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Contact Info
Home Town Milwaukee, WI
Last Address Maryland
Date of Passing Aug 04, 1958
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Donald Wood Loomis was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 15 July 1895, son of Fred W. and Mrs. Jane O. (Goss) Loomis. He attended West Division High School in Milwaukee, and in 1914 entered the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, on appointment from his native state. He was graduated with the class of 1918 on 20 June 1917 (course accelerated due to national emergency) and was commissioned Ensign from that date. Through subsequent advancement he attained the rank of Captain to rank from 14 June 1942, and served in the temporary rank of Commodore from 20 October 1944 until 16 September 1945. On 30 June 1949, he was transferred to the Retired List of the US Navy and advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral, on the basis of combat awards.
In addition to the Legion of Merit with four Gold Stars in lieu of additional similar awards, each with Combat 'V,' and the Bronze Star Medal with Combat 'V,' Rear Admiral Loomis had the Victory Medal, Escort Clasp (World War One); the Yangzte Service Medal; American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with operation stars; World War II Victory Medal; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon.
Leyte Campaign (1944)/Battle of Leyte Gulf
From Month/Year
October / 1944
To Month/Year
October / 1944
Description The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the Battles for Leyte Gulf, and formerly known as the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.
It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon from 23–26 October 1944, between combined US and Australian forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 20 October, United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in Southeast Asia, and in particular depriving its forces and industry of vital oil supplies. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) mobilized nearly all of its remaining major naval vessels in an attempt to defeat the Allied invasion, but was repulsed by the US Navy's 3rd and 7th Fleets. The IJN failed to achieve its objective, suffered very heavy losses, and never afterwards sailed to battle in comparable force. The majority of its surviving heavy ships, deprived of fuel, remained in their bases for the rest of the Pacific War.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf consisted of four separate engagements between the opposing forces: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar, as well as other actions.
It was the first battle in which Japanese aircraft carried out organized kamikaze attacks. By the time of the battle, Japan had fewer aircraft than the Allied forces had sea vessels, demonstrating the difference in power of the two sides at this point of the war.
