http://onwar.com/chrono/1944/oct44/25oct44.htm
American victory in Leyte Gulf
Wednesday, October 25, 1944 www.onwar.com
A Kamikazi strikes an American escort carrier at Leyte Gulf [photo at link]
In the Philippines... On land, the US 1st Cavalry Division continues advancing on the northeast coast of Leyte. Other elements of US 10th and US 24th Corps, to the south, are inactive because of a lack of supplies. At sea, the Japanese Southern Force (Nishimura) and the 2nd Striking Force (Shima) engage American forces, commanded by Admiral Oldendorf, blocking the Surigao Strait. After suffering losses the Japanese withdraw. The Center Force (Kurita) passes through the San Bernardino Strait and engages US Task Force 77.4.3 (Sprague) which is then reinforced by aircraft from TF77.4.2 as it attempts to retreat. Center Force suffers some losses and Admiral Kurita chooses to withdraw because he believes the aircraft are from US Task Force 38. While Center Force turns back, TF77.4.3 is struck by Kamikaze strikes which sink 4 escort carriers. These are the first significant Kamikaze attacks recorded. At the same time, TF77.4.1 is also attacked by Kamikazes. Meanwhile, the Northern Force (Ozawa) is attacked TF38. Only the carrier-battleships (Ise and Hyuga) survive the day. During the engagement, two groups of TF38 turn back to attack Center Force but fail to arrive in time.
In Norway... In the far north, Soviet forces capture the port of Kirkenes. Naval forces provide fire support and transport for several small amphibious operations.
On the Eastern Front... In the south, Soviet led forces have cleared Transylvania.
In Italy... The British 5th Corps (part of British 8th Army) crosses the Ronco River.
headline:
"Release Findings, Kimmel Demands – 5" Kimmel will not be granted the court marshal he requested, and will not be cleared of charges of errors in judgment and dereliction of duty.
Kimmel died in 1968.
"On May 25, 1999, the United States Senate, by a vote of 52–47, passed a non-binding resolution to exonerate Kimmel and Short and requested that the President of the United States posthumously restore both men to full rank.
[6] Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC), one of the sponsors of the resolution, called Kimmel and Short "the two final victims of Pearl Harbor."
Neither President Clinton nor Presidents Bush or Obama after him did so.
The Senate enquiry in 2000 issued a lengthy exoneration of Kimmel's conduct.[7]"
"Historians generally recognise that American forces would have fared poorly even if Kimmel had reacted differently. In a 1964 interview Admiral Chester Nimitz, who took over as commander of the Pacific Fleet three weeks after the attack, concluded that "it was God's mercy that our fleet was in Pearl Harbor on December 7."[10]
If Kimmel had "had advance notice that the Japanese were coming, he most probably would have tried to intercept them.
With the difference in speed between Kimmel's battleships and the faster Japanese carriers, the former could not have come within rifle range of the enemy's flattops.
As a result, we would have lost many ships in deep water and also thousands more in lives."[10]
Instead, at Pearl Harbor, the crews were easily rescued, and six battleships ultimately raised.[11]
This was also the assessment of Joseph Rochefort, head of Station HYPO, who remarked the attack was cheap at the price.[12]"
