14. A David vs Goliath Naval Battle
The Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1945 was history’s biggest naval engagement. It was the outcome of a complex Japanese plan featuring many moving parts and attacks from various directions. The goal was to draw off the main US fleet guarding the American landings at Leyte Gulf and send it on wild goose chase. When that happened, a powerful Japanese fleet would fall upon the unprotected Leyte Gulf, and devastate the Americans there.
The plan worked well. Japanese aircraft carriers were dangled as bait for Admiral William F. Halsey, and he steamed off with his powerful 3rd Fleet to sink them, telling nobody. He left behind a small fleet of escort carriers and destroyer escorts that had been repurposed for ground attack and support duties. They had little in the way of anti-ship weapons. On October 25th, 1944, they found themselves as underdogs in one of history’s most lopsided David vs Goliath naval engagements. They pulled off an upset that averted an American catastrophe.
