CTF 77 POST-BATTLE
NAVAL MESSAGE

(CTF 77 SENDS)
FURTHER DETAILS ARE NOW AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE BATTLE FOUGHT YESTERDAY BETWEEN OUR CVE COVERING GROUP OF 16 CVES WITH ACCOMPANYING ESCORT OF DDS AND DES TO THE EAST OF LEYTE GULF AND A STRONG ENEMY SURFACE FORCE NOW ESTIMATED AS 4 BB 8 CA AND CL 7 OR MORE DDS WHICH SORTIED THROUGH SAN BERNARDINO STRAIT.  IN THIS ACTION OUR CVE GROUP TURNED BACK AND DEFEATED A HEAVY ENEMY SURFACE FORCE WHICH WAS SUPPORTED BY STRONG SHORE BASED AIR.  THE ATTACKING ENEMY FORCE WAS ABLE TO CLOSE OUR SLOWER CVE FORCE BUT WAS TURNED BACK BY AIR ATTACKS FROM CVES ONLY TO RETURN AGAIN AND WAS DRIVEN OFF THE 2ND TIME RETREATING THROUGH SAN BERNARDINO STRAITS.  ON THE BASIS OF INCOMPLETE REPORTS THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE WAS INFLICTED ON THE ENEMY.  4 TORPEDO HITS IN A BB AND 1 CA STOPPED AND BURNING

WHILE THE ENEMY WAS IN THE MINDANAO SEA.  OFF SAMAR AT LEAST 2 BBS WERE HIT BY TORPEDOES AND 1 CA STOPPED DEAD.  NO REPORT ON ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED.  THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE DAMAGE INFLECTED ON THE ENEMY BY MANY PLANES WHICH WERE FORCED TO LAND ON LEYTE FIELDS.  OUR LOSSES CVE SAINT LO (FORMER MIDWAY) SUNK.  CVE GAMBIER BAY DD HOEL AND DD JOHNSTON PLUS DE ROBERTS MISSING SINCE BOMBARDMENT BY ENEMY SURFACE FORCES AND PRESUMED SUNK.  DAMAGE.  CVES SANGAMON SUWANNEE AND SANTEE ALL HIT BY SUICIDE CRASH PLANES.  SANTEE ALSO HIT BY TORPEDO.  FANSHAW AND KITKUN BAY HIT AND FIRES STARTED.  PERSONNEL CASUALTIES ON SUNK AND MISSING SHIPS UNDETERMINED.  KNOWN DEAD ON DAMAGED SHIPS 67.  MANY INJURED.  OUR AIRCRAFT LOSSES ABOUT 130 PLANES FROM ALL CAUSES INCLUDING CRASH LANDINGS ON LEYTE FIELDS.  TODAY OUR CVE GROUP HAS AGAIN BEEN UNDER AIR ATTACK BY SHORE BASED

AIR AND HAVE RECEIVED SOME FURTHER DAMAGE.  FRAGMENTARY REPORTS INDICATE THAT 22 ENEMY PLANES HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWN TODAY CAP OVER LEYTE GULF.  DURING MORNING SWEEP A KUMA CLASS CRUISER WAS HIT WITH BOMBS AMIDSHIPS AND ON THE STERN AND LEFT CIRCLING IN POSIT 11-25 N 124-05 E.
SOME FURTHER INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE OF THE SURFACE ACTION BETWEEN OUR SURFACE FORCES AND THOSE OF THE ENEMY IN SURIGAO STRAIT NIGHT OF 24-25 OCTOBER.  FORCE OF 30 PT'S OPERATING IN LOWER SURIGAO STRAIT REPORT THAT VISUAL AND RADAR CONTACTS INDICATE THE ENEMY FORCE CONSISTED OF ABOUT 18 SHIPS INCLUDING 1 BB AND 2 CRUISERS.  OF 9 TORPEDOES FIRED BY THESE PT'S 2 HITS WERE MADE.  1 ON DD AND 1 ON DD DEAD IN WATER ALONGSIDE BURNING HULK.  PT 493 WAS SUNK 2 OTHERS HEAVILY DAMAGED PLUS MINOR DAMAGE ON MANY OTHERS.  PT PERSONNEL CASUALTIES 4

KILLED 20 WOUNDED.  ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE BELIEVE THAT FORMER REPORT OF AT LEAST 8 SHIPS OF ALL TYPES SUNK WAS CONSERVATIVE.  UNLOADING OF FOLLOW UP ECHELON LSR AND LIBERTY SHIPS PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY.  SHIPS IN LEYTE GULF HAVE BEEN UNDER INTERMITTENT AIR ATTACK THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH NO DAMAGE REPORTED.  ESTIMATE 200 ENEMY PLANES OVER LEYTE AREA TODAY.  THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE PLANE ATTACKING OVER CVES.