bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 23 Mar 2024.

This webpage describes major naval combat during the liberation of the Philippines aside from the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
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 the Battle of 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. Five Pottawattamie area men died in such attacks. Air attacks were increasingly by kamikaze suicide aircraft.

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.
Navy actions in the Ormoc Bay area during this period are collectively referred to as the Battle of Ormoc Bay.

Sources for Big Pigeon's Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War webpage:
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Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War:
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.
10-03 - Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War: (five dead, updated 7 Jan 2023) † Adler, Marvin Sanford, SN 724-60-92, US Navy, Pott. Co. & Bexar Co., TX
  • Destroyer USS Anderson (DD 411), Task Group 77.2, Seventh Fleet; WIA 1 Nov 1944 Leyte Gulf, Philippines; DOW 4 Nov 1944; kamikaze attack, 16 dead; Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War.​
† Gustafson, Carl Lynn, SN 37-024-692, US Army, Emmet Co.​
  • 279th Replacement Co., 21st Replacement Depot (Infantry); KIA 10/11 Feb 1945 off E coast of Mindanao, Philippines; on LST-577 in a convoy proceeding from Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea to Leyte, Philippines; ship torpedoed by Japanese submarine RO-50 & broke in two with aft section sinking immediately; 66 naval & 100 army dead; Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War; BNR.
† LaVars, Kenneth Charles, SN 393-32-67, US Navy, Montgomery Co.
  • Came on board Escort Carrier USS Salamaua (CVE-96) 26 May 1944; Salamaua assigned to Task Unit 77.4.1 of the Seventh Fleet for the Luzon, Philippines invasion; KIA 13 Jan 1945 South China Sea, 80 miles W of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon; Salamaua was waiting to refuel at sea whe hit by kamikaze carrying two bombs; 19 dead (14 buried at sea five missing), Salamaua survived; Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War; BNR.
† Meredith, Glenn T., SN 322-15-52, US Navy, Mills Co.
  • US Navy Armed Guard, stationed on ammunition ship SS Lewis L. Dyche; KIA 4 Jan 1945 Mindoro Harbor, Mindoro Is., Philippines; Dyche hit by Japanese kamikaze, exploded, and sank without a trace; all 43 crew members and 28 armed guards died; Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War; BNR. 
† Riddle, Carl William, SN 648-73-55, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • Destroyer USS Cooper (DD 605), Destroyer Division 120, Destroyer Sqdn. 60, Seventh Fleet; KIA 3 Dec 1944 off west coast of Leyte, Philippines; Cooper sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedo; 191 dead, 168 survivors; Battle of Ormoc Bay - Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War; BNR.