 Communique one six eight. Well, what do you think of our battle wagon, Mr. Ralph Teetzorth of the United Press, sir? Yes, of course. I suppose you want to know our general setup here in the Philippine Sea. Yet it helped a lot, Admiral. Well, here it is in a nutshell. We have two fleets in this area. This fleet, the seventh, is now cruising off the west coast of the southern Philippines. It's mainly a battle fleet, isn't it, sir? I haven't seen any carriers. Their carriers are concentrated with the third fleet just north of us off the central coast of the Philippines. I presume it's covering General MacArthur's landing on the island of Leyte. Correct. Well, we are the seventh leader on the lookout for the Japanese and southern waters. I think they'll come out and fight, Admiral. Anything can happen, Mr. Teetzorth. Anything can happen. Through southern Philippine waters until the night of October 21st. I was in the wireless room with one of the captains, this one suddenly the receiver. Coming in, Passer. Get the call letters. Yes, sir. Z-T-L-R. That's our sub-fleet in the China Sea. Major Japanese fleet units sighted moving eastward from Singapore. Towards southern Philippines, we are attacking. We are attacking. Well, gentlemen, they're coming in force. Our submarines have sunk two heavy cruisers and severely damaged the third. Yes, but that doesn't mean a thing. There's plenty more of them. Captain. Yes, sir? Send out our scout planes at once for photographs of the enemy's strength. Yes, sir. Now, I want the rest of you officers to check your men and your stations. We've been asking for action. We're going to get it. When the scout planes return, the Admiral again summons his officers into his cabin for a study of the situation. Well, here are the photographs, gentlemen. Take a look. Yes. More serious than I thought. There seems to be not one, but two enemy fleets. Mr. Seisle, both are moving in on our positions here in the southern Philippine Sea. Looks like they really mean business this time. No doubt about that, Mr. Titzoth. The first enemy fleet consists of five battleships, eight cruisers, and 12 destroyers. Their second force has two battleships, two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and seven or eight destroyers. We'll certainly need some carrier help from our third fleet. We already have it, Captain. But our job is to guard the Straits of San Bernardino and Surigao. The third fleet will give us air coverage. The rest is up to us. The third fleet gave us plenty of air coverage. The Revenge of Torpedo planes and helldivers lit into the first jet force, sinking one light cruiser, setting fire to one battleship, one cruiser, and scoring hits on three other battleships and three heavy cruisers. Turning on the second and smaller enemy fleet, they hit two battleships, three cruisers, and one destroyer. When we received the news by radio, the Admiral said to me, Good news all right, teacher. Yes, sir, excellent news. But don't forget, only one light cruiser was sunk. Both enemy fleets are still moving in on us, in force. Yeah, but don't you think it's strange, Admiral, that jet planes have failed to attack not only us, but our third fleet to the north? Yes, it is strange. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Captain. Why, that dirty little... Bad news, Admiral. Japanese land-based planes from the Philippines are attacking the carriers of the third fleet. Thus far, we of the seventh fleet were out of danger, waiting for the approach of the two enemy fleets. But what of the enemy aerial attack to the north on our third fleet? The answer wasn't long and coming. Aircraft and anti-aircraft has reposed enemy aerial attack, shooting down 150 planes. Our losses, one light carrier. Keep close lookout for approach of enemy fleet. We're congratulating the third fleet's victory when another message came through from the wireless room. Urgent, spotted another enemy that was leaving in our seventh and third fleets from three sides, sir. That's right, Captain. The last enemy force apparently intends to deal with the third fleet while the other two enemy units concentrate on us. But we have other plans, Captain. Other plans. And what plans? As the sun went down over the Pacific, the third US fleet sent carriers north for a surprise dawn attack on the newly discovered Jap Seaforth. The rest of its carriers and battle wagons joined us to the seventh US fleet against the approaching two Jap battle fleets in the south. What is it, Captain? Our scout planes report the first enemy fleet moving through the San Bernardino Straits. The other is approaching the Surigayo Straits. Good. Here are your orders. Transmit them to the entire fleet. Yes, sir. We're dividing the seventh fleet at once according to plan X. Group one, together with carriers from the third fleet, will proceed at once to San Bernardino. Group two under my command will guard the approaches to the Straits of Surigayo. That is all, Captain. I accompanied the Admiral on his flagship with other warships to our rendezvous inside the Straits of Surigayo. There we lay and wait for the approach of the second Jap fleet. The Admiral said... Well, Tetsarth, here's the plan. Our battle wagons, cruisers, and destroyers, as you can see, are deployed across the Straits. It's a nice little ambush, sir. The minute the Jap steams through those Straits, we'll give them a rousing reception. Any word from the San Bernardino battle, sir? Not yet, and it worries me. Oh, here you are, Captain. Yes, sir. Order all men on the alert. Send out scout planes. We can expect action soon. Yes, sir. This just came in from the wireless room, sir. Hmm. Excellent. Excellent. Good news. The Japanese first fleet has been defeated off Samar Island and is now fleeing back through the San Bernardino Straits, losing one cruiser and one destroyer. As the early morning hours ticked away, the tension among the men of the seventh fleet increased. They knew that their mates had routed the first Jap fleet, and they also knew that their job was yet to be done. To smash the second enemy fleet while the third enemy naval force was dealt with by our third fleet farther north, so we waited there inside the Straits of Surigao. Suddenly at 3.15 a.m., one of the scout planes radioed. Have you checked the radar calculations, Captain? Yes, sir. Enemy ships within 11,500 yards. Launch operations at 0500. All guns manned and ready, sir. Very well. Stand by. Enemy operation completed. They are moving at 22 knots. 22 knots. That is all. What is the target bearing, Captain? Target bearing is now 085, sir. Range? 11,000 yards, sir. Stand by to fire all guns. All stations standing by, sir. Steady? Steady. Fire all guns. Fire all! After our big guns, we knocked them off one by one like so many sitting ducks as they moved in columns across the Straits of Surigao. After 40 minutes of concentrated fire, all enemy ship cities had been sunk but badly damaged. It was victory for the seventh fleet. And almost at the same moment, the Admiral announced over the PA system, and broke over Surigao's straits we took up the chase, sinking virtually the remainder of the enemy's first fleet. On the fifth and final day of the Battle of the Philippine Sea, our naval headquarters at Pearl Harbor issued communique number 168. A Japanese fleet has been decisively defeated and routed. Two battleships sunk. Four carriers sunk. Six heavy cruisers sunk. Three light cruisers and three small cruisers sunk. Six destroyers sunk. Third and seventh United States fleets severely damaged one enemy battleship. Three heavy cruisers. Two light cruisers and seven destroyers. Also damaged but more likely were six battleships. Four heavy cruisers. One light cruiser and ten destroyers. Yes, the Japanese fleet submitted itself to the destinies of war and loss. As one American naval officer told me, you can say that the Imperial Japanese fleet is canceled out as a decisive factor in future campaigns. Coming to communique 168. The story of the decisive fleet engagement between the American and Japanese navies as reported by Ralph Teetsor. Other United Press correspondents are on the world's battle fronts ready to flash you the news whenever and wherever it happens. We will present another in this thrilling series, Soldiers of the Press, soon. Be sure to listen. And meanwhile, look for United Press dispatches in your favorite newspaper. Listen for United Press news on the air. It is your guarantee of the world's best coverage of the world's biggest news.