calibers fired by the (6) battleships - from (Man of War). The Louisville fired (37) salvos - 9 - 8 inch guns fired for a total of (333) - 8 inch shells. The “Lady Lou” was honored for this by Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf. I felt I had to write this article from information from my diary and Man of War - U.S.S. Louisville CA-28 book because documentaries and stories like Sea Classics always seem to give most credit to the battleships. I and others who read my story will know what really happened. Give credit to the cruisers for the greatest sea battle. The total shells fired per battleship: Appendix US Battleship Ammunition at Surigao Strait Ship Capacity Total On-Board AP HC Rounds Expended (all AP) West Virginia 800 375 200 175 93 Maryland 800 685 240 445 48 California 1200 318 240 78 63 Tennessee 1200 664 396 268 69 Mississippi 1200 744 201 543 12 Pennsylvania 1200 453 360 93 Did not fire Data from "Two Ocean War" by S.E. Morrison. The Cruisers fired well over 2000 rounds of 6 inch and 8 inch shells. U.S.S. Louisville fired 333 rounds of 8 inch shells. God Bless our servicemen and women - past and present! By: Enrico Trotta (passed in 2017 at age 92) Served aboard the USS Louisville CA- 28 From 1943-46 as a S1c 20 mm AA gun crew

The battle that saved my grandfather, down in the gulf.

Spruance > Halsey Lol between MacArthur and Halsey there was too much ego in the southwest Pacific. Both of them shut down in moments of panic. MacArthur after Pearl Harbor and China entering Korea, Halsey here, tantruming while Taffy 3 dies.

This really does highlight what a bad situation the IJN plan put their fleet in. Turned their best ships into fish in a barrel for the carriers to just keep hitting.

The necessary Cavalla hesitation to fire does show how the originally envisioned sub concept of taking direct, relatively close part in major fleet battles would've been a disaster. The high possibility of friendly fire from disoriented subs.

He had an opportunity to split his force when he left the strait, a second opportunity when he heard Center Force had penetrated the strait, and a third when he turned around. Any of these would've defeated Ozawa's fleet, and the first two would've destroyed Kurita's. Instead, his ships accomplished basically nothing...

No one was minding the store, resulting the Japanese fleet sneaked up the American landing fleet!

A story of admirable bravery

Thanks for this.. very interesting 👍🇳🇿

My great uncle, JW Davenport, was killed by the Kamikaze that hit the Santee. You are the FIRST person , I’ve heard to say that the Santee was the first hit. THANK YOU!!!!! No one ever mentions it.

By the fascinating video. Thank You.

They made two mistakes. They messed with our boats, then they kept messing with our boats.

What a great testament to one of America's Heroes and advocate for equality in American Music.

No doubt about it. They died with their boots on. When the steel of man was stronger than the steel of the ship he rode.

What a difference perspective of the Vietnam war experience. A pilot vs a grunt, such a contrast. I wonder what this man’s background was prior to the war, who his parents were and what station in life they possessed?

I read the Battle of Leyte when I was very young, this video brings back fond memories of reading it. Thank you, very well done!!!!

At the battle of the Philippine Sea, Admiral Halsey sould have been in command of the US fleet, and at the Battle of Leyte Gulf it should have een Spruance. Philippine Sea needed a man of action, Leyte Gulf needed a more sober American Admiral,

Thanks, my uncle was a plank owner of that ship. He was transferred off just weeks before it was struck and dealt with survivor's guilt for the rest of his days.