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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > New Georgia Naval War, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 1 Jun 2025

​Naval Battles Associated with the New Georgia Campaign, March–October 1943
​​In these numerous sea battles in the South Pacific in 1943, the United States Navy was supporting amphibious landings and subsequent land offensives in the New Georgia area of the Solomon Islands chain.
The naval battles in the New Georgia Campaign differed from those in the earlier Guadalcanal Campaign in several respects.
  • They were smaller, with battleships and aircraft carriers not being involved.
  • US forces performed better.
 The New Georgia Island GroupThe New Georgia Island Group in the Solomon Islands
Battle of Blackett Strait, 6 March 1943:
  • off south end of Kula Gulf, between New Georgia & Kolombangara.
  • US force planning to shell Vila on Kolombangara encountered Japanese force bring supplies to Vila.
  • no US dead. 
  • two Japanese destroyers sunk.
†† Operation I-Go, 1–16 April 1943:
  • a Japanese land-based air counteroffensive, launched against Allied installations in New Guinea and the Guadalcanal area.
  • on 7 April, air attacks in the Guadalcanal area sank the destroyer USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) in Ironbound Sound and the oiler USS Kanawha (AO-1) in Tulagi anchorage.
  • on 18 April, while traveling to the I-Go awards ceremony, Admiral Yamamoto, the planner of the Pearl Harbor attack, died when his aircraft was shot down by US Army Air Force aircraft.
US Mine laying in Blackett Strait, 7 May 1943:
  • three Japanese destroyers were damaged by mines on 8 May. One sank, the other two were finished off by US aircraft.
Preliminary US Landings on Rendova Island and other locations, 30 Jun 1943
  • ​     
† Battle of Kula Gulf, 6 July 1943:
  • off east coast of Kolombangara.
  • USS Helena (CL-50) sunk; 168 US dead.
  • one Japanese cruiser sunk.
† Battle of Kolombangara, 12–13 July 1943:
  • off NE coast of Kolombangara.
  • USS Gwin (DD-433) scuttled, three light cruisers damaged; 89 US dead.
  • one Japanese cruiser sunk.
PT-Boat Action of 1–2 August 1943:
  • off west coast of Kolombangara.
  • 15 PT-Boats from Rendova fire 30 torpedoes at Japanese destroyers returning from supply mission to Vila.
  • John Kennedy's PT-109 cut in two by destroyer Amagiri; two dead.
  • no Japanese damage or casualties. 
Battle of Vella Gulf, 6–7 August 1943:
  • east of Vella Lavella.
  • no US dead.
  • three Japanese destroyers sunk.
†† Battle of Vella Lavella, 6–7 October 1943:
  • north of Vella Lavella.
  • USS Chevalier (DD-451) sunk, USS Selfridge (DD-357) & USS O'Bannon (DD-450) badly damaged; 103 US dead.
  • one Japanese destroyer sunk.
​Sources for Big Pigeon's South & SW Pacific > New Georgia Naval War webpage: ​
​Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - South & SW Pacific > New Georgia Naval War:
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.
​05-01 - South & SW Pacific > New Georgia Naval War:  (seven dead, updated 28 May 2025)
† Bradley, Donald James, SN 648-39-86, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • attack transport USS McCawley (APA-4); KIA 30 Jun 1943 off Rendova, Solomon Is.; McCawley disabled by Japanese aircraft torpedo and then abandoned, 15 dead; McCawley accidentally sunk that night by US PT boats; BNR.
  •  WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > New Georgia Naval War @ Rendova Landing.​
† Butts, Amos Albert, SN 816-85-59, US Navy, Fremont Co.
  • destroyer USS Selfridge (DD-357); KIA 6 Oct 1943 off Vella Levella Is., Solomon Is.; Selfridge damaged by enemy torpedo; 49 dead.
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > New Georgia Naval War @ Battle of Vella Levella
† Miller, Max Miles, SN 321-51-16, US Navy, Shelby Co.
  • destroyer USS Chevalier (DD-451); KIA 6 Oct 1943 off Vella Lavella Is., central Solomon Is.; Chevalier torpedoed & abandoned & scuttled early the following day, 54 dead; BNR.
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > New Georgia Naval War @ Sea Battle of Vella Lavella
† Muller, Newton Bruce, SN 321-03-84, US Navy, Cass Co.
  • served on USS California (BB-44) during first enlistment & on USS Kanawha (AO-1) during second enlistment; KIA 7 Apr 1943 Tulagi anchorage, near Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Kanawha attacked by Japanese dive bombers and sank the following day; 19 dead; BNR.
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War @ Operation I-Go
† Sales, Orville W., SN 316-49-53, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • destroyer USS Gwin (DD-433); KIA 13 Jul 1943 in Kula Gulf, N of New Georgia Is., Solomon Is.; Gwin hit by destroyer torpedo & scuttled, 61 dead, 214 survivors; BNR.
  •  WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Naval War, New Georgia & Bougainville @ Battle of Kolombangara .
† Turner, Floyd Vernon, SN 620-75-72, US Navy, Cass Co.​
  • light cruiser USS Helena (CL-50); KIA 6 Jul 1943 Kula Gulf between New Georgia & Kolombangara Is., Solomon Is.; Helena sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedo; BNR.
  • WWII Japan > South & SW Pacific > Naval War, New Georgia & Bougainville @ Battle of Kula Gulf
† Weihs, Alfred Peter, SN 620-39-83, US Navy, Shelby Co.
  • destroyer USS Aaron Ward (DD 483); KIA 7 Apr 1943 in Ironbottom Sound near Tulagi, Solomon Is.; Aaron Ward sunk by Japanese bombs while escorting LST-449; 27 dead; BNR.
  • WWII ​Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War @ Operation I-Go