Made by the U.S. Army in 1949, this black & white documentary film is about the 1944 Battle Of Leyte and the naval Battle of Leyte Gulf during World War II. The Battle of Leyte was an amphibious invasion of the Philippines by American forces and Filipino guerrillas under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, against the Imperial Japanese Army led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the first battle in which Japanese aircraft carried out organized kamikaze attacks, and the last naval battle between battleships in history.

Opening titles: United States Army presents The Battle Of Leyte (:06-:34). At his Australian Headquarters, General MacArthur reviews paperwork and plans for the invasion of the Philippines. Map shows the United States in proportion to area occupied by Japanese Empire. Summer of 1944, American fighter planes take off from an aircraft carrier. Areas shown: Mindanao, Ryukyu, Formosa, all under assault by the U.S. Navy (:35-1:53). General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz discuss the plan. Staging area was Humboldt Bay, off the coast of New Guinea. Troops get ready in transports. Huge fleets of ships and landing craft head for their target. U.S. soldiers are prepared. Anchor of the ship is hosed off. General MacArthur salutes as he boards a battleship or cruiser, possibly USS Phoenix. Armada at sea. American soldiers sit, waiting, resting, as they head for their destination (1:54-3:30). A church service on the ship before the battle. Map of the Philippines. Island of Leyte. Battleships, cruisers and other ships start firing at enemy positions as the invasion of the Philippines begins. Planes run close fire support on enemy installations (3:31-5:16). The landing begins as troops packed into LCIs head for the shore. The Japanese are dug in; they begin to fire as the G.I.s storm the beaches. (5:17-7:15). The battle rages. Americans take cover. Tanks are on the move, and G.I.s move forward with fixed bayonets. One soldier raises an American flag. Grenades are tossed. KIA Japanese soldier is shown. A wounded American is moved. Flamethrower spews fire.

Now (9:29) the film focuses on the naval battle, as the desperate Japanese prepare to launch their fleet against the invasion force at Leyte Gulf. This will be the largest naval battle of World War II and one of the largest naval battles in history, 23–26 October 1944. The battle consisted of four main engagements: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle off Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar.

A shadow on a map shows Japan’s plan. U.S. submarines are placed strategically in a picket line. They sink several Japanese ships (9:30-11:43). Maps are examined by U.S. officers. Battleships, including survivors of Pearl Harbor, are ready. Fighter planes take off, the U.S. fleet is ready. Radio orders are relayed. (11:44-13:24). Japanese ships on fire, huge smoke plumes. The Japanese fleet strikes in an unexpected direction, and all that is between it and the landing force is a group of small vessels including destroyers and escort carriers. American troops are shown on the beaches as the heavy Japanese dreadnoughts engage in a pitched battle with the U.S. Navy’s light carrier force. (13:25-15:15). Ships and planes at sea. A plane is shot down and crashes into the sea. The U.S. radios in an SOS. Hands circle and draw on a map. Battle at sea rages on. Some Navy planes land on Leyte. Injured pilots treated on Leyte. Japanese suicide planes crash into American ships (15:16-17:17). Damaged American planes crash land on carriers. Odds favor the Japanese. Numerous American ships are lost in the Battle of Samar, but unexpectedly the Japanese task force pulls back, allowing a respite for the Americans. U.S. troops march forward while Admiral Halsey plans to meet the Japanese fleet in what would be called the Battle off Cape Engaño. (17:18-20:20). Battle in the sky and on the sea between Japan and America. Most of the surviving Japanese surface fleet is destroyed in the battle. Thousands of Japanese survivors floating at sea were rescued by Americans. Soldiers dig on the island (20:21-22:06). Battle continues to rage on Leyte. More troops storm the beaches for the U.S. (22:07-23:29). Japanese are forced to retreat and Leyte is declared secure. The film ends with images of a burial at sea, and footage of a KIA pilot placed in a damaged plane, which is pushed off the side of a carrier into the sea, in final tribute.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com