bigpigeon.us webpage WW II - Japan > South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War, updated by RAC 14 Oct 2021.
This webpage outlines the larger of the numerous 1942 and 1943 naval actions in or near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.

In these battles, the Imperial Japanese Navy fought to thwart and the United States Navy to support the US land offensives, first Guadalcanal Island and later New Georgia Island.

Both navies eventually suffered large and approximately equal losses as a result of these desperately-fought battles.  In earlier battles the Japanese navy generally prevailed, partly because of inferior US torpedoes and lack of training in naval night fighting techniques.
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
  • Battle of Cape Esperance

Battle of Savo Island - before dawn 9 Aug 1942 †
  • Japanese naval forces responding to the 7 and 8 August US landings on Florida, Tulagi, and Guadalcanal Islands precipitated the nightime Battle of Savo Island, shown to the right.
  • ​ Excepting the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, The Battle of Savo Island is thought to be the most lop-sided defeat in US Navy history. Our Navy had no training in nighttime combat. This brief battle cost three cruisers (Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes), while the Australian Navy lost the cruiser Canberra. Japanese ships suffered only light damage. The US Navy lost over 1,000 men. 
  • These were the first of many ships lost in what later was called Ironbound Sound.

Battle of Cape Esperance - 11-12 Oct 1942
  • This battle was fought west of Savo Island between US and Japanese warships, each escorting reinforcements to Guadalcanal.
  • The US warships were escorting the Americal Division's 164th Infantry Regiment from New Caledonia to Guadalcanal.
  • The Japanese traveled down The Slot from their advance base at the Shortland Islands anchorage on the south end of Bougainville.
  • The US lost the destroyer USS Duncan (DD-485), the Japanese a cruiser and a destroyer. The USS Boise (CL-47) was damaged and the US lost 163 killed.
  • Both fleets successfully delivered their reinforcements and then withdrew.
US Guadalcanal Landings and the Sea Battle of Savo Island
US Guadalcanal Landings and the Sea Battle of Savo Island
Battle of Cape Esperance
Battle of Cape Esperance
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
  • Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands

Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24-25 Aug 1942: 
  • The Japanese Navy sent a large force from Truk in the Caroline Islands in the north and from Rabaul on New Britain to the northwest to engage and destroy US Naval forces, to bombard Henderson Field at Guadalcanal, and to land reinforcements on Guadalcanal.
  • The Japanese advanced element was met by a US naval force including the carriers Enterprise and Saratoga. At the cost of moderate damage to the Enterprise, a small Japanese carrier was sunk. Both fleets then broke off combat and returned to their bases. 
  • This was a strategic victory for the United States.
Solomons Carrier Battles
Solomons Carrier Battles - East Solomons & Battle of Santa Cruz Is.
 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.
The Battle of Santa Cruz Islands
The Battle of Santa Cruz Islands
 Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - 13-15 Nov 1942 ††††
This was the climatic naval battle 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, failed in its goals, and never again sent a large fleet into the Solomons. Thus the US won a strategic victory.
Guadalcanal Area Physical Map
Guadalcanal Area Physical Map
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - First Phase:
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 convey resupplying US forces on Guadalcanal.
  • Losses shown on the accompanying map: destroyers Barton, Cushing, Laffey and Monssen.
  • Also lost: light cruiser Atlanta: towed SE to Lunga Pt., then scuttled.
  • Also lost: light cruiser Juneau: withdrew to southeast with other damaged ships; torpedoed and sunk later in the day.
Low points of this battle:
  • The inexperienced task group commander apparently made several errors in managing his group. Nevertheless he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, as the Navy was wont to do with very senior officers who died during combat.
  • The San Francisco fired on the Atlanta, killing the second-in-command, Admiral Scott.
  • After the Juneau was torpedoed and sunk, the 100 or so survivors were left in the water for several days. Eventually the 11 still surviving were rescued.​
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - First Phase - 13 Nov

​High point of this battle:
  • The cripplied Japanese battleship Hiei was torpedoed by US aircraft the following afternoon and then scuttled; this was the first Japanese battleship loss of WW II.
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - Second Phase:

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.
​
Picture
The Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - 14-15 Nov
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 USS 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 Tassafaronga
Battle of Tassafaronga
Battle of Rennell Island - 5-6 January 1943

This battle,  near Rennell Isand. south of Guadalcanal, consisted of extended Japanese air attacks on a large US naval force bringing replacements to Guadalcanal. The USS Chicago sunk, the USS La Vallette damaged.  US forces suffered 85 dead.
The remaining smaller Solomon Island naval battles are not yet included above:
  • Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 2-4 March 1943; destruction of Japanese convoy by land-based Allied planes; 2-4 Mar 1943; 13 Allied dead; eight Japanese transports & four destroyers sunk. (not in Solomons area)
  • Battle of Blackett Sound, 6 Mar 1943, between New Georgia & Kolombangara; 0 US killed, two Japanese destroyers sunk.
  • Battle of Kula Gulf, 6 Jul 1943, off E cost of Kolombangara NW of New Georgia, Solomon Islands; USS Helena (CL-) sunk, 168 dead; one Japanese cruiser sunk.
  • Battle of Kolombangara 12-13 Jul 1943 †; off NE coast of Kolombangara NW of New Georgia, Solomon Islands; one destroyer sunk, three light cruisers damaged; one Japanese cruiser sunk.
  • Battle of Vella Gulf, 6-7 Aug 1943, NW of New Georgia, Solomon Islands; no US lossess; three Japanese destroyers sunk.
  • Battle of Vella Lavella, 6-7 Oct 1943 †, NW of New Georgia, Solomon Islands; USS Chevalier DD-) sunk, two other destroyers badly damaged; one Japanese destroyer sunk.
  • Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, W of Bougainville Is., 1-2 Nov 1943; 19 killed.

Sources for the The Solomons Naval War webpage:
​Pottawattamie County, Iowa Area WW II Dead - The Solomons Naval War:
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WW II Dead webarea.
  • See also the Solomon Islands webpage.
​06-01 - South & SW Pacific - The Solomons Sea War:  (14 dead, updated 21 Aug 2021)
† 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; 1st phase of Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.
† Briggs, Orval Pershing, SN 321-39-62, US Navy, Montgomery Co.
  • USS Atlanta (CL-51); KIA 13 Nov 1942 Ironbound Sound N of Guadalcanal; ship scuttled after extensive damage during nightime 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; 1st phase of Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.
† 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; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.​
† Denton, Claude Ballentine, SN 648-65-29, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • 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 Sea War.
† Dixon, Cletus Hugh, SN 620-16-09, US Navy, Woodbury Co.
  • 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 Sea War; BNR.
† Knapp, Rexford James “Rex”, SN 3163572, US Navy, Shelby Co.
  • 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 Sea War.
† Lueth, Walter August William, SN 3109352, US Navy, Pott. Co.
  • 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 1st Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.
† McLaren, William McAllister, SN 385-91-42, US Navy, Crawford Co. & Pierce Co., WA
  • 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 Sea War; BNR.
† + 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; Sea Battle of Vella Lavella - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.
† 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; S & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.
† Querry, Miles Junior, SN 316-85-21, US Navy, Harrison Co.
  • Fleet Tug USS Vireo (AM-52); KIA 15 Oct 1942 off San Cristobal, SE of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Japnese 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 Sea War; BNR.
† 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; Battle of Kolombangara - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.
† Weihs, Alfred Peter, SN 620-39-83, US Navy, Shelby Co.
  • 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 Sea War; BNR.
† Wunder, Edmund Earl, SN 321-17-95, US Navy, Shelby 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; 1st phase of Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.