Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

See "Naval Battles in the Solomon Islands over August/November 1942 turn the tide of the Pacific War"

My Name is Mario Golze and I live in the East of Germany in near of Berlin.

My interest is the War at Sea in the World War II and I believe, I have one of the best german language Web Site about the War at Pacific.

This Time, I research the battle of Guadalcanal with all sea battles around this Island. Now I have a little Problem. In american Web Site I cannot found some Information about the Australian Cruisers and Destroyers and her Movement in August 1942 after the battle of Savo. Where are the Cruiser Hobart and Australia at the 24. August 1942 ??? I hope, you can tell me about this. Maybe, you can give me some australian Web Sites with Information.

Many Greedings from the far Europe.

Mario Golze

Hello Mario,

Thank you for your message.

I will try to answer your question.

It is my experience, that in general, any RAN involvement in the Pacific was largely ignored by the US Naval Historians, or given rather scant coverage, so here goes: 

After Savo, Task Force 44, which now was depleted to the Australian Cruisers Australia, Hobart, and US Destroyers, Patterson, Bagley and Selfridge, went off to Noumea, on the 18th. of August, both Rear Admirals Turner and Crutchley were called to meet Vice Admiral Ghormley to discuss " the defence of the area captured ( Guadalcanal ) and how to maintain supplies to our troops there."

It was decided that Task Force 44 would remain under the South Pacific Command ( rather than under MacArthur ) and would sail the next morning to join Task Force 61. This was Vice Admiral Fletcher's command of Saratoga, Wasp, and Enterprise, with the Battleship North Carolina, plus their cruisers and destroyers, that after withdrawing  prematurely from Savo ( and leaving the invading force bereft of any air cover ) had stayed at sea, west of the New Hebrides.

On the 21st of August, Task Force 74 rendezvoused with TF 61. Australia, Hobart, Patterson, and Bagley were ordered to join TF 11 which included Fletcher's Flagship Saratoga, cruisers Minneapolis and New Orleans, plus their protecting destroyers. Selfridge was allocated to to TF 18, including Wasp, cruisers, San Juan, Salt Lake City and San Fransisco, plus destroyers. The final carrier Enterprise, battle ship North Carolina, cruisers Portland, Atlanta, and destroyers made up TF 16.

This force set off to be in a position 50 miles south of Guadalcanal by 0700 on the 22nd. of August.

Rear Admiral Scott was placed in command of the Surface Attack Group, given the job of defending the Carriers against any surface attack. This group included all the cruisers plus North Carolina, and 8 destroyers. The Attack Force was divided into three Divisions, with Crutchley in command of the 4th, Division made up of Australia, Hobart and Phoenix, still to join.

At sunset that night, 4 cruisers and 5 destroyers, under Rear Admiral Wright in Minneapolis were despatched 20 miles ahead to form a scouting line guarding against any surface night attack by the Japanese. On Guadalcanal that night the Japanese forces tried to break through the American defences at the mouth of the Tenaru River, but the Marines held firm, and that afternoon, with tanks the US forces caught the Japanese with their backs to the sea and decimated them.

At sea, US air contact was made with Japanese surfaces forces about 1030 on the 23rd, of August, when a transport group was seen 300 miles north near Ontong Java. They were steaming south from Truk, 6 cruisers with the carrier Chitose, more carriers astern, Zuikaku and Shokaku, ahead of them, 2 Battleships and 3 cruisers.

The small Carrier Ryujo, with a cruiser, then a group of transports covered by 3 cruisers under Mikawa, the winner at Savo. Air strikes took of from Henderson Field and from Saratoga, but as Admiral Tanaka was aware his forces had been spotted he avoided the planes by retiring his force to the north west.

On the morning of the 24th. aircraft from Rabaul and Ryujo bombed Henderson Field but did little damage, and lost 21 aircraft. By that afternoon, Zuikakyu, Shokaku plus other Japanese forces had been found by reconnaissance planes, and both sides launched air strikes. At 1550, Ryujo was hit by bombs and torpedoes, and sank 4 hours later.

Both Zuikaku and Shokaku operating independently, launched a strike to concentrate upon Enterprise, I quote Lieutenant Ashley-Brown in Australia, ( when I was a Midshipman in her, over 1939/41, he was my Snotties Nurse, that is the Lieutenant in charge of the Midshipmen's training )

" It was very exciting, we felt if they had any more planes available our turn must come soon...The air seemed full of aircraft, wheeling and diving over ENTERPRISE, we watched the US fighters mix it with them, and saw plane after plane diving, burning and out of control, into the sea. We also saw mortally hit planes apparently trying to crash into the upper deck of the carrier."

A direct hit from a large bomb was seen to hit the after end of Enterprise, great columns of black smoke were seen, and soon she was out of action. All her aircraft were up, but it was impossible for them to land back on their ship, all the fighters from Saratoga were sent to cover the stricken carrier, and Enterprise's aircraft were told to land on Saratoga.

The fires on Enterprise were vigorously tackled, and within an hour her company had her operational once again, but 3 bombs had struck the ship with heavy casualities.

This attack had been made about 1700, and lasted some 15 minutes, there is little doubt that the tremendous barrage of AA fire put up by North Carolina in defence of Enterprise, probably saved her.
 
On the evening of the 24th. of August Fletcher retired to the south, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons over, a US victory, with the Japanese carrier Ryujo destroyed, and 61 enemy aircraft shot down, a Japanese destroyer and transport also sunk.

In the late afternoon, 2 dive bombers and 5 torpedo bombers from Saratoga found several Japanese ships including the seaplaner carrier Chitose, and it was badly damaged by the dive bombers, all the torpedoes missed their mark.
 
The US carrier groups continued to patrol to the south east of Guadalcanal, and on the 25th. Enterprise was sent off to Pearl Harbor for repairs.

Four days later the Saratoga and Wasp groups were joined by TF 17, the carrier Hornet, her cruisers and destroyers.

Intelligence warned against submarine attack, Rear Admiral Crutchley reported:

"The carrier forces have an ample number of screening destroyers and strong anti-submarine air patrols which are maintained during daylight and have kept the submarines down and scoring some success against them."

But, on the 31st August, the Japanese submarine I-26 , torpedoed Saratoga, damaging her turbo-electric machinery, and put her out of action for a crucial 3 months.

Now TF 44, which had been attached to the Wasp Task Group, reverted to the Operational control of the Commander, South West Pacific on that day, Australia, Hobart, Phoenix, Selfridge, Patterson and Bagley all arrived in Brisbane, Australia on the 3rd. of September 1942.

Mario, I have responded to your question at some length, I do hope it helps.

Best regards.
Mac. Gregory.

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