Battle of Rennell Island
Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II
USS Chicago low in the water on the morning of January 30, 1943, from torpedo damage inflicted the night before.
Date January 29, 1943 – January 30, 1943 Location Rennell Island, Solomon Islands Result Japanese victory
Combatants
Allied forces including: United States Australia	Empire of Japan
Commanders
William Halsey, Jr., Robert C. Giffen	Isoroku Yamamoto, Jinichi Kusaka[1]
Strength
1 fleet carrier, 2 escort carriers, 6 cruisers, 8 destroyers, 14 fighter aircraft [2]	32 bomber aircraft[3]
Casualties
1 cruiser sunk, 1 destroyer heavily damaged, 85 killed[4]	12 aircraft destroyed, 60–84 killed[5]

The Battle of Rennell Island (Japanese: レンネル島沖海戦) took place on January 29–January 30, 1943, and was the last major naval engagement between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the lengthy Guadalcanal campaign in the Solomon Islands campaign during World War II. The battle took place in the South Pacific between Rennell Island and Guadalcanal in the southern Solomon Islands. Combatants China Allies (entered 1941):  United States  United Kingdom  Australia Free France  Netherlands  New Zealand  Canada  Soviet Union (1945) Japan  Germany (from 1941)  Manchukuo Thailand (from 1942) Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Franklin D. Roosevelt Winston Churchill John Curtin Charles de Gaulle Hirohito Hideki Tojo Kuniaki Koiso Kantaro Suzuki Campaigns and... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... USS Chiacgo (CA-29) low in the water on January 30, 1943 after the battle of Rennell Island Downloaded from [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... USS Chicago (CA-29), a Northampton-class heavy cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after the city of Chicago, Illinois. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rennell and Bellona is a province of the Solomon Islands comprised of two atolls, Rennell and Bellona, or Mu Nggava and Mu Ngiki respectively in Polynesian. ... A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Anthem Kimi ga Yo Imperial Reign Slogan: Fukoku Kyohei Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Military (a. ... William Frederick Bull Halsey, Jr. ... Robert C. Giffen (1886-1962) was an admiral in the United States Navy. ... Isoroku Yamamoto ) (4 April 1884 – 18 April 1943) was a Fleet Admiral (Gensui) and Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, graduate of Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and an alumnus of U.S. Naval War College and Harvard University (1919–1921). ... Jinichi Kusaka, December 7, 1888 – August 24, 1972,[1] was a commander in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. At the beginning of the war Kusaka commanded the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy. ... An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ... The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognizable and famous bombers of World War II. A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... Combatants Allied forces including: United States Australia New Zealand British Solomon Is. ... Combatants United States Australia Empire of Japan Commanders Alexander Vandegrift, William H. Rupertus Isoroku Yamamoto, Shigeyoshi Inoue Strength 3,000[1] 886[2] Casualties 122 killed[3] 863 killed, 23 captured[4] The Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo was a land battle of the Pacific campaign of World War... Combatants Allied forces including: United States Australia United Kingdom Empire of Japan Commanders Richmond K. Turner, Victor Crutchley Isoroku Yamamoto, Gunichi Mikawa Strength 8 cruisers, 15 destroyers[2] 7 cruisers, 1 destroyer[3] Casualties 4 cruisers sunk, 1 cruiser, 2 destroyers damaged, 1,077 killed[4] 3 cruisers moderately damaged... Combatants United States, Australia, Solomon Islands Empire of Japan Commanders Alexander Vandegrift, Clifton B. Cates Harukichi Hyakutake, Kiyonao Ichiki â€  Strength 1,500[1] 917[2] Casualties 44 killed[3] 777 killed, 15 captured[4] The Battle of the Tenaru, also known as the Battle of the Ilu River, took place... Battle of the Eastern Solomons Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date August 24, 1942 – August 25, 1942 Place North of Santa Isabel, United States Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr. ... Combatants United States Australia Solomon Islands Empire of Japan Commanders Alexander Vandegrift Merritt A. Edson Harukichi Hyakutake Kiyotaki Kawaguchi Strength 12,500[1] 6,217[2] Casualties 96 killed[3] 800+ killed[4] The Battle of Edsons Ridge, also known as the Battle of the Bloody Ridge and Battle... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Alexander Vandegrift, Merritt A. Edson, Chesty Puller, Samuel B. Griffith Harukichi Hyakutake, Kiyotaki Kawaguchi, Akinosuka Oka, Masao Maruyama, Yumio Nasu Strength 3,000[1] 1,900[2] Casualties 156 killed[3] 750 killed[4] The Actions along the Matanikau in September and October... Combatants United States New Zealand Australia Empire of Japan Commanders Norman Scott Aritomo Goto† Strength 4 cruisers 5 destroyers 3 cruisers 2 destroyers Casualties 1 destroyer sunk, 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer heavily damaged, 163 killed[1] 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer sunk, 1 cruiser heavily damaged, 454 killed, 111 captured[2... Combatants United States Australia Solomon Islands Japan Commanders Alexander Vandegrift Harukichi Hyakutake Strength 23,088[1] 14,000[2] Casualties 61-86 killed[3] 2,200+ killed[4] The Battle for Henderson Field, also known as the Battle of Henderson Field, took place October 23–26, 1942, and was a... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr. ... Combatants United States British Solomon Islands Protectorate Empire of Japan Commanders Alexander Vandegrift, Evans Carlson Harukichi Hyakutake Strength 700 3,000 Casualties 16 killed 488 killed Carlsons patrol, also known as The Long Patrol or Carlsons long patrol, was an operation by the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion under... Combatants United States, Australia, New Zealand Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Isoroku Yamamoto Strength 1 carrier, 2 battleships, 5 cruisers, 12 destroyers 2 battleships, 8 cruisers, 16 destroyers Casualties 2 light cruisers, 7 destroyers sunk, 26 aircraft destroyed, 1,732 killed[1] 2 battleships, 1 heavy cruiser, 3 destroyers, 11... The Battle of Tassafaronga was a naval battle fought between United States and Japanese forces on 30 November 1942. ... Combatants Allied forces including: United States, Australia, New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Isoroku Yamamoto Shintaro Hashimoto Operation Ke (Japanese: ケ号作戦) was the three-phase withdrawal of all Japanese forces from the Battle of Guadalcanal following the defeat of the Imperial Army in ground combat centered at Henderson... 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 Allied forces including: United States Australia New Zealand British Solomon Is. ... 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. ... 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... Combatants United States Japan Commanders Frederick Moosbrugger Kaju Sugiura Strength 6 destroyers 4 destroyers Casualties None 3 destroyers sunk, 1,210 killed[1] The Battle of Vella Gulf (Japanese: ベラ湾夜戦) was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on the night of August 6, 1943 – August... 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... Combatants United States Australia New Zealand Fiji Empire of Japan Commanders Roy Geiger Theodore S. Wilkinson Oscar Griswold Stanley Savige Harukichi Hyakutake Masatane Kanda Strength 126,000 troops,[1] 728 aircraft[2] 65,000 troops,[3] 154 aircraft[4] Casualties 1,243 dead[5] 44,000 dead[6] The Bougainville... Combatants United States, Australia, New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders George Kenney (land air forces), William Halsey, Jr. ... 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. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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. ... USN redirects here. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) (: 大日本帝國海軍 Shinjitai: 大日本帝国海軍   or 日本海軍 Nippon Kaigun), officially Navy of Empire of Greater Japan, also known as the Japanese Navy or Combined Fleet was the Navy of Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japans constitutional renunciation of the use of force... Combatants Allied forces including: United States Australia New Zealand British Solomon Is. ... 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... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command during World War II. It was one of four major commands during the Pacific War, and one of two United States commands in the Pacific theatre of operations. ... Rennell and Bellona is a province of the Solomon Islands comprised of two atolls, Rennell and Bellona, or Mu Nggava and Mu Ngiki respectively in Polynesian. ... Guadalcanal, position (inset) and main towns Guadalcanal is a 2,510 square mile (6 500 km²) island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon Islands. ...

In the battle, Japanese naval land-based torpedo bombers, seeking to provide protection for the impending evacuation of Japanese forces from Guadalcanal, made several attacks over two days on United States' warships operating as a task force south of Guadalcanal. In addition to approaching Guadalcanal with the objective of engaging any Japanese ships that might come into range, the U.S. task force was protecting an Allied transport ship convoy that was carrying replacement troops to Guadalcanal. As a result of the Japanese air attacks on the task force, one U.S. heavy cruiser was sunk, a destroyer was heavily damaged, and the rest of the U.S. task force was forced to retreat from the southern Solomons area. Partly because of their success in turning back the U.S. task force in this battle, the Japanese were successful in evacuating their remaining troops from Guadalcanal by February 7, 1943, leaving Guadalcanal in Allied hands and ending the battle for the island. The torpedo, historically called a locomotive torpedo, is a self-propelled explosive projectile weapon, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater toward a target, and designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ... The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognizable and famous bombers of World War II. A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A task force (TF) is a temporary unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. ... A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... For the TV show, see F Troop. ... HMS Raleigh a Hawkins class cruiser around which the treaty limits for Heavy cruisers were written. ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Background

On August 7, 1942, Allied forces (primarily U.S.) landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida Islands in the Solomon Islands. The landings on the islands were meant to deny their use by the Japanese as bases for threatening the supply routes between the U.S. and Australia, and to secure the islands as starting points for a campaign with the eventual goal of isolating the major Japanese base at Rabaul while also supporting the Allied New Guinea campaign. The landings initiated the six-month-long Guadalcanal campaign.^[6] is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island (5. ... The Florida Islands are a small island group in Solomon Islands, a nation in the Pacific Ocean. ... A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by and/or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. ... Materiel (from the French for material) is the equipment and supplies in Military and commercial supply chain management. ... In the military sciences, a military campaign encompasses related military operations, usually conducted by a defense or fighting force, directed at gaining a particular desired state of affairs, usually within geographical and temporal limitations. ... A view from Rabaul Volcano Observatory across the relatively undamaged western half of Rabaul and towards Tavurur Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, was the headquarters of German New Guinea and then the Australian mandatory territory of New Guinea from 1910 until 1937, the base of Japanese activities in the South Pacific... The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II. Fighting in the Australian mandated Territory of New Guinea (the north-eastern part of the island of New Guinea and surrounding islands) and Dutch New Guinea, between Allied and Japanese forces, commenced with the Japanese... Combatants Allied forces including: United States Australia New Zealand British Solomon Is. ...

The last major attempt by the Japanese to drive Allied forces from Guadalcanal and Tulagi was defeated during the decisive Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in early November 1942. Thereafter, the Japanese Navy was only able to deliver subsistence supplies and a few replacement troops to Japanese Army forces on Guadalcanal. Because of the threat from Allied aircraft based at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, plus nearby U.S. aircraft carriers, the Japanese delivered these supplies at night, usually by destroyer or submarine,^[7] in operations the Allies called the "Tokyo Express." However, these supplies and replacements were not enough to sustain Japanese troops on the island, who by December 7, 1942, were losing about 50 men each day from malnutrition, disease, and Allied ground or air attacks.^[8] On December 12, the Japanese Navy proposed that Guadalcanal be abandoned. Despite opposition from Japanese Army leaders, who still hoped that Guadalcanal could eventually be retaken from the Allies, Japan's Imperial General Headquarters, with approval from the Emperor, on December 31, 1942, agreed to the evacuation of all Japanese forces from the island and establishment of a new line of defense for the Solomons on New Georgia.^[9] Combatants United States, Australia, New Zealand Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Isoroku Yamamoto Strength 1 carrier, 2 battleships, 5 cruisers, 12 destroyers 2 battleships, 8 cruisers, 16 destroyers Casualties 2 light cruisers, 7 destroyers sunk, 26 aircraft destroyed, 1,732 killed[1] 2 battleships, 1 heavy cruiser, 3 destroyers, 11... The Imperial Japanese Army (大日本帝国陸軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) was in existence from the Meiji Reformation to the end of World War II. It was created to replace the traditional Japanese samurai with a modern Western-style conscript army. ... Two aircraft carriers, USS (left), and HMS Illustrious (right), showing the difference in size between a supercarrier and a light V/STOL aircraft carrier. ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ... USS Virginia, a Virginia-class nuclear attack (SSN) submarine Alvin in 1978, a year after first exploring hydrothermal vents. ... 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... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Imperial General Headquarters or Daihonei, as part of the Supreme War Council was the supreme command for Japanese military forces during the World War II era. ... For the CPR ocean liner, see Empress of Japan. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Categories: Oceania geography stubs | Solomon Islands ...

South Pacific area in 1942–1943. The U.S. troop convoy and warship task forces heading towards Guadalcanal (upper center) on January 29, 1943, originated at the major Allied bases at Espiritu Santo and Efate (center right) and Noumea (lower right). Headquarters for Japanese land-based aircraft in the Solomons area was at Rabaul (upper left).

The Japanese titled the evacuation effort of their forces from Guadalcanal Operation Ke (ケ号作戦) and planned to execute the operation beginning January 14, 1943.^[10] An important element in the operation's plan was an air superiority campaign set to begin on January 28, with the objective of inhibiting Allied aircraft or warships from disrupting the final stage of the Ke operation, which was the actual evacuation of all Japanese troops from Guadalcanal.^[11] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Espiritu Santo (Spanish: Holy Ghost) is is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu. ... Efate is an island in The Republic of Vanuatu. ... Categories: Oceania geography stubs ... A view from Rabaul Volcano Observatory across the relatively undamaged western half of Rabaul and towards Tavurur Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, was the headquarters of German New Guinea and then the Australian mandatory territory of New Guinea from 1910 until 1937, the base of Japanese activities in the South Pacific... Combatants Allied forces including: United States, Australia, New Zealand Empire of Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Isoroku Yamamoto Shintaro Hashimoto Operation Ke (Japanese: ケ号作戦) was the three-phase withdrawal of all Japanese forces from the Battle of Guadalcanal following the defeat of the Imperial Army in ground combat centered at Henderson... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side air forces of another side during a military campaign. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Allied forces misinterpreted the Ke preparations as the beginning of another Japanese offensive to try to retake Guadalcanal.^[12] At this same time, Admiral William Halsey, Jr., overall commander of Allied forces involved in the battle for Guadalcanal, was under pressure from his superiors to complete the replacement of the U.S. 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal, which had been involved in the fighting since the initial landings in August, with fresh U.S. Army troops.^[13] Halsey hoped to take advantage of what he believed was an impending Japanese offensive to draw Japanese naval forces into a battle, while at the same time delivering the replacement army troops to Guadalcanal.^[14] On January 29, Halsey prepared and sent towards the southern Solomons area five warship task forces to cover the relief convoy and to engage any Japanese naval forces that came into range. These five task forces included two fleet carriers, two escort carriers, three battleships, 12 cruisers, and 25 destroyers.^[15] William Frederick Bull Halsey, Jr. ... The 1st Marine Division is the oldest, largest (active duty), and most decorated division in the United States Marine Corps representing a combat-ready force of more than 19,000 men and women. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... A task force (TF) is a temporary unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft — in effect acting as a sea... The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier, was a small aircraft carrier developed by the U.S. Navy in the early part of World War II to deal with the U-boat crisis of the Battle of the Atlantic. ... The firepower of a battleship demonstrated by USS Iowa A battleship is a large, heavily-armored warship with a main battery consisting of the largest caliber of guns. ...

In front of this array of task forces was the troop convoy (Task Group (TG) 62.8), consisting of four transports and four destroyers.^[16] Ahead of the troop convoy, between Rennell Island and Guadalcanal, was a close support group called Task Force 18 (TF 18), under Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen, which consisted of heavy cruisers USS Wichita, USS Chicago, and USS Louisville; light cruisers USS Montpelier, USS Cleveland, and USS Columbia; escort carriers USS Chenango and USS Suwanne; and eight destroyers. Admiral Giffen commanded TF 18 from Wichita.^[17] A fleet carrier task force, centered on carrier USS Enterprise, steamed about 400 kilometers (250 mi) behind TG 62.8 and TF 18. The other fleet carrier and battleship task forces were about 240 kilometers (150 mi) further back. Admiral Griffen, along with cruiser Wichita and the two escort carriers, had just arrived in the Pacific after participating in Operation Torch in the North African Campaign.^[18] Also, Chicago had just arrived back in the South Pacific, after completing repairs from damage suffered during the Battle of Savo Island almost six-months before.^[17] Rennell and Bellona is a province of the Solomon Islands comprised of two atolls, Rennell and Bellona, or Mu Nggava and Mu Ngiki respectively in Polynesian. ... Robert C. Giffen (1886-1962) was an admiral in the United States Navy. ... The first USS Wichita (CA-45) was laid down on 28 October 1935 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched on 16 November 1937; sponsored by Mrs. ... USS Chicago (CA-29), a Northampton-class heavy cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after the city of Chicago, Illinois. ... USS Louisville (CA-28), a Northampton-class heavy cruiser, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Louisville, Kentucky. ... USS Montpelier (CL-57), a Cleveland-class light cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy named after the city of Montpelier, the capital of Vermont. ... The second USS Cleveland (CL-55) of the United States Navy was a light cruiser, the lead ship of the Cleveland class and active in both the Mediterranean and Pacific theaters of World War II. On 1 November 1941 Hull No. ... The sixth USS Columbia (CL-56) was a light cruiser of the United States Navy, launched 17 December 1941 by New York Shipbuilding Corp. ... The second USS Chenango (CVE-28) (originally designated as oiler AO-31, after redesignation as escort aircraft carrier, was first ACV-28) was launched on 1 April 1939 as Esso New Orleans by the Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, in Chester, Pennsylvania, sponsored by Mrs. ... USS Suwannee (CVE-27) (originally an oiler AO-33, converted to an escort aircraft carrier AVG/ACV/CVE-27) was laid down on 3 June 1938 at Kearny, New Jersey, by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, under a Maritime Commission contract as Markay (MC hull 5); launched on 4... USS Enterprise (CV-6) was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh US Navy ship of that name. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Forces Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Andrew Cunningham François Darlan Strength 73,500 60,000 Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1,346+ dead 1,997 wounded Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in... During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ... Combatants Allied forces including: United States Australia United Kingdom Empire of Japan Commanders Richmond K. Turner, Victor Crutchley Isoroku Yamamoto, Gunichi Mikawa Strength 8 cruisers, 15 destroyers[2] 7 cruisers, 1 destroyer[3] Casualties 4 cruisers sunk, 1 cruiser, 2 destroyers damaged, 1,077 killed[4] 3 cruisers moderately damaged...

Battle

Prelude

U.S. cruisers of Task Force 18 at sea en route to Guadalcanal on January 29, 1943, just hours prior to the Japanese night air attack off Rennell Island. Photographed from USS Wichita. USS Chicago is in the right center, with USS Louisville in the distance.

In addition to protecting the troop convoy, TF 18 was charged with rendezvousing with a force of four U.S. destroyers, stationed at Tulagi, at 21:00 on January 29 in order to conduct a sweep up "The Slot" north of Guadalcanal the next day to screen the unloading of the troop transports at Guadalcanal.^[3] However, the escort carriers, under Commodore Ben Wyatt, were too slow (18 knots) to allow Giffen's force to make the scheduled rendezvous, so Giffen left the carriers behind with two destroyers at 14:00 and pushed on ahead at 24 knots (44 km/h).^[19] Wary of the threat from Japanese submarines, which Allied intelligence indicated were likely in the area, Giffen arranged his cruisers and destroyers for anti-submarine defense, not expecting an air attack. The cruisers were aligned in two columns, spaced 2,500 yards apart. Wichita, Chicago, and Louisville, in that order, to starboard and Montpelier, Cleveland, and Columbia to port. The six destroyers were spread along a semicircle 3 kilometers (2 mi) ahead of the cruiser columns.^[3] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Oceania geography stubs | Solomon Islands ... A view of the Starboard side of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ross Starboard is the nautical term that refers to the right side of a vessel as perceived by a person on board the ship and facing the bow (front). ... Seaport, a painting by Claude Lorrain, 1638 The Port of Wellington at night. ...

Giffen's force was being tracked by Japanese submarines, who reported on Giffen's location and movement to their naval headquarter's units.^[19] Around mid-afternoon, based on the submarine's reports, 32 G4M "Betty" torpedo bombers stationed at Munda^[14] and Buka airfields^[20] in the Solomons, and probably, Rabaul, took off carrying torpedoes to attack Giffen's force. One Betty turned back with engine trouble, leaving 31 Betty's in the attack force.^[3] Mitsubishi G4M The Mitsubishi G4M (一式陸上攻撃機:Type 1 land-based attack aircraft; Allied reporting name Betty) was a twin-engined, land-based bomber aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The bomber is nicknamed the Betty by the American military. ... A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with torpedoes, but they could also carry out conventional bombings. ... Munda is the largest settlement on the island of New Georgia in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands. ... Buka Island is the second largest island in the Papua New Guinean province of Bougainville. ...

Action on January 29

Chart of Japanese air attack (dashed red line) on U.S. Task Force 18 (solid black line) between Rennell Island and Guadalcanal on the evening of January 29.

At sunset, as TF 18 headed northwest 80 kilometers (50 mi) north of Rennell Island and 160 kilometers (100 mi) south of Guadalcanal, several of Giffen's ships detected unidentified aircraft on radar 100 kilometer (60 mi) west of their formation. Having previously insisted on absolute radio silence, Giffen gave no orders about what to do about the unidentified contacts, or any orders at all, for that matter.^[17] With the setting of the sun, TF 18's combat air patrol (CAP) from the two escort carriers returned to their ships for the night, leaving Giffen's ships without air cover.^[21] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This long range radar antenna, known as ALTAIR, is used to detect and track space objects in conjunction with ABM testing at the Ronald Reagan Test Site on the Kwajalein atoll. ... Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of defensive mission for fighter aircraft, in which they guard a designated site, either a fixed site on land, ships at sea, or less commonly support aircraft such as aerial tankers. ...

The radar contacts were, in fact, the approaching 31 Japanese Betty torpedo bombers, who circled around to the south of TF 18 so that they could attack from the east, with the black backdrop of the eastern sky behind them. The Bettys split into two groups, with the first group of 16 bombers commencing their attacks on TF 18 at 19:19. In this attack, all of the first group of Betty's torpedoes missed, and one of the bombers was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from Giffen's ships.^[22] American troops mount an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defence, is any method of engaging military aircraft in combat from the ground. ...

Believing the attack was over, Giffen ordered his ships to cease zigzagging and to continue heading towards Guadalcanal on the same course and at the same speed. Meanwhile, other Japanese aircraft began dropping flares and floatlights to mark the course and speed of TF 18 in order to assist with the impending attack by the second group of Bettys.^[23] A World War I-era parachute flare dropped from aircraft for illumination. ...

At 19:38, the second group of Bettys attacked, planting two torpedoes in Chicago, causing heavy damage and bringing the cruiser to a dead stop. One other torpedo hit Wichita but did not explode, and two of the Bettys were shot down by anti-aircraft fire. At 20:08, Giffen ordered his ships to reverse direction, to slow to 15 knots, and to cease firing their anti-aircraft guns, which succeeded in concealing his ships from the Japanese aircraft, who all departed the area by 23:35.^[24] In pitch darkness, Louisville managed to take the crippled Chicago under tow and slowly headed south, away from the battle area, escorted by the rest of TF 18.^[25]

Action on January 30

USS Louisville (right) tows crippled USS Chicago on the morning of January 30.

Halsey immediately took steps to try to protect the damaged Chicago, notifying the escort carriers to make sure they had a CAP in place at first light, ordering the Enterprise task force to approach and augment the escort carrier's CAP, and sending the fleet tug Navajo to take over the tow from Louisville, which was accomplished at 08:00.^[23] Between daybreak and 14:00, numerous Japanese scout aircraft approached TF 18. Although they were all chased away by the CAP, they were able to observe and report the position of Chicago. At 12:15, a force of 11 Bettys launched to attack the damaged U.S. cruiser. The U.S. ships knew the Bettys were coming, because of a warning report from an Australian coastwatcher in the Solomon Islands, with an estimated arrival time of 16:00. However, Halsey ordered the rest of the cruisers to leave Chicago behind and head for port at Efate, in the New Hebrides, which they did at 15:00, leaving behind six destroyers to protect Chicago and Navajo.^[26] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 493 pixelsFull resolution (1501 × 925 pixel, file size: 603 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) USS Louisville (right) tows crippled USS Chicago on the morning of January 30, 1943 during the Battle of Rennell Island. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 493 pixelsFull resolution (1501 × 925 pixel, file size: 603 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) USS Louisville (right) tows crippled USS Chicago on the morning of January 30, 1943 during the Battle of Rennell Island. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Le Four manoeuvering in Brest harbour A tugboat, or tug, is a boat used to manoeuvre, primarily by towing or pushing other vessels (see shipping) in harbours, over the open sea or through rivers and canals. ... Captain Martin Clemens, Australian Coastwatcher on Guadalcanal, rendered services to Allied forces during the battle for the island (August, 1942-February, 1943). ... Efate is an island in The Republic of Vanuatu. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

At 15:40, Enterprise was 69 kilometers (43 mi) away from Chicago, with ten of her fighters forming a CAP over the damaged cruiser. At this time, four of the CAP fighters chased and shot-down a scout Betty bomber. At 15:54, radar on Enterprise detected the incoming flight of Bettys, and launched 10 more fighters to attack the Betty formation. The escort carriers, however, had difficulties in getting their aircraft launched, preventing them from joining in the attack on the Betty formation until the engagement was over.^[27] An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ...

Japanese aerial attack (dotted red line) on Chicago (yellow dot) on the morning of January 30. Black arrows are U.S. carrier fighter aircraft.

At first the Bettys appeared to be trying to approach and attack Enterprise but turned towards Chicago after six Enterprise CAP fighters began to engage them. Four other CAP fighters chased the Bettys as they entered the anti-aircraft fire from Chicago's escorting destroyers. In all, eight of the attacking Bettys were shot down by the CAP fighters or by anti-aircraft fire, but most of the bombers were able to drop their torpedoes before crashing.^[28] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

One torpedo hit the destroyer USS La Vallette in her forward engine room, killing 22 of her crew and causing heavy damage. Chicago was hit by four torpedoes, one forward of the bridge and three others in her engineering spaces. Chicago's captain, Ralph O. Davis, ordered the ship to be abandoned, and the cruiser sank, stern first, 20 minutes later. Navajo and the escorting destroyers rescued 1,049 survivors from Chicago's crew,^[29] but 62 of her crew died.^[30] A final attack force of Japanese Betty torpedo bombers failed to find the remaining U.S. ships. Navajo took La Vallette under tow, and all of the remaining ships of TF 18 were able to make it to port at Espiritu Santo without further incident.^[31] The second USS La Vallette (DD-448) was a World War II-era Fletcher-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, named after Rear Admiral Elie A. F. La Vallette. ...

Aftermath

Japanese war art depicting the battle showing Betty bombers attacking burning U.S. warships.

The Japanese widely publicized the results of the engagement, claiming to have sunk a "battleship" and "three cruisers."^[32] The U.S., on the other hand, tried to conceal the loss of Chicago from the public for some time, with Admiral Chester Nimitz, commander in chief of Allied Pacific forces, threatening to "shoot" any of his staff who leaked the loss of Chicago to the press. Halsey and Nimitz blamed Giffen for the defeat and stated so in Giffen's official performance report for the period.^[33] The defeat and resulting recriminations do not appear to have affected Giffen's career too adversely; he continued to lead Allied battleship and cruiser task forces in the Pacific until 1944 and was later promoted to vice admiral.^[34] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Chester William Nimitz (February 24, 1885 – February 20, 1966) was the Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces for the United States and Allied forces during World War II. He was the United States leading authority on submarines, as well as Chief of the Navys Bureau of Navigation in 1939. ... Vice Admiral is a naval rank of three star level, equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. ...

With Japanese air assets tied up in the battle with TF 18, the Allied transports were able to complete their mission of replacing the remaining Marine forces on Guadalcanal over the last two days in January. During this time, the other Allied task forces, including the two fleet carrier task forces, took station in the Coral Sea, in anticipation of an expected Japanese offensive in the southern Solomons^[32] Map of the Coral Sea Islands A political map of the South Pacific. ...

In reality, however, the Japanese were completing the secret evacuation of their remaining forces from Guadalcanal over three nights between February 2 and February 7. With TF 18 forced to retreat, very few Allied naval forces were left in the immediate Guadalcanal area, allowing the Japanese to successfully retrieve all of their ground forces, and the Allies did not realize the evacuation was happening until it was over.^[10] Many of these evacuated ground forces would play an important part in future battles between the Japanese and the Allies in the critical Solomon Islands campaign. is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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Battle of Rennell Island

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Notes

A view from Rabaul Volcano Observatory across the relatively undamaged western half of Rabaul and towards Tavurur Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, was the headquarters of German New Guinea and then the Australian mandatory territory of New Guinea from 1910 until 1937, the base of Japanese activities in the South Pacific... Mitsubishi G4M The Mitsubishi G4M (一式陸上攻撃機:Type 1 land-based attack aircraft; Allied reporting name Betty) was a twin-engined, land-based bomber aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The bomber is nicknamed the Betty by the American military. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• 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. 
• Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.  Online views of selections of the book:[3]
• Frank, Richard B. (1990). Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 0-14-016561-4. 
• McGee, William L. (2002). "The Six-Month Struggle for Guadalcanal", 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). "Chapter 15", The Struggle for Guadalcanal, August 1942 – February 1943, vol. 5 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-58305-7. 
• Stafford, Edward P.; Paul Stillwell (Introduction) (2002 reissue). The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-998-0. 

Richard B. Frank (born 1947 in Kansas) is an American lawyer and military historian. ... Penguin Group is the second largest trade book publisher in the world. ... 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. ... Little, Brown and Company is a publishing house established by Charles Coffin Little and his partner, James Brown. ...

External links

• Chen, C. Peter (2004 – 2006). Battle of Rennell Island. World War II Database. Retrieved on 2006-07-13.
• Hough, Frank O.; Ludwig, Verle E., and Shaw, Henry I., Jr.. Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II. Retrieved on 2006-05-16.
• Wukovitz, John (2006). Battle of Rennell Island: Setback in the Solomons. TheHistoryNet.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-13. — Article originally printed in World War II magazine.