Naval warfare has transformed out of all recognition from the tactics of wooden frigates and cannonballs to the current sophisticated, multifaceted operations of today’s Surface Navy. Ships propelled by sails in direct combat during this era sought to either sink or capture enemy vessels. The “New Navy” initiated a century of worldwide missions, witnessing the Great White Fleet, World War I convoy operations, and the unprecedented carrier battles of World War II. Further evidence of the changing Navy came with the ability of the United States to land massive amphibious forces into Korea while still fighting wars on two fronts.
Advanced propulsion and weapons have remarkably increased the reach and operational level of today’s Navy, elevating warfare on the surface into so many exceptional scopes of mission areas, ship classes, and specialized operations of aviation, damage control, and seamanship. The advanced missions include anti-air warfare, amphibious warfare, ballistic missile defense, VBSS, mine warfare, and antisubmarine warfare. With modern vessels propelled with the most up-to-date propulsion systems in fuel, nuclear, and electric drive technologies, they are sure to be among the front-runners of maritime defense.
The battle of Leyte Gulf fought at the Philippine islands on October 23-26, 1944, probably is the most eventful sea battle ever. On the other hand, the Japanese Navy never again operated as a fleet after that battle. It presaged the end of centuries-old naval warfare traditions, for it would be the last sea battle to feature battleships and the classic maneuver of “crossing the T.” The battle occurred through three major actions: the Battle of Surigao Straits, the Battle of Samar Island, and the Battle of Cape Engano.
Leyte Gulf is important both for its scale and for the array of naval implements used, excluding of course mines. Significantly, the first Kamikaze attacks had come on the 25th of October when five planes attacked U.S. Seventh Fleet escort carriers. These attacks can be seen as the forerunners of today’s cruise missiles and, in so doing, pave the way for weapons systems such as the AEGIS Weapon System.
No previous U.S. Navy ship had been named Leyte Gulf, although three previous Navy ships swam the oceans with the name Leyte. This storied battle and the changes to naval warfare it represents should constantly remind the service of the need to innovate and adapt to remain preeminent on the high seas.