bigpigeon.us webpage WW II - Japan > Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War, updated by RAC 6 Sep 2020.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf occurred in late October 1944 at the beginning of the long and bloody United States Army campaign to recapture the numerous Philippine Islands. After Leyte Gulf, Japan no longer had an effective fleet of large surface warships. However, Japan still had the capability to wage sea war through submarines, destroyers, and aircraft. Six men from the Pottawattamie County area died in such attacks. Air attacks were increasingly by kamikaze suicide aircraft.
The seventh death listed below was one of 790 who died in a natural disaster, Typhoon Cobra, that befall the US Navy's Task Force 38. Survivors on the USS Monterey included my cousin's father-in-law, Rolf Haasarud, and a future President, Gerald Ford.
The Battle(s) of Ormoc Bay:
As the land battle on Leyte drug on through November 1944, the Japanese continued to land reinforcements at Ormoc Bay on Leyte's west coast. U.S. aircraft and surface ships attempted to intercept and sink as many transports as possible.
Sources for the Philippines Naval War webpage:
07-02 - Other Philippines Area Naval Losses: (seven dead, updated 24 Jul 2020)
† Adler, Marvin Sanford, SN 724-60-92, US Navy, Pott. Co. & Bexar Co., TX
destroyer USS Anderson (DD 411), Task Group 77.2, WIA 1 Nov 1944 Leyte Gulf, Philippines; DOW 4 Nov 1944; kamikaze attack damaged Anderson, 16 dead.
† Allstot, Max Vernon, SN 621-05-54, US Navy, Shelby & Crawford Cos.
cruiser USS Louisville (CA 28); KIA 6 Jan 1945 Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines, kamikaze attack damaged Louisville, 42 dead; BNR.
† Crose, James Harvey, SN 37-470-848, USAAF, Pott. Co.
498th Bomber Sqdn., 345th Bomb. Gp. 5th AF; berthed on Liberty Ship SS Thomas Nelson; KIA 12 Nov 1944, Dulag Harbor, Leyte Gulf, Philippines; kamikaze attack damaged Thomas Nelson, 136 died, 133 were AAF.
† Daughtrey, Gilbert Pryor, SN 701-04-70, US Navy, Pott. Co. & Jackson Co., MO
submarine USS Growler (SS 215); KIA 8 Nov 1944 W of Manila Bay, Philippines, South China Sea; Growler likely sunk by Japanese depth charge, all 86 dead, BNR.
† Etheridge, Lindsey Edward, SN 621-88-27, US Navy, Pott. Co.
destroyer USS Monaghan (DD-354); DNB 18 Dec 1944 E of the Philippines, Monaghan sank in Typhoon Cobra, 256 died, six survived (two other destroyers were lost in Typhoon Cobra); BNR.
† Meredith, Glenn T., SN 322-15-52, US Navy, Mills Co.
US Navy Armed Guards, ammunition ship SS Lewis L. Dyche; KIA 4 Jan 1945 Mindoro Harbor, Mindoro Is., Philippines; Dyche hit by Japanese Kamikaze plane, exploded, and sank without a trace; all 43 crew members and 28 armed guard died; BNR
† Riddle, Carl William, SN 648-73-55, US Navy, Pott. Co.
destroyer USS Cooper (DD-605); KIA 3 Dec 1944 off west coast of Leyte, Philippines; Cooper sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedoes, 191 lost, 168 saved; Battle of Ormoc Bay; BNR.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf occurred in late October 1944 at the beginning of the long and bloody United States Army campaign to recapture the numerous Philippine Islands. After Leyte Gulf, Japan no longer had an effective fleet of large surface warships. However, Japan still had the capability to wage sea war through submarines, destroyers, and aircraft. Six men from the Pottawattamie County area died in such attacks. Air attacks were increasingly by kamikaze suicide aircraft.
The seventh death listed below was one of 790 who died in a natural disaster, Typhoon Cobra, that befall the US Navy's Task Force 38. Survivors on the USS Monterey included my cousin's father-in-law, Rolf Haasarud, and a future President, Gerald Ford.
The Battle(s) of Ormoc Bay:
As the land battle on Leyte drug on through November 1944, the Japanese continued to land reinforcements at Ormoc Bay on Leyte's west coast. U.S. aircraft and surface ships attempted to intercept and sink as many transports as possible.
- On 3 December, off Ormoc Bay, the new destroyer USS Cooper (DD-605), patrolling with other destroyers, was torpedoed by enemy destroyers and sank with heavy loss of life.
- On 7 December, the U.S. 77th Infantry Division staged an amphibious landing in Ormoc Bay. While supporting this landing, two additional U.S. destroyers, the Mahan and Ward, were lost due to kamikaze attacks.
Sources for the Philippines Naval War webpage:
07-02 - Other Philippines Area Naval Losses: (seven dead, updated 24 Jul 2020)
† Adler, Marvin Sanford, SN 724-60-92, US Navy, Pott. Co. & Bexar Co., TX
destroyer USS Anderson (DD 411), Task Group 77.2, WIA 1 Nov 1944 Leyte Gulf, Philippines; DOW 4 Nov 1944; kamikaze attack damaged Anderson, 16 dead.
† Allstot, Max Vernon, SN 621-05-54, US Navy, Shelby & Crawford Cos.
cruiser USS Louisville (CA 28); KIA 6 Jan 1945 Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines, kamikaze attack damaged Louisville, 42 dead; BNR.
† Crose, James Harvey, SN 37-470-848, USAAF, Pott. Co.
498th Bomber Sqdn., 345th Bomb. Gp. 5th AF; berthed on Liberty Ship SS Thomas Nelson; KIA 12 Nov 1944, Dulag Harbor, Leyte Gulf, Philippines; kamikaze attack damaged Thomas Nelson, 136 died, 133 were AAF.
† Daughtrey, Gilbert Pryor, SN 701-04-70, US Navy, Pott. Co. & Jackson Co., MO
submarine USS Growler (SS 215); KIA 8 Nov 1944 W of Manila Bay, Philippines, South China Sea; Growler likely sunk by Japanese depth charge, all 86 dead, BNR.
† Etheridge, Lindsey Edward, SN 621-88-27, US Navy, Pott. Co.
destroyer USS Monaghan (DD-354); DNB 18 Dec 1944 E of the Philippines, Monaghan sank in Typhoon Cobra, 256 died, six survived (two other destroyers were lost in Typhoon Cobra); BNR.
† Meredith, Glenn T., SN 322-15-52, US Navy, Mills Co.
US Navy Armed Guards, ammunition ship SS Lewis L. Dyche; KIA 4 Jan 1945 Mindoro Harbor, Mindoro Is., Philippines; Dyche hit by Japanese Kamikaze plane, exploded, and sank without a trace; all 43 crew members and 28 armed guard died; BNR
† Riddle, Carl William, SN 648-73-55, US Navy, Pott. Co.
destroyer USS Cooper (DD-605); KIA 3 Dec 1944 off west coast of Leyte, Philippines; Cooper sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedoes, 191 lost, 168 saved; Battle of Ormoc Bay; BNR.