text: Four years later Halsey muffed his last chance for a decisive victory when he allowed his main carrier battle force to be lured northward by Japan, leaving behind only a tiny force to protect our amphibious landing in the Philippines against an IJN battle group including battleships with EIGHTEEN INCH guns. The guts of American sailors on destroyer escorts (with five inch guns) and jeep carriers - - and the divine hand of Providence - - kept our forces ashore from being shredded.
  
  Nimitz decided not to turn Halsey over to a general court martial (which he deserved) because Bull Halsey had such a good press on the home front and because he did not want to inject a discordant note on our way to VJ day.