Battle of Kolombangara
Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II
USS St. Louis and HMNZS Leander firing
Date 12 July 1943 – 13 July 1943 Location Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands Result Japanese tactical victory
Combatants
United States New Zealand	Japan
Commanders
Walden L. Ainsworth	Shunji Izaki †
Strength
3 light cruisers, 10 destroyers	1 light cruiser, 5 destroyers
Casualties
1 destroyer sunk, 3 light cruisers heavily damaged, 89 killed[1]	1 light cruiser sunk, 482 killed[2]

The Battle of Kolombangara (Japanese: コロンバンガラ島沖海戦) was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the night of 12 July 1943 – 13 July 1943 off Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. Combatants Republic of China U.S.A. (from 1941) U.K. (from 1941) Australia (1941) Netherlands (1941) New Zealand (1941) Canada (1941) U.S.S.R. (from 1945) Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Josef Stalin (from 1945) Hideki Tojo The Pacific War was... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... USS St. ... USS (CL-49), the lead ship of her class of light cruiser, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named after the city of St. ... HMNZS Leander was the lead ship of her class of light cruisers. ... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... New Georgia Islands Kolombangara is an island in the New Georgia Islands group of the Solomon Islands. ... Walden Lee Pug Ainsworth (10 November 1886 – 7 August 1960) was an admiral of the United States Navy. ... The Solomon Islands Campaign was a large series of battles that occurred in the Pacific Theater of World War II. This was the first large-scale campaign in the War in the Pacific, and the victories achieved by the Americans in the battles of this campaign helped secure vital bases... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Combatants United States Australia New Zealand United Kingdom Tonga[1] Solomon Islands[2] Empire of Japan Commanders Robert Ghormley William Halsey, Jr. ... Battle of Blackett Strait Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date 6 March 1943 Place Blackett Strait, Solomon Islands Result American victory The Battle of Blackett Strait was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on 6 March 1943 in the Blackett Strait, between Kolombangara... The eastern part of the Territory of New Guinea, and the northern Solomon Islands; the area in which Operation Cartwheel took place, from June 1943. ... To boost Japanese morale following the disastrous Battle of Guadalcanal, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy, decided to make an inspection tour throughout the South Pacific. ... The battle of New Georgia was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, and was fought in the New Georgia group of islands in the central Solomon Islands from 10 June 1943 to August 25, 1943 between forces of Japan and... The Battle of Kula Gulf was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought in the early hours of 6 July 1943, between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. ... The Battle of Vella Gulf was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on the night of August 6, 1943 – August 7, 1943 between the islands of Vella Lavella and Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. ... Battle off Horaniu Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date August 17, 1943 – August 18, 1943 Place Near Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands Result Japanese strategic victory The Battle off Horaniu was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on the night of... New Zealand soldiers land at Baka Baka, Vella Lavella to relieve the U.S. 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division, on September 17, 1943. ... Battle of Vella Lavella Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date October 7, 1943 Place Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands Result Japanese victory The Battle of Vella Lavella was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on the night of October 6, 1943 near... The Battle of the Treasury Islands was fought from October 25 to October 27 of 1943 between New Zealand and Japan in the Solomon Islands. ... Combatants United States Australia Empire of Japan Commanders Victor H. Krulak Harukichi Hyakutake Strength 750[1] 3,000-7,000[2] Casualties 13 killed[3] 143 killed, two barges sunk[4] The Raid on Choiseul was a small unit engagement that occurred from October 28 to November 3, 1943, during... The Battle of Empress Augusta Bay was a land and naval battle in the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on the night of 1-2 November, 1943 on Bougainville, an island in the Solomon Islands group, but part of the Territory of New Guinea. ... Battle of Cape St. ... Troops from New Zealand disembark from U.S. Landing Craft Infantry ship LCI-444 to occupy Green Island on February 16, 1944. ... Combatants United States; Australia; New Zealand Japan Commanders George Kenney (air forces) Frederick Sherman (naval forces) Mineichi Koga Strength 2 carriers, 97 carrier planes, 100+ land-based planes 10 cruisers, 11 destroyers, 100+ planes Casualties 10 carrier planes destroyed, 50+ land based planes destroyed 8 cruisers damaged, 3 destroyers damaged... Category: Possible copyright violations ... The French battleship Orient burns, 1 August 1798, during the Battle of the Nile A naval battle is a battle fought using ships or other waterborne vessels. ... Combatants Republic of China U.S.A. (from 1941) U.K. (from 1941) Australia (1941) Netherlands (1941) New Zealand (1941) Canada (1941) U.S.S.R. (from 1945) Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Josef Stalin (from 1945) Hideki Tojo The Pacific War was... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... New Georgia Islands Kolombangara is an island in the New Georgia Islands group of the Solomon Islands. ...

Background

A Japanese "Tokyo Express" reinforcement force, commanded by Rear Admiral Shunji Izaki and comprising the light cruiser Jintsu, the destroyers Mikazuki, Yukikaze, Hamakaze, Kiyonami and Yugure and the destroyer transports Satsuki, Minazuki, Yunagi, and Matsukaze, made a run down "The Slot" from the upper Solomons to land troops at Vila on Kolombangara by way of Kula Gulf on the night of 12 July 1943. The Tokyo Express was the nickname given by United States sailors and marines to the Japanese attempts to reinforce and resupply their forces during the battle of Guadalcanal and subsequent operations in the Solomon Islands in World War II. Airplanes from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal made it too dangerous for... Japanese Light Cruiser Jintsu started life being both laid down and completed at the Kobe Shipyard, Japan. ... Yukikaze was a Kagero-class destroyer in service with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. She was the only member of her class to survive the war. ... Hamakaze Wind on the Strand) was a Kagero-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Kiyonami Shore Waves) was a Yugumo-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Yugure was a Hatsuharu-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Categories: Oceania geography stubs | Solomon Islands ... For the Slavic nymphs of this name, see Slavic fairies. ... Kula Gulf separates the large round island (Kolombangara) from the larger, irregular island (New Georgia) to the southeast. ... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

An Allied force, commanded by Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth and comprising the light cruisers USS Honolulu, USS St. Louis and HMNZS Leander, and the destroyers Nicholas, O’Bannon, Taylor, Jenkins, Radford, Ralph Talbot, Buchanan, Maury, Woodworth and Gwin, were deployed in a single column with five destroyers in the van followed by the cruisers and five destroyers in the rear. Walden Lee Pug Ainsworth (10 November 1886 – 7 August 1960) was an admiral of the United States Navy. ... USS Honolulu (CL-48) of the United States Navy was a Brooklyn-class light cruiser active in the Pacific War. ... USS (CL-49), the lead ship of her class of light cruiser, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named after the city of St. ... HMNZS Leander was the lead ship of her class of light cruisers. ... USS Nicholas (DD/DDE-449), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Major Samuel Nicholas, the first commanding officer of the United States Marines. ... USS OBannon (DD/DDE-450), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Presley OBannon, (1784–1850), the Marine Corps hero of Derna. The history of the Pacific war can never be written without telling the story of the... USS Taylor (DD/DDE-468), was the first destroyer to anchor in Japanese coastal waters at the end of World War II—one that, wrote Admiral William F. Halsey, admirably performed every mission assigned to her. ... USS Jenkins (DD-447) was a World War II-era Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, the second ship named after Rear Admiral Thortan A. Jenkins. ... USS Radford (DD-446), named for Rear Admiral William Radford, was a Fletcher-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. ... USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) was a Bagley-class destroyer in the United States Navy, named for USMC Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot (1897–1918), who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War I. Talbot served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, from the attack on Pearl... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The second USS Maury (DD-401) was a Gridley-class destroyer in the United States Navy. ... USS Woodworth (DD-460) was a Benson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Selim E. Woodworth. ... USS Gwin (DD-433), a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the 3rd ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant Commander William Gwin, an American Civil War officer who commanded river boats against Confederate forces in Alabama. ...

The United States had landed troops of the 37th Infantry Division on New Georgia to attack Munda the week before, and had just placed Marine Raiders ashore at Rice Anchorage on its northern shore to seize Bairoko. Admiral Ainsworth's mission was to protect the north shore beachhead from attack by the "Tokyo Express" and if possible to prevent reinforcements from landing. The 37th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. World War I Activated: August 1917 (National Guard Division from Ohio). ... Categories: Oceania geography stubs | Solomon Islands ... Munda is the largest settlement on the island of New Georgia in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands. ... Marine Raiders on Bougainville, Solomon Islands, January 1944 The Marine Raiders were elite units established by the United States Marine Corps during World War II to conduct amphibious light infantry warfare, particularly in landing in rubber boats and operating behind the lines. ...

Battle

At 01:00 on 13 July the Allied ships established radar contact about twenty miles (30 km) east of the northern tip of Kolombangara. Ainsworth assumed he had complete surprise but the Japanese had been aware of the Allied force for almost two hours. The destroyers increased speed to engage the Japanese force while the cruisers turned to deploy their main batteries but the Japanese destroyers had already launched torpedoes and turned away. Jintsu engaged the Allied ships but all American fire was concentrated on the largest ship and she was reduced to a wreck while Leander was struck by a torpedo and, severely damaged, retired from the battle escorted by Radford and Jenkins. Jintsu was finally broken in two by torpedo hits and sank at about 01:45, with the loss of nearly the entire crew, including Admiral Izaki. July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... New Georgia Islands Kolombangara is an island in the New Georgia Islands group of the Solomon Islands. ...

Ainsworth pursued the Japanese destroyers but both St. Louis and Honolulu were struck by torpedoes and damaged while Gwin was struck amidships and scuttled at 09:30 the next morning.

Aftermath

Honolulu and St. Louis were out of action for several months while Leander was under repair for a year and never returned to action.

Except for Jintsu the Japanese force escaped damage and the transport destroyers successfully landed 1,200 men at Vila. The Japanese had won a tactical victory, but of the action the naval historian Samuel Eliot Morison wrote: "A string of such victories added up to defeat." RAdm Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976), USN historian Samuel Eliot Morison, RAdm, USNR (July 9, 1887 – May 15, 1976) was an American historian, notable for producing scholarly works that were both authoritative and highly readable, an ability recognized with two Pulitzer Prizes. ...

Though at a severe cost, Ainsworth also accomplished his mission of preventing an attack on the Marines, and combined with the earlier Battle of Kula Gulf, successfully deterred the Japanese from future use of Kula Gulf in reinforcing Munda. After the battle off Kolombangara the Japanese chose to use Vella Gulf, Blackett Strait, and the more constricted passage at Wana Wana, resulting in a series of nightly attacks by U.S. destroyers and PT Boats against their reinforcement efforts. The Battle of Kula Gulf was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought in the early hours of 6 July 1943, between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. ... Vella Gulf lies between the westernmost large island (Vella Lavella) and the large round island (Kolombangara). ... Blackett Strait separates the large round island (Kolombangara) from the much smaller island to the south. ... PT boats in line astern. ...

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References

Books

• Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-914-X.
• Crenshaw, Russell Sydnor (1998). South Pacific Destroyer: The Battle for the Solomons from Savo Island to Vella Gulf. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-136-X.
• D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
• Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.
• Hara, Tameichi (1961). Japanese Destroyer Captain. New York & Toronto: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-27894-1.
• Lacroix, Eric; Linton Wells (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-311-3.
• Kilpatrick, C. W. (1987). Naval Night Battles of the Solomons. Exposition Press. ISBN 0-682-40333-4.
• McGee, William L. (2002). “Operation TOENAILS”, The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville--Pacific War Turning Point, Volume 2 (Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in WWII). BMC Publications. ISBN 0-9701678-7-3.
• Morison, Samuel Eliot (1958). Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, vol. 6 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Castle Books. 0785813071.
• Parkin, Robert Sinclair (1995). Blood on the Sea: American Destroyers Lost in World War II. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81069-7.
• Roscoe, Theodore (1953). United States Destroyer Operations in World War Two. Naval Institute Press. 0870217267.

Tameichi Hara Tameichi Hara (原 為一 Hara Tameichi 1900—?) was an Imperial Japanese naval commander during the Pacific War and the author of the IJN manual on torpedo attack techniques, famous for his high skill (particularly in torpedo warfare and night fighting). ... Ballantine Books, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine, is a major book publisher and is currently owned by Random House. ... RAdm Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976), USN historian Samuel Eliot Morison, RAdm, USNR (July 9, 1887 – May 15, 1976) was an American historian, notable for producing scholarly works that were both authoritative and highly readable, an ability recognized with two Pulitzer Prizes. ... The History of United States Naval Operations in World War II is a 15-volume account of the United States Navy in World War II, written by eminent historian Samuel Eliot Morison and published by Little, Brown and Company between 1947 and 1962. ...

External links

• Parshall, Jon; Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp, & Allyn Nevitt. Imperial Japanese Navy Page (Combinedfleet.com). Retrieved on 2006-06-14.
• Description by Vincent O'Hara
• WW2DB: Solomons Campaign

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ...

Notes