patron18 said: Exactly!! This where the Yamato was in its first and only battle fighting off U.S. aircraft that were sent to sink it.
What do you mean "First and only battle?" The Yamato was used during the battle of Leyte Gulf to engage task force "Taffy 3," which consisted of escort carriers and their escorting destroyers. The carriers were supporting the amphibious invasion of the Philippines, and were not at all equipped to attack naval forces. The only reason it didn't turn into a massacre was Admiral Kurita's odd decision to retreat rather than press home his overwhelming advantage.
Arael said: What do you mean "First and only battle?" The Yamato was used during the battle of Leyte Gulf to engage task force "Taffy 3," which consisted of escort carriers and their escorting destroyers. The carriers were supporting the amphibious invasion of the Philippines, and were not at all equipped to attack naval forces. The only reason it didn't turn into a massacre was Admiral Kurita's odd decision to retreat rather than press home his overwhelming advantage.
well, did the Yamato actually fire it's guns, especially the 18 in. ones, at the americans when it was used in that battle?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Yamato#1944:_Combat "...Yamato engaged enemy surface forces for the first and last time, confirming hits on an escort carrier, a destroyer, and a destroyer escort. After confirming primary battery hits on USS Gambier Bay, a spread of American torpedoes heading for Yamato were spotted; the battleship was forced to withdraw from the fighting, and was unable to rejoin the battle." I assume "primary battery hits" would be the 18.1 inch guns.
What do you mean "First and only battle?" The Yamato was used during the battle of Leyte Gulf to engage task force "Taffy 3," which consisted of escort carriers and their escorting destroyers. The carriers were supporting the amphibious invasion of the Philippines, and were not at all equipped to attack naval forces. The only reason it didn't turn into a massacre was Admiral Kurita's odd decision to retreat rather than press home his overwhelming advantage.
Because of the fierce counter attack by American forces, Adm. Kurita thought he was facing a full battlegroup of battleships, cruisers and fleet carriers, not a group of escort carriers and their destroyer screen. He lost several heavy and light cruisers to gunfire and torpedoes from destroyers, which was thought almost impossible. The American destroyers, with their superior radar guided fire control, were able to specifically target the superstructure and decks of the Japanese ships while making evasive maneuvers, avoiding their armor belts and hitting their lightly armored weak spots. Plus the Japanese cruisers had loaded torpedo tubes and spare torpedoes on deck, which were of a particularly volatile design. Google the Battle of Samar.