Passage: Around dawn on 25 October, Ozawa launched 75 aircraft to attack the 3rd Fleet. Most were shot down by American combat air patrols, and no damage was done to the U.S. ships. A few Japanese planes survived and made their way to land bases on Luzon. During the night, Halsey had passed tactical command of TF 38 to Admiral Mitscher, who ordered the American carrier groups to launch their first strike wave, of 180 aircraft, at dawn—before the Northern Force had been located. When the search aircraft made contact at 07:10, this strike wave was orbiting ahead of the task force. At 08:00, as the attack went in, its escorting fighters destroyed Ozawa's combat air patrol of about 30 planes. The U.S. air strikes continued until the evening, by which time TF 38 had flown 527 sorties against the Northern Force, sinking Zuikaku, the light carriers Chitose and Zuihō, and the destroyer Akizuki, all with heavy loss of life. The light carrier Chiyoda and the cruiser Tama were crippled. Ozawa transferred his flag to the light cruiser Ōyodo.
How many Northern Force light carriers were damaged or destroyed by the U.S. air strikes? How many U.S. ships were damaged on 25 October? How many of the sunken ships were light carriers? How many ships were only crippled during the strike? How many ships were sunk in the strike? What date was the first strike wave ordered by Mitscher? What ships had been sunk by the end of the attack on 26 October? Which Northern Force light carriers were damaged or destroyed by the U.S. air strikes? Which Northern Force ships were heavily damaged, but not sunk, by the U.S. air strikes? Which Northern Force ships were sunk by the U.S. air strikes? Who commanded the TF 38 first, Halsey or Mitscher?