Markii ciidankii Halsey ay meesha ka baxeen, Japan waxay damacday in ay weerarto Allied-ka
kasoo dageysa Leyte. Maraykanku waxay la soo baxeen ciidamadoodii ugu yaraa ee hadhay, sadexdii duuliye ee duulimaadyada sidday ee ka tirsan Ciidanka Toddobaad. Maraakiibta xamuulka qaada iyo maraakiibta burburka ayaa loo dhisay si ay u ilaaliyaan gaadiidleyda gaabiska ah ee weerarka maraakiibta hoostiisa mara, waxaana markii dambe loo habeeyay inay weeraraan bartilmaameedyada dhulka, laakiin waxay lahaayeen torpedo yar, maadaama ay caadi ahaan ku tiirsanaayeen ciidanka Halsey si ay uga ilaaliyaan maraakiibta dagaalka ee gaashaaman. Maraakiibtan, oo loo abaabulay Task Unit 77.4.3 ("Taffy 3"), oo uu amar ku bixiyay Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, ma aysan laheyn awood dabka ama gaashaaman si ay uga hortagaan 23 markab oo ka tirsan ciidanka Japan, oo ay ku jiraan qoryaha 18-inji ee "Yamato", laakiin waxay qaateen mas'uuliyadda oo ay weerareen. Marka lagu daro maraakiibta ka soo duulay Jabbaan meel fog, diyaaradaha oo ay ku jiraan FM-2 Wildcats, F6F Hellcats iyo TBM Avengers, ayaa duqeeyey, duqeeyey, torpedoed, rocketed, iyo qoto dheer-ku-dillaacay ciidanka Japan ilaa ay ka dhammaadeen rasaasta. Kadib waxay u dhaqaaqeen khiyaano, oo ay ku jiraan "socodka qalalan" ee maraakiibta Japan. Ka cabsi qabay in uu la kulmo ciidan ka badan kuwii uu horey ula kulmay, Taliyihii Japan Admiral Takeo Kurita ayaa go'aansaday in uu dib u laabto.