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• During the first major special attack conducted by the Japanese Navy, pilot Yukio Seki sank carrier USS St. Lo while another suicide pilot damaged carrier USS Santee. ww2dbase [Yukio Seki | CPC]
• Heinrich Himmler issued orders on combating youth gangs such as Edelweiss Pirates, which had been known to harbor deserters, escaped prisoners of war, and escaped concentration camp prisoners. ww2dbase [Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | CPC]
• Soviet troops captured the German base at Kirkenes, Norway. ww2dbase [TH]
• USS Cassin Young screened carriers while their aircraft engaged in the Battle off Cape Engaño. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Cassin Young | CPC]
• USS Cod attacked a large Japanese convoy with all of her remaining torpedoes; all torpedoes missed. She shadowed the convoy for another day to report its movements before returning to her home port. ww2dbase [Cod | CPC]
• USS Tang attacked a Japanese transport, but the torpedo fired circled back and hit Tang, sinking her. Only 9 of the crew of 83 survived the sinking. ww2dbase [Tang | CPC]
• 34 American B-24 Liberator bombers that were originally destined for the synthetic oil plans at Gelsenkirchen, Germany were diverted to Münster instead, causing much destruction. ww2dbase [CPC]
• The Fletcher-class destroyer USS Hoel was sunk by the Japanese cruiser Kongo off Samar, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [AC]
• USS Pintado chased Japanese light cruiser Tama in assistance of USS Jallao off the Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Pintado | CPC]
• USS Cabrilla arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her sixth war patrol. ww2dbase [Cabrilla | CPC]
• Edward Brooks took command of the US VI Corps. ww2dbase [Edward Brooks | CPC]

• British V Corps crossed the Ronco River in Italy. ww2dbase [Gothic Line Offensive | Emilia-Romagna | CPC]

• Light carrier Ryuho departed Sasebo, Japan. ww2dbase [Ryuho | Sasebo, Nagasaki | CPC]
• USS Sterlet attacked a Japanese convoy with two salvos of torpedoes southwest of Kagoshima, Japan. All four torpedoes of the first salvo missed. Four of the six torpedoes of the second salvo made contact, three hitting (and sinking) oil tanker Jinei Maru and one hitting a freighter. She remained under water for several hours due to counterattacks by the convoy escorts. Surfacing later, she spotted a Japanese hospital ship and allowed it to continue her journey. ww2dbase [Sterlet | Kagoshima | CPC]

• USS Ticonderoga arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Ticonderoga | Eniwetok | DS]

• As Kurita’s Center Force closed on Clifton Sprague’s escort carriers off Samar, destroyer USS Johnston attacked and launched torpedoes against the cruiser Kumano, blowing off Kumano’s bow and forcing her withdrawal. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Ernest Evans | Kumano | Johnston | DS]

• Ernest Evans was killed in action during the Battle off Samar during the Leyte Campaign in the Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Ernest Evans | Samar | CPC]
• Destroyer Yukikaze assisted in the sinking of USS Johnston during the Battle off Samar off the Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Yukikaze | Samar | CPC]
• USS Alabama supported landing operations on Leyte, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Alabama | CPC]
• Nachi arrived at Coron, Palawan, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Nachi | Coron, Palawan | CPC]
• After six days of shore bombardments of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, USS Portland withdrew to join the battleship and cruiser force tasked with intercepting Japan's Southern Force in the Surigao Strait. Portland was part of the force that crossed the "T" of the Japanese force and directed most of her fire against the cruiser Mogami. After the decisive victory in the Surigao Strait, Portland returned to Leyte Gulf and prepared to fend off Japan's Center Force, then engaged with Task Force 77.4.3 in the Battle off Samar. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Portland | Surigao Strait, Leyte | DS]

• USS Astoria departed San Francisco, California, United States. ww2dbase [Astoria (Cleveland-class) | San Francisco, California | CPC]

25 Oct 1944 Interactive Map