Lead Where You Stand: Lessons from Surigao Strait

Our role-model this month is Vice Admiral Thomas Cassin Kinkaid, who shows how to lead with clarity and purpose, even when roles and responsibilities aren’t clearly defined. In the days leading up to the WWII battle of Surigao Strait—a smaller part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf (a turning point in the Pacific War that marked Japan’s last major effort to repel the Allied forces from liberating the Philippines)—Kinkaid commanded the U.S. Seventh Fleet. Tasked with supporting General MacArthur’s invasion of the Philippines, Kinkaid’s orders were to provide naval support for the landing troops and supplies, and to secure the southern approach to Leyte Gulf through the Surigao Strait.

Admiral William Halsey’s Third Fleet was positioned to guard the northern approach, through the San Bernardino Strait, which Kinkaid was relying on him to defend. But, while Kinkaid’s directive was clear—secure and protect the southern approach through the Surigao Strait—Halsey’s orders were to “destroy the enemy fleet.” Believing the main threat came from a Japanese decoy fleet approaching from the north, Halsey abandoned his position to engage the enemy, leaving the San Bernardino Strait unsecured, with Kinkaid’s fleet exposed and vulnerable from the rear.

The Seventh and Third Fleets operated under separate chains of command, with Kinkaid answering to General MacArthur, and Halsey to Admiral Nimitz. When Kinkaid realized Halsey had abandoned his position, he had no direct authority to bring him back, and no power to demand a real-time update of when he would return. Still, the threat to Kinkaid’s fleet was imminent: a powerful Japanese force was heading directly for the Surigao Strait, and Halsey’s abandonment had allowed the Japanese Center Force to move through the San Bernardino Strait unopposed and into waters dangerously close to Kinkaid’s position.

Instead of blaming Halsey or broadcasting panic, Kinkaid turned to Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf, who served under his command. A seasoned officer and gunnery expert, Oldendorf had spent decades mastering surface warfare (naval combat between water surface ships, rather than underwater ships), and held operational command of the battleship group of Kinkaid’s Seventh Fleet. Kinkaid entrusted him with devising and executing a tactical response, giving him full strategic freedom to create and organize the defense.

Oldendorf executed a textbook “crossing the T” maneuver, in which the battleships lined up at a right angle to the enemy’s path, allowing them to fire full broadsides while the approaching Japanese ships could only use their forward guns. The maneuver took place within the narrow confines of the Surigao Strait, where Oldendorf had strategically positioned ships overnight. Following the plan he entrusted his officer to create, Kinkaid positioned his ships ahead of Oldendorf’s firing line, firing into and weakening the Japanese force before it encountered Oldendorf’s main assault. The result was devastating for the enemy. Kinkaid’s Seventh Fleet not only held the line, but delivered the last battleship-on-battleship engagement in U.S. history.

Kinkaid’s steady, strategic leadership is a reminder that great leaders don’t rely on control, but on clarity, trust and timely coordination. Although he reported to MacArthur, operated parallel to Halsey, and depended on Oldendorf for tactical execution, Kincaid didn’t panic or flinch. He remained focused on coordination, not conflict. Though he had no authority over Halsey, he kept communication channels open, shared situational intelligence, and most importantly, adapted his fleet’s actions in real time to fill the gap left by Halsey’s departure. In doing so, he modeled how to lead effectively within our sphere, even when those outside of it aren’t aligned. Kinkaid didn’t control every part of the operation, but he maximized what he could influence, and built a successful defense within his sphere of responsibility. In a world of shifting priorities and often unclear accountability, Kinkaid’s example is a reminder that strong leadership isn’t dependent on flawless systems or hierarchy, it’s about making the most of the team, tools and authority we do have.

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