At 0645 Taffy 3’s lookouts observed antiaircraft fire to the northward.
Within three minutes, Taffy 3 was under heavy fire from Japanese Admiral Kurita’s powerful Center Force of four battleships, six heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and 11 destroyers. The only chance for survival of the American ships lay in slowing the advances of the enemy warships while withdrawing toward Leyte Gulf and the prospect of assistance. The carriers promptly launched their planes to attack the Japanese vessels and the escorts promptly set to work generating smoke to hide the American ships.