Kammala wannan jumla: "Honolulu" ya tashi daga yankin da aka shirya a tsibirin Manus a cikin tsibirin Admiralty a ranar 12 ga Oktoba, kuma ya yi tafiya zuwa Philippines don
mamayewar Leyte. Ta fara bombardment daga Leyte Gulf a ranar 19 ga Oktoba, kuma a rana mai zuwa ta fara nunawa da saukowa. A karfe 1600, a ranar 20 ga Oktoba an ga wani jirgin sama na jirgin ruwa na abokan gaba yayin da yake niyya da torpedo a "Honolulu". Duk da ƙwarewar da Kyaftin Thurber ya yi don ya guje wa, torpedo ya sami alama a gefen jirgin.