Since a series of stinging setbacks from America’s carrier planes during operations in the Central Pacific, the main body of the Japanese fleet—still a formidable host—had held back from fighting American ships in strength. Landings in the Philippines were too much to put up with, however—too close to the beloved homeland; His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s ships had to fight now, no matter how desperate the situation—or rather because the situation _was_ so desperate. The Japanese executed a plan long held in readiness for just this event—the _Sho_ plan, or Plan of Victory, as it was hopefully called, though the Japanese navy’s chief of staff more realistically called it “Our last line of home defense.” The stage was set for the greatest naval battle of all time, the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The naval lineup on the eve of battle—greatly simplified, perhaps oversimplified—was as follows: U. S. Navy _Seventh Fleet_, under Vice-Admiral Thomas Kincaid: This slow but powerful force included six over-age battleships, 18 small, slow escort carriers, five heavy cruisers, six light cruisers, 86 destroyers, 25 destroyer escorts, 11 frigates, and the usual gunboats, supply train and landing craft for an amphibious operation—plus all the PTs on the scene, the 45 veterans of the New Guinea blockade. Mission of the Seventh Fleet was close support of the Sixth Army landing force. _Third Fleet_, under Admiral William Halsey: This fast and mighty force had six new fast battleships, 16 fast carriers, six heavy cruisers, nine light cruisers and 58 destroyers. Mission of the Third Fleet was to prowl the waters north of the landings on the lookout for a chance to destroy once and for all the main Japanese battle fleet, especially its remaining carriers. Japanese Navy _Northern Decoy Force_, under Vice-Admiral Ozawa: Four fat carriers, prime targets for the aggressive Halsey, were screened by eight destroyers and one light cruiser. Mission of the force was suicidal. Without enough planes to make a serious fight, Admiral Ozawa nevertheless hoped to lure Halsey’s powerful Third Fleet away from the landing beach, thus exposing American transports to attack by two powerful Japanese surface striking forces that were to sneak into Leyte Gulf through the back door, or rather two back doors at San Bernardino and Surigao Straits, north and south of Leyte Island. _Central Striking Force_, under Vice-Admiral Kurita: Five battleships, ten heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and 15 destroyers. Admiral Kurita was to take this formidable surface fleet through San Bernardino Straits, at the northern tip of Samar, to come down on the transports “like a wolf on the fold” while Halsey’s force was wasting time on the sacrificial carrier decoy in the north. _Southern Striking Force_, under Vice-Admiral Shima: