Kammala wannan magana: "Alabama" ya goyi bayan
Saukowa a Leyte a ranar 15 ga Oktoba kafin ya koma gidan mai ɗaukar hoto don ya raka su don wani jerin hare-haren iska a tsibirin Philippines a ranar 21 ga Oktoba, yanzu an canja shi zuwa TG 38.4. Saukowa a kan Leyte ya haifar da kunnawa na Operation Shō-Gō 1, shirin da sojojin ruwan Japan suka shirya don saukar da Allied a Philippines. Shirin ya kasance wani aiki mai rikitarwa tare da jiragen ruwa guda uku: Jirgin Ruwa na 1st, yanzu an lakafta shi a Arewacin Arewa a karkashin Mataimakin Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa, Cibiyar Cibiyar karkashin Mataimakin Admiral Takeo Kurita, da kuma Kudancin Kudancin karkashin Mataimakin Admiral Shōji Nishimura. Kamfanonin Ozawa, yanzu sun ƙare da mafi yawan jiragensu, za su zama abin ƙyama ga Kurita da Nishimura, waɗanda za su yi amfani da hankali don kai farmaki kai tsaye.