This snapshot captures a U.S. Navy warship, painted in a disruptive 'dazzle' camouflage scheme, riding at anchor amid the vast invasion fleet assembled in Leyte Gulf during the Philippine campaign of late 1944. Small combatants such as destroyer escorts screened the hundreds of transports, cargo ships, and landing craft that supported General Douglas MacArthur's return to the Philippines, beginning with the initial landings on October 20, 1944. Additional vessels visible on the horizon reflect the scale of Allied naval power concentrated in the gulf during this pivotal campaign. Project: 218722