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- Intense photos show the WWII Battle of Leyte Gulf - the biggest naval battle of all-time
Intense photos show the WWII Battle of Leyte Gulf - the biggest naval battle of all-time
The USS Princeton light aircraft carrier was hit by a Yokosuka D4Y dive-bomber's 550-pound bomb. It was the most crucial vessel the US Navy lost during the three-day battle.
![Intense photos show the WWII Battle of Leyte Gulf - the biggest naval battle of all-time](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-66383988%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-87490%2Fthe-uss-princeton-light-aircraft-carrier-was-hit-by-a-yokosuka-d4y-dive-bombers-550-pound-bomb-it-was-the-most-crucial-vessel-the-us-navy-lost-during-the-three-day-battle-.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
The USS Gambier Bay billowing smoke after likely getting struck by Japanese cruisers, which are credited with sinking the US escort carrier.
![The USS Gambier Bay billowing smoke after likely getting struck by Japanese cruisers, which are credited with sinking the US escort carrier.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383986,width-700,height-525,imgsize-262390/the-uss-gambier-bay-billowing-smoke-after-likely-getting-struck-by-japanese-cruisers-which-are-credited-with-sinking-the-us-escort-carrier-.jpg)
Read more about escort carriers here.
The USS St. Lo escort carrier just moments after getting struck by a Japanese Kamikaze, pilots trained for suicide attacks meant to destroy US ships. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the first time Japan used Kamikaze fighters.
![The USS St. Lo escort carrier just moments after getting struck by a Japanese Kamikaze, pilots trained for suicide attacks meant to destroy US ships. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the first time Japan used Kamikaze fighters.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383985,width-700,height-525,imgsize-252563/the-uss-st-lo-escort-carrier-just-moments-after-getting-struck-by-a-japanese-kamikaze-pilots-trained-for-suicide-attacks-meant-to-destroy-us-ships-the-battle-of-leyte-gulf-was-the-first-time-japan-used-kamikaze-fighters-.jpg)
Despite the US losses, the Allies hit back hard during later engagements of the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
![Despite the US losses, the Allies hit back hard during later engagements of the Battle of Leyte Gulf.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383984,width-700,height-525,imgsize-292753/despite-the-us-losses-the-allies-hit-back-hard-during-later-engagements-of-the-battle-of-leyte-gulf-.jpg)
Perhaps the biggest Japanese loss was the fleet carrier Zuikaku, the flagship of the Japan's Northern Force, which had also launched planes during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
![Perhaps the biggest Japanese loss was the fleet carrier Zuikaku, the flagship of the Japan](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383983,width-700,height-525,imgsize-234128/perhaps-the-biggest-japanese-loss-was-the-fleet-carrier-zuikaku-the-flagship-of-the-japans-northern-force-which-had-also-launched-planes-during-the-surprise-attack-on-pearl-harbor-.jpg)
Here's a wider shot of the Zuikaku under attack from the air. The Allied planes eventually sunk the Japanese carrier.
![Here](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383982,width-700,height-525,imgsize-246743/heres-a-wider-shot-of-the-zuikaku-under-attack-from-the-air-the-allied-planes-eventually-sunk-the-japanese-carrier-.jpg)
The cruisers USS Louisville, USS Portland, USS Minneapolis, USS Denver, and USS Columbia fire simultaneously on Japanese ships.
![The cruisers USS Louisville, USS Portland, USS Minneapolis, USS Denver, and USS Columbia fire simultaneously on Japanese ships.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383981,width-700,height-525,imgsize-88506/the-cruisers-uss-louisville-uss-portland-uss-minneapolis-uss-denver-and-uss-columbia-fire-simultaneously-on-japanese-ships-.jpg)
Two Japanese battleships, the Fusō (front) and possibly the Yamashiro (back), under attack from US planes. Both battleships were sunk during the engagement.
![Two Japanese battleships, the Fusō (front) and possibly the Yamashiro (back), under attack from US planes. Both battleships were sunk during the engagement.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383980,width-700,height-525,imgsize-157401/two-japanese-battleships-the-fus-front-and-possibly-the-yamashiro-back-under-attack-from-us-planes-both-battleships-were-sunk-during-the-engagement-.jpg)
And here's a view directly on top of either the Fusō or Yamashiro as it's bombed by US aircraft from above, some of which were launched by the famed aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.
![And here](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-66383979,width-700,height-525,imgsize-231249/and-heres-a-view-directly-on-top-of-either-the-fus-or-yamashiro-as-its-bombed-by-us-aircraft-from-above-some-of-which-were-launched-by-the-famed-aircraft-carrier-uss-enterprise-.jpg)
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