1944-Contin ued

carriers Chiyoda, Zuiho, and Chitose, the latter with

the assistance of cruiser gunfire. Off Leyte, Kamikaze

pilots, in the first planned suicide attacks of the war,

hit the escort carriers, sinking St. Lo and damaging

Sa nga m on, Suwannee (AO 33), Santee, White Plains,

Kalinin Bay, and Kitkun Bay. As remnants of the

Japanese Fleet limped homeward through the Central

Philippines, (26-27 Oct) carrier aircraft sank a light

cruiser and four destroyers, to bring Japanese battle

losses to 26 major combatant ships totaling over

300,000 tons.

Direct air support in the Leyte-Samar area was

assumed by Allied Air based at Tacloban (27 Oct) and

2 days later the escort carriers retired. Later one group

operated at sea to protect convoys from the Admiralties

,

Kamikaze barely misses the canjer SangamolJ 700580

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

145

!

,

Navy Ace, David McCampbell 258198

against air and submarine attack (19-28 Nov) and

another group performed the same services (14-23

Nov) for convoys from Ulithi. The Fast Carrier Force

also continued support for 2 days attacking airfields on

Luzon and in the Visayas (27-28 Oct), shipping near

Cebu (28 Oct), and Luzon airfields and shipping in

Manila Bay (29 Oct). In supporting operations during

October, carrier aircraft destroyed 1,046 enemy aircraft.

Requirements for continued carrier air support for

the campaign caused cancellation of a planned Fast