Battle of Surigao Strait: the Last Battleship Duel 

0:06 the look of absolute joy on Ryan’s face to be talking about a battleship duel.

Crossing the "T" was the icing on the tactical cake. War is not about being fair.

Hi Ryan, I have a special interest in Surigao Strait because my late dad, Radarman Third Class Lloyd E. Nash served aboard BB-46, USS Maryland from March ‘42- the end of the war. He was present at every battle, including the Betty torpedo hit @the port bow and both kamikaze hits; he was friends with every seaman killed and was very descriptive of the damage and repairs. R3C Nash operated the then obsolete surface radar, but was skilled enough to assist in distinguishing the fire control adjustments in coordination with USS West Virginia, the Maryland’s 8 16” guns weren’t totally in the dark per their firing results. Thank you Ryan for your dedication and competence. PS., I’ve wondered just how lucky they were that their combatant was an equally aged battleship and a heavy cruiser instead of their two super-battleships Yamato and Musashi, how would that battle have gone, if…

Ryan, you should write a book of your own. Maybe now is not the time, but there will certainly be enough material in your experience as curator of the museum, however long you remain in that position, to make a fascinating volume. I would be first in line to read it and get it signed.

Hi Ryan, Love your work (we Australians are always jealous when it comes to battleships, never having had one of our own, and only the one battlecruiser, HMAS Australia, in WWI). But please don't forget to mention your allies - Australia had two ships serving with 7th Fleet at Surigao, the heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire, and the Tribal Class destroyer HMAS Arunta, that was the lead ship for DESRON 24 on its flanking torpedo run. My father was leading torpedoman on the Arunta, so he had a close look at the action.

The discrepancy between the damage Fuso and Yamashiro took is very interesting to me. Fuso told very little damage to sink, whereas Yamashiro told several torpedoes, 16, 14, 8, 6, and 5 inch gunfire, and was still steaming at 10+ knots before she finally went down.

quote> When Mississippi discharged her twelve 14-inch guns at Yamashiro at a range of 19,790 yards, at 0408 October 25, 1944, she was not only giving that battleship the coup de grâce, but firing a funeral salute to a finished era of naval warfare. One can imagine the ghosts of all great admirals from Raleigh to Jellicoe standing at attention as [the] Battle Line went into oblivion, along with the Greek phalanx, the Spanish wall of pikemen, the English longbow and the row-galley tactics of Salamis and Lepanto. Samuel Eliot Morison

Please record and post the SYMPOSIUM for us who live far from Batlleship NJ ❤❤❤

My dad's brother, Dale Dunn also served on the USS Maryland from March of '42 through the end of the war. Dale was a Gunner's mate and served as a pointer on one of the 5 inch guns. Dale passed away in 1989 and I only remember seeing him at family reunions. Unfortunately I didn't have the presence of mind as a child or young adult to find out more about his service on the Maryland.

The revenge of the Pearl Harbour battleships

Having read Lundgren and Tully's article, I would highly recompensed it. Very well written and extremely informative. They make very compelling arguments and correct many of the previously held notions about the battle. Definitely worth the time to read it. "In the end, indeed, 'The steel doesn’t lie.'"

My dad joined the US Navy in 1943 (17 Years Age) & retired in 1973. He was on the battleship U.S.S. California during this battle. I donated a professional built model made of mahogany wood as she looked in late 1944 to the New Jersey battleship museum 3 years ago. It came enclosed in it's own plexiglass covered stand. Ryan were you guys ever able to find a use for it on the New Jersey?

Hi Ryan. It wasn’t just US Navy and IJN ships were involved, but the ship HMAS Shropshire of the RAN was involved as well.

Drachs real identity has been revealed!

Just becoming aware of this channel. Really interesting info … great detail & overall sweep. A real find.

This brings memories of talking with close family friend Joe Cunneely (RIP). He was quartermaster on the USS Kitkun Bay during the Battle off Samar.

Thank you for all the work you do .

Cool to hear about Fighting Mary's performance, also I feel like it's worth mentioning that the remaining Japanese Destroyer was Shigure because her story of survival is an interesting one

My second cousin was a file clerk at a navy shore installation from 1972-1975. I figure that confers a lot of significance and moral superiority to my own life somehow.

Greatest battleship battle in history was also its last. A spectacular finish for these mighty ships. The battleship era may be over, but they will always be remembered.

USS LOUISVILLE CA- 28 Heavy Cruiser Greatest Sea Battle - Surigao Strait - NIGHT BATTLE: Give Credit To The Cruisers Not the Battleships From my diary and the Louisville Man of War Book this story should set the records straight that the cruisers proved their weight in gold not the battleships like so many stories told. It was October 24, 1944 aboard the flagship heavy cruiser U.S.S. Louisville CA-28 with the 7 th Fleet - Battleship/Cruiser Force Task Group 77.2 with Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf aboard. I was a 20 year old seaman 1st class assigned to portside 20 mm anti-aircraft gun crew by turret B - 8 inch gun. I had a ring side seat to the greatest naval battle ever. The U.S. Fleet consisted of: 6 Battleships 4 Heavy cruisers (Louisville CA-28 Flagship) 4 Light cruisers 24 Destroyers At about 3:15 a.m. we stared to close in and were given the range of the Japanese ships. The Louisville opened first at 3:50 a.m. with her 9 - 8 inch/55 cal. main battery guns. The second time she fired the 8 inch guns she scored a direct hit and other cruisers and battleships opened up - lighting up the night. The “Lady Lou” as she was known, main battery fired over and over shaking the 600 foot ship from bow to stern. The Japanese ships were caught by surprise and were all a blaze. (Crossing the “T” with no way out for Japan). At 4:00 a.m. a Japanese destroyer tried to make a run on us and our 5 inch/25 cal. and main battery 8 inch guns opened up on it - sending death and destruction to sink it. When the battle was over in 15 minutes the Japanese ship losses were: 2 Battleships 5 Cruisers 7 Destroyers The U.S. ship losses were: Destroyer Albert Grant hit but not sunk. (Friendly Fire) - 6 inch shells! During the battle the Louisville fired more main battery 8 inch shells than the total of all calibers fired by the (6) battleships - from (Man of War). The Louisville fired (37) salvos - 9 - 8 inch guns fired for a total of (333) - 8 inch shells. The “Lady Lou” was honored for this by Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf. I felt I had to write this article from information from my diary and Man of War - U.S.S. Louisville CA-28 book because documentaries and stories like Sea Classics always seem to give most credit to the battleships. I and others who read my story will know what really happened. Give credit to the cruisers for the greatest sea battle. The total shells fired per battleship: Appendix US Battleship Ammunition at Surigao Strait Ship Capacity Total On-Board AP HC Rounds Expended (all AP) West Virginia 800 375 200 175 93 Maryland 800 685 240 445 48 California 1200 318 240 78 63 Tennessee 1200 664 396 268 69 Mississippi 1200 744 201 543 12 Pennsylvania 1200 453 360 93 Did not fire Data from "Two Ocean War" by S.E. Morrison. The Cruisers fired well over 2000 rounds of 6 inch and 8 inch shells. U.S.S. Louisville fired 333 rounds of 8 inch shells. God Bless our servicemen and women - past and present! REF: No #2 main battery 8 inch 55 caliber gun turret currently sits in the Nevada Desert. By: Enrico Trotta - (passed in 2017 at age 92) Served aboard the USS Louisville CA- 28 From 1943-46 as a S1c 20 mm AA gun crew USS LOUISVILLE CA- 28 Heavy Cruiser

I do find it ironic that in the last battleship duel, with 6 battleships on the American side, it's the destroyers that sink both of the Japanese battleships. Also for those curious, here is what the Japanese formation looked like entering the strait. * * * * * * *

Great explanation of history, wonderful video

Doesn't Admiral Oldendorf LOOK like an Admiral Oldendorf?;)

I wish I could be there. My father was on USS California at the time.

Ryan, nice presentation, it might be a slight twist, perhaps the battle/s could be presented in the CIC using the various tools available in the ship, or talked about there.

I would come just to see Tony Tully speak to be honest. The others are sweet, delicious icing on the cake. I wish I could come. My father was a chief machinist mate aboard a destroyer at the Battle of Surigao Strait. Combinedfleet is one of those "gotta go to" web sites for Pacific War historians. Jesse Oldendorf was one of those people you didn't really want to promote out of the job he was doing because he was so damn good at it.

ABSOLUTE LINEUP FOR THAT ANIVERSARY EVENT HOLY-

Unauthorized History of the Pacific covered the battle of Leyte including this exceptionally well

I’d say I’m probably most excited to meet (other than the New Jersey crew of course) Drach and Tully; I plan on bringing my copy of Shattered Sword for the later to sign but I hope he’s not offended by my copy’s binding already falling apart 😂. Interested in seeing who the new addition is Edit: It’s Paul Stillwell?! Awesome

Long range UHF/VHF radio over water is often due to 'ducting'. The air near the sea is quite humid so early in the morning especially you often find the range extended. The radio signals refract towards the higher dielectric constant humid air. I used to be able to talk UHF across lake Ontario in the mornings...not every morning. Terry, WA4BVY, NC PE

If you want Surigao Strait to be more terrifying imagine the ambush was this 1 RAN County class with 8 9.2" guns and 16 21" TT, 1 Northampton, 1 Portland, 1 New Orleans with 9 10" guns, 2 Cleveland with 15 6" guns, 2 Brooklyn with 15 6" guns, 23 Fletcher-class with 10 5" and 10 21" TT, 2 Gleaves-class with 8" 5" and 10 21" TT and 1 Tribal-class with 8 4.7" and 10 21" TT Yeah in a Surigao Strait where Shropshire is a 15,500-18,000 ton cruiser with 8 234mm guns and 4 quad torpedo launchers means she'd have the heaviest torpedo broadside out of the USN-RAN fleet of cruisers

Today 10 October is my Grandfather, James William Isenhour, birthday. Last year I ordered a US Flag to be flown over his Battleship New Jersey. I keep it next to the flag that was on his casket. Thank you everyone at the museum and if you have a sailor in your family that served on the New Jersey think about getting a flag flown for them.

I’ll be bringing my copy of Shattered Sword to the symposium, for Tully to sign. It’s a fascinating book.

I don't have the Tully's book or the Lungren article but do have "the Battle of Leyte Gulf" by Thomas Cutler, an interesting read, published by Naval Institute Press.

Surigao Strait is one of my favorite battles to study. USS West Virginia has become one of my favorite battleships. Her story is so compelling from sinking in Pearl Harbor. The fight she put up. The wisdom of her captain to keep her on even keel as she sank. Then the rebuild. She became one of the sexiest battleships in the fleet. She started firing before orders came from the admiral on the older ship with lesser radar. West Virginia made many 16” hits on Yamashiro. I wish she and Washington, as two battleships that successfully fought enemy battleships, they earned it. Thankfully, Massachusetts, the third U.S. battleship to successfully engage an enemy battleship was preserved.

My ex father-in-law served on the destroyer Bennion as a torpedoman. He loved to tell anyone who would listen about this battle.

Agreed that the old landing fire support battleships had more gunnery experience than fast battleships, except USS Washington. I’ve heard plenty about how Lee drilled and drilled Washington gun crews.

You did not cover the Battle of the Sulu Sea, when the Y & F were attacked by USN planes in the morning. It was an aerial scouting force and as far as I know it lacked torpedo planes, so only mild damage was done with dive bombing. A second wave with Avengers was going to be sent but the Sibuyan Sea stuff aborted that. The Battle of Surigao Strait was not, repeat was not, a true battleship engagement. It was a destroyer v battleship engagement. The Fuso took probably two torps probably from the USS Melvin (good old Fletcher) and promptly fell out of line and went glub glub in about 40 minutes. The Fusos/Ises never had a good underwater protection system even after modernization, and the USN torp warheads had been replaced with the Brit Torpex 50+ more powerful than TNT (Kongo would be sunk be one major hit -- the other was near the tip of the bow). As noted in this vid she went down intact, did not explode as long thought. So Fuso never in a batship battle, only one IJN batship continued north to say hi. As for the Yamashiro, yes it was hit by the USN batships, but that did not matter. Y had taken a lots of destroyer torps exact number unknown. She was in sinking condition and doomed. The artillery hits added to the misery but did not sink her. Nor did she fire at the USN battle line, the IJN fire control could not hit anything over 5 miles at night (gyros not able to generate an artificial vertical, so-so radar and computer), she fired at our cruisers that were closer and apparently shot fairly well but did not hit anything. But the rifle duel was brief as the Y quickly capsized from breached underwater protection. To put it another way, had there been no USN batships in the battle, the two IJN vessels would have been sunk by destroyer torpedoes alone before either got to the transports -- as noted, the IJN radar could not tell ships from islands, they were sitting ducks. The involvement of the American battleships was spectacular but superficial. The USN destroyers do not get the credit the plucky little ships deserve. (The PT boats did not get a hit with their torps, I do not think they ever seriously damaged a major warship, they were a useful scouting-tracking element in this battler.)

I'm a retired airdale and I was going to meet my wife's nanay and tatay and I knew it was in Leyte. Just outside their front door was where it all happened, I got a bit excited and I bet they thought I had been into the Red Horse or tuba. Surigao was 20km south. Filipinos love MacArthur but didn't share my enthusiasm for the battle of Leyte Gulf.

Hey Ryan here is some navel archeology for you. One of the barbettes from Mississippi was used as a Dolphin enclosure from i think 1956 to 2023. Its still in place at the Gulfarium Marine park in Fort Walton Beach, Fl.

Will the symposium be live streamed or posted at a later date for those who could not make it to the event? I would really love to watch the event, even if access to the stream or video was pay for only.

Ryan, I have a hypothetical question for you: If the Navy were to commission a new battleship today, what would it be like?

The Battle of Leyte Gulf involved three US destroyers and four destroyer escorts defending six US light carriers from the full Japanese Navy. This was more uneven than David and Goliath. The Japanese Navy turned around and ran from the battle. The best quote from a US Navy seaman was, "Look, Admiral! They are getting away!"

Its funny that on the list of the guest speakers, Alex Pocklington is on the top 😂

Capt Coward. I wonder if that was the same dude who captained USS Sterret in 1st battle of Guadalcanal (Nov 13th) ?

I assume that's a replica .45 pistol hanging on the wall behind you?

My question is ALWAYS What 7th Fleet ships were waiting in Leyte Gulf if Kurita had sailed in? I know Pennsylvania was there but who else?

Just call it, "The Last Gun Fight!"

Is it a symposium or a conference ?

I will pay for a video of the lecture.

Modern Military Command: "Hoist your skirts and ready the feminine products!" Chesty Puller Face palms in disbelief

I wish I could go.

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The Japanese naval strategy seems to be overly complicated on many occasions and the whole Leyte Gulf engagement was the ultimate. Of course, it was the final time that they had an opportunity to be that way as they were unable to employ sufficient naval forces after the battle ended. Pearl Harbor was a complex operation which was successful, but efforts at Midway, Coral Sea, Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf were complex operations which were not successful. Perhaps the Pearl Harbor effort jaded their subsequent thinking. How did they think they were going to force such a narrow channel at Surigao with two large forces? Did they thing that the Americans wouldn't cover it? Did they really think that they would achieve surprise with their pincer after being torpedoed by Darter and Dace? With timing of the pincers so critical, how could they depend on radio silence? They were hoping that the American deployments would work in their favor without any supporting intelligence. What might have been the result if they had the entire fleet force the San Bernardino Strait with a two or three wave attack which would have overwhelmed the US Fleet?

50 buck ticket prices in Camden for us local folks.

That wasn't duel, it was an execution.

Mississippi fired the last salvo of ther battle . . . . and . . . . . and . . . . . . has it landed yet?

33rd, 10 October 2024

C'mon now quit calling it Surigawa. That like pronouncing New Hampshire as "Newo Hamp-She-Rey" 😭

You babble on too much

Its surigao not surigawa. You cant be trusted if you didnt do enough research to be able to prnounce the damn name correctly.