Leyte Gulf is a body of water immediately east of the island of Leyte in the Philippines, adjoining the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, at 10°50′N 125°25′E / 10.833°N 125.417°E / 10.833; 125.417Coordinates: 10°50′N 125°25′E / 10.833°N 125.417°E / 10.833; 125.417. The Gulf is bounded on the north by the island of Samar, which is separated from Leyte on the west by the narrow San Juanico Strait, and on the south by Mindanao, separated from Leyte by the Surigao Strait. Dinagat Island partly encloses the Gulf to the southeast, and the small Homonhon Island and Suluan Island, sit astride the eastern entrance to the Gulf. It is approximately 130 km (80 mi) north-south, and 60 km (40 mi) east-west.
Leyte Gulf was also the scene of the largest naval battle of the second world war, the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Once captured by the Allies, the islands in the Gulf became bases for the B-29's that bombed Japan in 1945.
Famous quotes containing the word gulf:
“And into the gulf between cantankerous reality and the male ideal of shaping your world, sail the innocent children. They are right there in front of us—wild, irresponsible symbols of everything else we can’t control.”
—Hugh O’Neill (20th century)