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and in spaces above the waterline. Few of these hangar and flight deck hits reached any vital parts of the ship. They did kill and wound a number of officers and men. Fires caused by the hits, prior to loss of all power, were brought under control. 6. At about 0820 the forward engine room received a hit below the waterline and with all available pumps in use, flooding could not be controlled. The water rose above the level of the burners and it became necessary to secure and abandon the forward engine room at 0827. The ship slowed to 11 knots and dropped astern of the disposition. 7. Ten minutes later, steering control forward was lost, as a result of a hit near the island structure which probably severed liquid lines to the steering telemotor and a subsequent hit which opened circuit breakers on the main distribution panel prevented the re-establishment of steering control at either Battle II or the trick wheel prior to the time that all power in the ship was lost. Within three minutes of this event, a shell entered No.3 boiler in the after engine room and all steam pressure was lost. At 0845, the ship was dead in the water, there was no power and water was rising rapidly in all spaces below the second deck which resulted in a decided list to port. By 0850, three enemy cruisers had closed and were firing into the ship at point blank ranges. At this time, many fires were burning within the ship, which was now listing badly to port, and it was ordered abandoned by the Captain. Approximately 750 men left the ship, taking with them many seriously wounded of whom a number were subsequently rescued. At 0907 the ship capsized to port and sank at 0911 in Latitude 11-31 N. , Longitude 126-12 E. As the ship capsized, an enemy cruiser was still firing into her at a range of less than 2,000 yards. 8. Forty-five hours later, the majority of the survivors were rescued from the sea by a number of LCI's and PC's dispatched from Leyte Gulf. PRELIMINARIES 1. This ship sortied from Secadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands, on 12 October 1944 in compliance with orders from C. T. U. 77.4.34 (Com CarDiv-26, Rear Admiral R. A. Ofstio in KITKUN BAY) and enroute to Leyte Gulf , it provided air cover for Groups of Task Force 78. Upon arrival in the vicinity of Leyte Gulf and at approximately sunset of 19 October 1944, it was detached and under the orders of an in company with C.T.U. 77.4.34 proceeded to its operating are where designation was changed to T.U. 77.4.32 and rendezvous was effected on 20 October 1944 with T.U. 77.4.31 to form T.U. 77.4.3. During the next succeeding five days, the ship, while in company with the Task Unit, steamed in its day operating and night retirement areas to the east of Samar. page
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