<prompt> Bhala ukuqhubeka kwalesi sigaba - Lapho ejoyina uMkhumbi Wesithathu, uTaussig waya emsebenzini neTask Force 38 TF 38. Phakathi nenyanga eyasala ngo-October, umkhumbi-mkhumbi wasesha indawo eseduze nePhilippines ukuze uthole abashayeli bezindiza ababulawa ngesikhathi behlola iziqhingi ngesikhathi kuhlasela iLeyte  <response>: . futhi. Ekuqaleni kukaNovemba, wajoyina isikrini se-TF 38 uqobo ngenkathi izindiza zayo ziqhubeka nokusekela ukusebenza kweLeyte ngokuhlanganisa ukuhlaselwa phezulu nangaphansi kwePhilippine chain. Kanye neminye imisebenzi efanayo, uDecember waletha ingozi eyengeziwe - isimo sezulu esesabekayo. Isiphepho esisodwa esibulalayo ngasekupheleni kuka - 1944 sagwinya imikhumbi - mkhosi yaseMelika emithathu. Ukuqothulwa kukaDisemba, okwenziwa ukulungiselela ukuhlaselwa kweLuzon eLingayen Gulf, kwaqhubeka ngesonto lokuqala likaJanuwari 1945. NgoJanuwari 8, abathwali bezindiza abasheshayo baqala ukuhlasela kwabo emoyeni ogwini oluzungeze uLwandle lwaseNingizimu China. I-Taussig yavikela ama-flattop ngenkathi izindiza zayo zihlasela izisekelo zaseJapane ngasogwini lwaseChina nase-Indochinese naseziqhingini zaseFormosa nase-Okinawa kanye nokuhlinzeka ngosizo ekunqotshweni kwe-Allied Luzon. Phakathi nobusuku bukaJanuwari 20, umkhumbi-mkhosi wasiza ukwelusa i-TF 38 ngokusebenzisa i-Balintang Channel, enyakatho yePhilippines phakathi kweziQhingi zaseBatan naseBubuyan, futhi wangena oLwandle lwasePhilippine. 