In the Philippines… On land, elements of US 1st Cavalry land on Samar. The fighting on Leyte continues. At sea, Japanese aircraft, based on Luzon, attack US Task Group 38.3 (Sherman), critically damaging the carrier Princeton. The Japanese Center Force (Kurita) is discovered by scout planes from US Task Group 38.2 and attacked throughout the day by all the carrier groups. The Japanese battleship Musashi is sunk and a cruiser is damaged and turns back. Center Force withdraws during the day. The Japanese Southern Force (Nishimura) is also sighted but American air strikes fail to cause significant damage. Admiral Oldendorf assembles a force in the Surigao Strait to block Southern Force. Meanwhile, Northern Force (Ozawa) locates TG38.2 and launches an air strike. The Japanese planes do not find the objective and land on Luzon. Late in the day, Admiral Halsey (commanding US 3rd Fleet) assembles his carriers and battleships to attack Northern Force, leaving Admiral Oldendorf to defend against Southern Force. During the night, Center Force reverses course.

On the Eastern Front… Soviet forces capture Augusto near the prewar East Prussian border with Poland.

On the Western Front… The Canadian 2nd Division, an element of Canadian 1st Army, advances along the Beveland Isthmus. The British 12th Corps (part of British 2nd Army) reaches Hertogenbosch.

In Greece… British forces enter Lamia.

From Washington… The China-Burma-India Theater (General Stilwell) command is divided into the India-Burma Theater (General Sultan) and the China Theater (General Wedemeyer) commands

In Berlin… Hitler informs his generals of his intention to launch a surprise counteroffensive on the against the weakly held Ardennes area of the Allied line.