What remains surprising about the Battle off Samar

What is the most surprising aspect of the Battle off Samar?

That a force structured for other missions fought so effectively, demonstrating the exceptional quality of the people involved.

The communications breakdown is initially puzzling. With greater experience, the improvised combat performance of Taffy 3 becomes more remarkable. Its escort carriers, destroyers, destroyer escorts, and aircrews achieved results far beyond what their assigned mission and force structure implied. Their success demonstrates the operational effect of individual initiative when a formation is forced into a battle it was never designed to fight.