In mid-December, 1944, the powerful U.S. Third Fleet under Admiral had just won the Battle of Leyte and was steaming east to get out of range of Japanese bombers. 500 miles east of Luzon, U.S. oil tankers were waiting to refuel the fleet. On the morning of the 17th, Halsey had received a weather report that there was a typhoon 400 miles to his east, or so forecasters thought. The powerful storm was actually just 120 miles away. Halsey believed his course to the refueling area would avoid the dangerous typhoon. As weather conditions deteriorated during the day, the Admiral ordered his fleet, which covered a thirty mile diameter area, to move northwest, thinking it would take them out of harm’s way. Even as the fueling operation began , powerful Typhoon Cobra was beginning to strike the task force. By nightfall, the fueling operation was abandoned and the fleet was trying to outrun the typhoon. Over the next 24 hours, Halsey made several maneuvers that managed to put much of his fleet right into the middle of the storm. There was mass confusion as the ships rolled on monstrous waves as high as sixty feet and dealt with shrieking winds 145 mph and gusts to 185 mph in the Philippine Sea. The central pressure in the storm was estimated to be 26.30 inches.
By the time the heavy weather subsided on the 18th, three destroyers and numerous other ships had been sunk by the storm. Nearly eight hundred sailors and marines died and 146 aircraft were destroyed. Winds and high seas tore life vests from the backs of some survivors. The encounter with the typhoon was more damaging to the Fleet than many battles with the Japanese. A court of inquiry found that responsibility for the disaster did lie with Halsey, but that no offense had been committed. The court made ten recommendations to improve weather forecasting services. But the recommendations were not implemented in time to prevent a second disaster with Halsey’s fleet later.
By the time the heavy weather subsided on the 18th, three destroyers and numerous other ships had been sunk by the storm. Nearly eight hundred sailors and marines died and 146 aircraft were destroyed. Winds and high seas tore life vests from the backs of some survivors. The encounter with the typhoon was more damaging to the Fleet than many battles with the Japanese. A court of inquiry found that responsibility for the disaster did lie with Halsey, but that no offense had been committed. The court made ten recommendations to improve weather forecasting services. But the recommendations were not implemented in time to prevent a second disaster with Halsey’s fleet later.