Submarine Croaker

MON 23 OCT 1944
Pacific
Battle for Leyte Gulf (a succession of distinct fleet engagements) opens. While Darter (SS-227) continues to trail Japanese ships detected the previous day, submarine Bream (SS-243) torpedoes heavy cruiser Aoba off Manila Bay, 14°06'N, 119°37'E. Subsequently, Darter and Dace (SS-247) attack what proves to be the "Center Force" (Vice Admiral Kurita Takeo), one of the three main bodies of the Japanese fleet moving toward Leyte in a major effort to drive U.S. forces from the Philippines. Dace sinks heavy cruiser Maya, 09°28'N, 117°20'E, while Darter sinks heavy cruiser Atago and damages her sistership Takao, 09°24'N, 117°11'E.

Destroyer escort Gilligan (DE-508) bombards Emidj Island, Jaluit Atoll.

Submarine Croaker (SS-246) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Hakuran Maru in Yellow Sea, off west coast of Korea, 35°29'N, 126°05'E.

Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) lands men and supplies on east coast of Luzon; she will repeat the operation on 24 and 25 October 1944.

Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) sinks Japanese seaplane carrier Kimikawa Maru west of Luzon, 18°58'N, 118°31'E.

Submarine Snook (SS-279) damages Japanese merchant tanker Kikusui Maru in South China Sea, west of Luzon Strait, 19°44'N, 118°25'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese cargo ships Toun Maru and Tatsuju Maru and transport Wakatake Maru, 24°49'N, 120°26'E, and merchant cargo ship Kori Go, 24°42'N, 120°21'E, in Formosa Strait.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in two missions (three TDRs each) flown against beached Japanese ships in Moisuru Bay and off the south end of the Kahili airstrip. In the first mission, one TDR scores a direct hit on "Kahili Maru"; in the second, one TDR scores a direct hit on "Kahili Maru" while another hits a beached merchantman in Moisuru Bay.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boats attack German southbound convoy in Ligurian Sea south of Sestri Levanti with no success; a subsequent attack, however, results in the sinking of one F-lighter.

Destroyer Woolsey (DD-437) shells German targets in San Remo area; she repeats bombardment mission the next day.

See also.