Solomons Naval War

Battleship Hiei

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.

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:

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
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 nighttime 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

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 - 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

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.

Guadalcanal Area Physical Map

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.

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 First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - 13 Nov

High point of this battle:

The Japanese battleship Hiei was crippled, torpedoed by US aircraft the following afternoon, and then scuttled; this was the first Japanese battleship loss of WW II.

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.

The Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - 14-15 Nov

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 Tassafaronga

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

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 Group in the Solomon Islands

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.

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.

Battle of Kula Gulf, 6 Jul 1943:

off E coast of Kolombangara.
USS Helena (CL-50) sunk; 168 US dead.
one Japanese cruiser sunk.

Battle of Kolombangara, 12-13 Jul 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 Aug 1943:

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.

Battle of Vella Gulf, 6-7 Aug 1943:

E of Vella Lavella.
no US dead.
three Japanese destroyers sunk.

Battle of Vella Lavella, 6-7 Oct 1943: †

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.

The Bougainville Area

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.

Carrier air attack on Simpson Harbor at Rabaul, 5 Nov 1943:

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.

Battle of Cape St. George, 25 Nov 1943:

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:

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.

07-01 - South & SW Pacific - Solomons Naval War: (18 dead, updated 7 Jan 2023)
† 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.

† 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 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.

† 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 Naval War; BNR.

† 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; Battle of Levella Gulf - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War.

† Crawford, William Frank Jr., SN 620-07-89, US Navy, Cass Co.

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.

† 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 Naval 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 Naval War; BNR.

† Jenkins, Clair Raymond, SN 321-46-48, US Navy, Cass Co.

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.

† 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 Naval 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 First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval 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 Naval 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 Naval 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; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval 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.; 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.

† 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 Naval War; BNR.

† 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 torpedoes, 168 dead; first Battle of Kula Gulf - S & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval 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 Naval 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; First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - South & SW Pacific > Solomons Naval War; BNR.