bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 6 Jan 2023.
This webpage summarizes 1942 and 1943 naval actions in or near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.
This webpage summarizes 1942 and 1943 naval actions in or near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.
In these numerous sea battles, the United States Navy was supporting amphibious landings and subsequent land offensives. One can view WWII Solomon Islands conflict thusly:
In the long run, the United States and Imperial Japanese navies suffered large and approximately equal losses as a result of the desperately-fought battles outlined below. However, in earlier battles the Japanese navy generally prevailed, partly because of inferior US torpedoes and lack of US training in naval night fighting techniques.
In the Southwest Pacific Area in New Guinea during the same period, the only naval battle of note was the March 1943 Battle of the Bismarck Sea, in which US losses were minimal. Not until the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 and the Okinawa Campaign in early 1945 would the US Navy suffer losses of the magnitude as experienced in the Solomon Islands.
In some of these actions, the US was joined by Australian and New Zealand forces.
- The Guadalcanal Island area, August 1942 - February 1943.
- The New Georgia Island area, mid 1943.
- The Bougainville Island area, beginning in October 1943. Unlike the lower Solomon Islands, Japanese forces remained on Bougainville Island until WWII ended.
In the long run, the United States and Imperial Japanese navies suffered large and approximately equal losses as a result of the desperately-fought battles outlined below. However, in earlier battles the Japanese navy generally prevailed, partly because of inferior US torpedoes and lack of US training in naval night fighting techniques.
In the Southwest Pacific Area in New Guinea during the same period, the only naval battle of note was the March 1943 Battle of the Bismarck Sea, in which US losses were minimal. Not until the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 and the Okinawa Campaign in early 1945 would the US Navy suffer losses of the magnitude as experienced in the Solomon Islands.
In some of these actions, the US was joined by Australian and New Zealand forces.
The Early Solomon Islands Surface Battles
We begin with two night battles fought between surface ships off of Guadalcanal near Savo Island.
Battle of Savo Island, before dawn 9 Aug 1942 †
Battle of Cape Esperance, 11-12 Oct 1942
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The Solomon Islands Carrier Battles
We now turn to two naval battles fought solely by naval aviation in the Pacific Ocean east of Guadalcanal as shown on the accompanying map.
Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24-25 Aug 1942:
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Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26-27 Oct 1942
The Japanese task force's intent was to damage the US fleet to the extent that it could no longer protect the land and air operations on Guadalcanal. The aircraft carrier Hornet was lost from repeated Japanese torpedo plane attacks; the destroyer USS Porter was lost. |
Naval Battles of Guadalcanal, 13-15 Nov 1942 ††††††
These were the climatic naval battles in the Solomons. In mid-November, Japan attempted a major reinforcement and resupply of their army on Guadalcanal. This was to be coupled with a crippling sea bombardment of Henderson Field. The US had advance warning of Japanese plans.
What ensued were two brief and brutal nighttime surface engagements between US and Japanese naval forces near Savo Island. During these engagements, the majority of US ships involved were sunk or damaged. However, Japan also suffered heavy losses, including two battleships, failed in its goals, and never again sent a large fleet into the Solomons. Thus the US won a strategic victory. |
First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal:
The US naval force, Task Group 67.4, was commanded by Admiral Daniel Callaghan on the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco. This group had been protecting a convoy resupplying US forces on Guadalcanal.
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High point of this battle:
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Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal:
Anxious to prevent the remaining Japanese fleet from bombarding Guadalcanal, the US Navy improvised a group of two battleships and four destroyers which had not been engaged the previous night. This fleet, commanded by Admiral Ching Lee on the Washington, steamed west through Ironbound Bay, again engaging Japanese forces near Savo Island. Of the four destroyers in the van, Walke and Preston were soon sunk, while the Benham and Gwin were disabled. The battleship South Dakota suffered a series of electrical failures and contributed little to the battle except for diverting Japanese attention from the Washington. The Washington engaged and sank the battleship Ayanami and a destroyer. |
Last Naval Battles of the Guadalcanal Campaign
Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 Nov 1942 †
In this night battle southeast of Savo Island, a United States cruiser-destroyer force attacked a force of Japanese destroyers delivering supplies to Guadalcanal. Japanese destroyers, using their superior torpedoes, sank one cruiser, the Northampton, and badly damaged three, the Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Pensacola. The US sank one destroyer by gunfire. This battle was a decisive Japanese victory. Moreover, one year into WW II, the US Navy had not yet dealt with its defective torpedoes. |
Battle of Rennell Island, 29-30 January 1943
This battle, near Rennell Island. south of Guadalcanal, consisted of extended Japanese air torpedo attacks on a large US naval force bringing replacements to Guadalcanal. The cruiser Chicago (CA-29) was damaged on the 29th and sunk on the 30th. US forces suffered 85 dead. |
Naval Battles Associated with the New Georgia Campaign, March - October 1943
Battle of Blackett Strait, 6 Mar 1943:
- S 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.
- Three Japanese destroyers were damaged by mines on 8 May. One sank, the other two were finished off by US aircraft.
- off E coast of Kolombangara.
- USS Helena (CL-50) sunk; 168 US dead.
- one Japanese cruiser sunk.
- off NE coast of Kolombangara.
- USS Gwin (DD-433) scuttled, three light cruisers damaged; 89 US dead.
- one Japanese cruiser sunk.
- off W 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.
- E of Vella Lavella.
- no US dead.
- three Japanese destroyers sunk.
- N 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; last Japanese naval victory of WWII.
Naval Battles Associated with the Bougainville Campaign, November 1943
The Third Marine Division landed on the west coast of Bougainville on 1 November 1943, just north of Cape Torokina at the north end of Empress Augusta Bay.
Three naval battles pursuant to the landing are noted below. All three were US victories, incurred without major US losses. |
Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, 2 Nov 1943:
- Fought before dawn W of Cape Torokina.
- Japanese forces from Rabaul attempted to attack the Bougainville landing.
- 19 US dead.
- one Japanese cruiser and one Japanese destroyer sunk.
- 97 aircraft from carriers Saratoga and Princeton.
- Disabled four of the seven Japanese cruisers, some from the rear Japanese base at Truk, preparing for a larger attack on US Bougainville forces.
- Land-based US aircraft staged multiple attacks on Rabaul during this period.
- Fought at night off Cape St, George on the southern tip of New Ireland Island.
- US destroyer force attacked Japanese destroyers transferring personnel between Rabaul and Buka just north of Bougainville.
- No US losses.
- Three Japanese destroyers sunk.
Sources for Big Pigeon's South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War:
† Beckendorf, Orville Leroy, SN 316-41-64, US Navy, Pott. Co.
- The webpage header photo, Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship Hiei, is courtesy of clickorlando.com. The Hiei was the first Japanese battleship sunk in WW II, on 14 Nov 1942 during the Naval Battle(s) of Guadalcanal.
- https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?ie=UTF8&t=h&oe=UTF8&msa=0&mid=1O-ln4_TfaVp76jRzZxwDgcfgqXU&ll=25.103266747572718%2C143.31372999999996&z=2, an interactive map showing 131 Pacific area military operations.
- The US Guadalcanal Landings, Sea Battle of Savo Island, and Battle of Cape Esperance maps - C/O The Map Archive.
- The Solomons Carrier Battles map - C/O http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/NavalBattlesintheSolomon.html.
- The Battle of Santa Cruz Islands map
- The Guadalcanal Area Physical Map is courtesy of the Warfare History Network.
- The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal -13 Nov map is courtesy of The Map Archive.
- The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - 14-15 Nov map is courtesy of usswashington.com.
- The Battle of Tassafaronga map is courtesy of wikipedia.org.
- The New Georgia Island Group map was found at https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/II/maps/USMC-II-II.jpg.
- The Bougainville Area map is courtesy of geology.com.
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.
† Beckendorf, Orville Leroy, SN 316-41-64, US Navy, Pott. Co.
- Destroyer USS Laffey (DD-459); KIA 13 Nov 1942 in Ironbound Sound, N of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Laffey hit by 14” shell from Japanese battleship Hiei & torpedo, then exploded & sank; 59 dead, 186 survivors; First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- USS Atlanta (CL-51); KIA 13 Nov 1942 Ironbound Sound N of Guadalcanal; ship scuttled after extensive damage during nighttime action from a Japanese torpedo, Japanese gunfire and friendly fire from the USS San Francisco; 172 crew members plus an unknown number of Admiral Scott's staff died; First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- 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; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Destroyer USS Selfridge (DD-357); KIA 6 Oct 1943 off Vella Levella Is., Solomon Is.; Selfridge damaged by enemy torpedo; 49 dead; Battle of Levella Gulf - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War.
- Destroyer USS Barton (DD 599) ; KIA 13 Nov 1942 in Ironbound Sound, N of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Barton sunk by two Japanese Long Lance torpedoes; 164 died, 68 survived; First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Destroyer USS Cony (DD 508); KIA 27 Oct 1943, during US invasion of Treasury Is., S. of Bougainville, Solomon Is.; Cony damaged by Japanese air attack, eight dead; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War.
- Destroyer USS De Haven (DD-469); KIA 1 Feb 1943 in Ironbound Sound, E of Savo Is., Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; De Haven sunk by Japanese bombs; 167 died, 146 survived; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Heavy Cruiser USS San Francisco (CA-38); KIA 13 Nov 1942 Ironbound Sound, N of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; San Francisco hit by multiple Japanese shells, ~100 died; First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Cruiser USS Minneapolis (CA-36); KIA 30 Nov 1942 in Ironbound Sound off Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Minneapolis torpedoed by Japanese destroyer & heavily damaged; Battle of Tassafaronga - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War.
- Cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52); KIA 13 Nov 1942 SE of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Juneau torpedoed & sunk by Japanese submarine I-26; 687 dead including the five Sullivan brothers, ten survived; aftermath of First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Cruiser USS Astoria (CA-34), KIA 9 Aug 1942 in Ironbound Sound off Savo Is., Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Astoria sunk in night action, 219 dead, ~ 680 survivors; Battle of Savo Island - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- 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; Sea Battle of Vella Lavella - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- 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; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Fleet Tug USS Vireo (AM-52); KIA 15 Oct 1942 off San Cristobal, SE of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Japanese air attack on Vireo and destroyer USS Meredith (DD-434); Vireo damaged and crew transferred to Meredith; Meredith sank; 237 crew from Meredith and Vireo died; the abandoned Vireo survived intact and was later retrieved; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- 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; Battle of Kolombangara - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Light cruiser USS Helena (CL-50); KIA 6 Jul 1943 Kula Gulf between New Georgia & Kolombangara Is., Solomon Is.; Helena sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedoes, 168 dead; first Battle of Kula Gulf - S & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Destroyer USS Aaron Ward (DD 483); KIA 7 Apr 1943 in Ironbound Sound near Tulagi, Solomon Is.; Aaron Ward sunk by Japanese bombs while escorting LST-449; 27 dead; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.
- Destroyer USS Laffey (DD-459); KIA 13 Nov 1942 in Ironbound Sound, N of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Laffey hit by 14” shell from Japanese battleship Hiei & torpedo, then exploded & sank; 59 dead, 186 survivors; First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.