Plains, Gambier Bay, Kalinin Bay, and Kitkun Bay. These ships formed TU 77.4.3 (call sign "Taffy 3"), a sub-unit of the 7th Fleet's Escort Carrier Group (TG 77.4) commanded by Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, aboard Fanshaw Bay, and sailed into Leyte Gulf on 17 October. In response, on 18 October, the Imperial Japanese Navy dispatched three fleets to cut off and destroy the American ground forces. The largest fleet was placed under the command of Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita and took a path that, on 25 October, led it to TG 77.4. Though Kurita's fleet – by 25 October numbering four battleships, eight cruisers, and 11 destroyers – had been attacked by US submarines and aircraft over the previous two days, TG 77.4 was not made aware of the Japanese force until Taffy 3's surface radar detected it at 0646. Johnston, south-east from the Japanese, was informed of its presence at 0650; eight minutes later, the Japanese opened fire, beginning the Battle off Samar. At 0657, Sprague ordered Taffy 3 to head east at top speed and lay smoke. Finding Johnston at the rear of the formation, however, Commander Evans ordered a turn to the northeast so that Johnston could charge the Japanese for a torpedo attack and lay smoke to cover the flotilla's escape. At 0710, Johnston began firing on the heavy cruiser , leading a column of cruisers, as she sailed into the range of Johnstons 5 in main battery. Johnston fired more than 200 main battery shells at the Kumano over the next five minutes, striking the cruiser at least 40 times and setting her superstructure on fire. Then, having closed to , Johnston fired all 10 of her torpedoes at Kumano and then turned to hide in her own smoke. At least one of Johnstons torpedoes struck Kumano, blowing the bow off the latter. This damage forced Kumano and the cruiser , which pulled alongside Kumano, to retire from the battle. But as Johnston charged and engaged Kumano, she was in turn engaged by battleships , and , and cruiser Suzuya. At 0730, Johnston sustained three 14 in and three 6 in shell hits. This resulted in numerous casualties and immense damage to her bridge and engineering spaces, the loss of her gyrocompass, aft 5 in guns, and steering engine, which reduced her speed to . Hidden in her smoke and a rain squall for the