This military campaign was fought between August 7, 1942, and February 9, 1943, on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater of World War II. Below are the top five veteran research questions, where to go for further resources, and how to begin your search. At 0900 two tanks were put ashore from thePresident Jackson. Four of the enemy losses were twin-engine torpedo planes similar to the horizontal bombers and the fifth was either a single-engine torpedo plane or a Zero or new type of escort fighter. The boats gathered at the line of departure for their difficult run to the beach. J.J. Donahue), assisted by a few paratroops, crossed the causeway from Gavutu and established themselves on the south side of the island. The first attack on Bougainville occurred on 15 August 1943. Maj. Justice Chambers, who commanded one of the companies scheduled to make the original landing on Tulagi, relates, "I don't think that any of us will forget that last night before we landed. Some ships in both groups went to general quarters as early as 0430, while others did not follow this example until an hour later. William H. Hartt, Jr.: Hopkins, Lt. Comdr. The Japanese hoped to catch the Marines between them and the other troops on the island, but the enemy forces never coordinated their actions. He further advised: "All available aviation in this area subject to actual limitations of range will operate in your support on request to COMSOWESPAC," and that "naval support will be given as previously arranged." Those on the left flank, however, advanced slowly inland against bitter opposition. VB-6, Lieut. Shore parties were to be organized in accord with Standard Operating Procedure for Shore Parties as set forth in Force General Order No. The enemy plane burst into flames, passed close under his left wing, and crashed among the boats. Courtney) joined the Parachute Battalion in exterminating the few remaining Japanese. Four minutes later our dive bombers started their work. So vigorous was the enemy's resistance that only one platoon of C Company could advance farther, but it managed to edge along the southern shore to the eastern tip of the island. Allied success in the Solomon Islands campaign prevented the Japanese from cutting Australia and New Zealand off from the United States. On August 8th the schedule for "D-plus-1 day to end of operations" was in force. Consequently our boats had to pass along the eastern shore of the island, between it and the promontory of Florida on which Halavo lay, then turn sharply in toward the beach. Felt of theSaratogacommanded bombers and torpedo planes in the Tulagi area the morning of the 8th. TheEnterprisefurnished the personnel for the Air Support Director. Hartt, Jr. For this task the squadron was divided into two groups: theHovey,Hopkins, andTreverwere to bombard Gavutu Island, while Bungana Island was the target of theSouthardandZane. Throughout the day the Screening Group, under the command of Admiral Crutchley, engaged in patrolling the waters around Transport Groups XRAY and YOKE to protect them against enemy surface, air, or submarine attack. Meanwhile Comdr. The entire force would then proceed to Koro Island in the Fijis for rehearsal exercises. Ellis had also brought his boat in, and was instructed to transfer the wounded to a damaged boat and send them to theNeville. We had put about 7,500 men ashore in that area at a cost of 248 casualties. Tense with the strain of impending battle, they did not know whether the enemy's apparent somnolence was real or feigned. On D-Day a total of 223 launchings and 221 landings were made, and on D-plus-one-Day 89 launchings and 86 landings. Guadalcanal Map Solomon Islands - Guadalcanal US Naval Base Solomons was a number of United States Navy bases in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. This company was under the command of Capt. TheHopkins,Trever, andHoveyturned right 90 into column to cross 200 yards to the north of the line of departure and to offer our boats what protection they could. It was later learned that a scout bomber had inadvertently dropped bomb, which exploded on hitting the water.12However, by the time the planes were over Guadalcanal, the first rays of light were showing in the east, and nearly all planes had found their correct places in the formation. It was also an campaign of attrition fought on land, on sea, and in the air. 57-41, BUREAU OF NAVIGATION CIRCULAR LETTER NO. This latter part of the program proved unnecessary, but while our boats were landing, each cruiser expended 45 rounds of 8-inch and 200 5-inch and each destroyer fired 200 rounds. The rehearsal for the attack, noted on page 13, was as accurate and complete a simulation of the prospective landings on the Solomons as could be provided. VT-8, Lieut. Although three attacks failed to drive out the enemy, contact was established and maintained along our line. Similar reports of enemy submarine activity continued throughout the next 2 days without confirmation. Throughout July the planes and men of Task Force MIKE were arriving at newly constructed airfields in the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, and the Fijis, and squadrons of Navy, Army, and Royal New Zealand Air Force fighters, scouts, and bombers were poising themselves for a week of intensive reconnaissance before our ships moved into the Solomons. 69.) Officer who have participated in the operations recounted herein are invited to forward to the Director of Naval Intelligence, via their commanding officers, accounts of personal experiences and observations which they esteem to have value for historical and instructional purposes. The weather of August 6th was ideal for our approach to the Solomons. Proceeding almost due west, theMcCawley's position was 1858' S., 17400' E. at noon the next day. When our boats were only 100 yards from the beach the supporting fire from our vessels lifted and the fire from shore grew heavier. Because of the enemy's losses in he Midway and Coral Sea Battles and also because of intelligence reports which regularly omitted any reference to the presence of large enemy ships in waters near the southern Solomons, it was reasonably believed that his forces there consisted almost exclusively of planes, submarines, and small surface craft. TheElliotthad lost power soon after the plane struck.38TheHullundertook to tow theElliottto Beach RED, about 10 miles away, in the hope of unloading some of the cargo and equipment which remained undamaged. Peyton L. Wirtz. Incredibly, a handful of American POWs managed to survive the Palawan massacre and with the aid of Filipino guerrillas reached safety. The planes themselves could not be seen through the overcast, but the explosions of their bombs could be both seen and heard. F. Mears, pilot, made an unsuccessful torpedo run and 2 strafing runs on the same ship. The rehearsal extended from July 28th to 31st, and included provision for two complete landing exercises - a training which the commanders agreed was critically needed by both Naval personnel and Marines. These landings initiated a series of combined-arms battles between the two adversaries, beginning with the Guadalcanal landing and continuing with several battles in the central and northern Solomons, on and around New Georgia Island, and Bougainville Island. An overcast sky and a mist which limited even surface visibility rendered enemy reconnaissance hopeless. At 1600 theBuchananstood into Gavutu Harbor on the island's east coast, slowed to steerageway, and opened fire with her 5-inch battery on Tanambogo hill at a range of 1,100 yards. That is, things which would be needed first on arrival in the target area were loaded last, so that they would be on top of the piles in the ships' hold or on deck. Second came food, medical supplies, and more gasoline. Earl W. Cook, Machinist Patrick L. Nagle, and William J. Stephenson, Jr., Aviation Pilot First Class, had not been heard from at the time the action reports were written. No serious breaks had been made in our lines during the night, and at dawn the Marines had resumed the offensive. Lieut. not to endanger our boats, only the percussion feature of all projectiles was to be used. But the Second Echelon, the First Marines, had not yet arrived, and it was evident that it would be all but impossible for the two echelons to reload simultaneously at the few docks available at Wellington. Paretsky of Scouting Squadron 72, who reported that the sixth planes in the flight, piloted by Lieut. General MacArthur further agreed that until 5 days before the attack his forces would maintain a 48-hour surveillance of the Port Moresby-Lorengau-Kavieng-Bulka-Ontong Java-Tulagi-Samurai area. The beach, however, proved awkward and inconvenient for the unloading of supplies when failure to capture the eastern end of the island the first day prevented immediate use of the facilities there as had been planned. Thereafter planes were launched as scheduled throughout the day, while a continuous attack group of four fighters and nine scout bombers was maintained over the transports in the Tulagi sector. During the Battle of Buna, two soldiers of the 32nd Infantry Division went above and beyond the call of duty. This helped, but as the photo mission was made in cloudy weather there were spots in the mosaic which were most confusing. Brown was seriously wounded by gunfire but managed to bring his plane back to the carrier, reporting that he had damaged at least one of the five Zeros which had attacked him. With the signal to land the landing force, the transports sprang into orderly activity. 98 (1914) Movement of the Rudder, General Order No. Carroll D. Reynolds. 541 (1920) Standard Nomemclature for Naval Vessels, General Order No. On July 22d Admiral McCain reported to Admiral Ghormley that his planes would begin a search 2 days before attack day so as to insure the detection of any enemy entering the Coral Sea east of 158 E., and to cover the target area to the north as far as the range of the aircraft permitted. When the Japanese Seventeenth Army launched the assault on October 23, 1942, striking at multiple points along the airfield perimeter over four days, tenacious fighting by US Marines and soldiers threw back the attacks. Our landing boats had meanwhile left their line of departure, and by 0845 (15 minutes behind schedule, due to the long distance from their transport) the Marines were going ashore at Halavo without opposition. Major Williams, who had been in charge of the landing force, had been wounded, and Lieut. The Raiders, meeting almost no opposition easily occupied the, western wide area, and then pressed on through the jungle to the narrow midsection. Cruisers: Minneapolis (CA), Capt. E Company (Weapons) of the Raiders, commanded by Capt. At about 1500 Lieut. Sometimes known as "Modified Higgins Eureka.". Eichenberger, crashed into the sea while taking off on one of the early morning flights August 7th; he was picked up by a destroyer. Although Beach BLUE, the only beach open to us on Tulagi, was also subjected to heavy sniper fire, TheNeville'sbeach party under Lieut. The enemy air attack at noon and several false alarms which kept our fire support groups on antiaircraft alert for an hour or more at a time, handicapped the organization work, however. The vessels of Transport Group XRAY at this time were proceeding north in a line of four division columns of three or four ships each (with theHeywoodalone on the left flank), interval 1,500 yards, distance between ships 1,000, speed 13 knots. 1 exploded, killing 5 men and injuring 13. Both operations served their primary purpose of drawing Japanese troops away from Bougainville, but the positions gained in the Treasuries, including valuable Blanche Harbor, were held and strengthened to provide staging for the landings on Bougainville. At 0717 the one hundred-odd men of the First Raider Battalion carried by theNevillestarted clambering down the sides of the ship into the landing boats and then left for the line of departure, while theHeywoodembarked about 100 of the Raiders in boats provided by theZeilin. The Allies retook some of the Solomon Islands (although resistance continued until the end of the war), and they also isolated and neutralized some Japanese positions, which were then bypassed. Sweeney had his head sticking out the top of the tank, trying to fire the machine gun, and that is the last I saw of him alive. Task Force 39 intercepted it about 2:30 the following morning 45 miles west of Empress Augusta Bay. By the same token, her activities in attempting to repel Japanese raids on our transport groups, which will be described later, were more formidable. But like most bad dress rehearsals it seemed to augur for a good performance. No contact was made except for a Japanese fighter seaplane which was encountered about 40 miles off Rekata Bay and which was shot down by Lt. Comdr. Because of the opposition our men were encountering, the third wave followed in closely and landed at 1206, 8 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. Bennink had to wait half an hour before he was able to contact Maj. C.A. The logistical challenges of transport and supply across the Pacific were also immense. Morrison, Samuel Eliot. Admiral McCain of Task Force MIKE was directly responsible to the Commander South Pacific Force. Aviation gasoline and ammunition were made available in all tenders and at all land plane bases, and by arrangement with the Commander Naval Unit at Efate, about 25,000 gallons of aviation gasoline would be delivered in drums at Graciosa Bay, Ndeni, for Task Group MIKE-FOUR prior to 2 days before the attack, and additional gasoline and provision would be provided later. David C. Richardson, and Ens. Command post afloat in APDs. As soon as they ceased fire the supporting vessels shifted their position to provide fire support for our principle landing at Beach BLUE. Office of Naval . There three boats were directed to proceed to northeastern Tanambogo and attempt to take the Japanese from the rear. As the operation of land-based planes from Guadalcanal would immediately imperil our control of the New Hebrides and New Caledonia area, the necessity of our regaining that island became increasingly apparent. The Japanese let them land, but as our. Also, the Bougainville airstrips constructed at Torokina and Piva by Seabees and engineers made fighter-escorted bomber attacks against Rabaul possible, as well as attacks on other Japanese bases on New Ireland and New Britain. The brevity of the period allowed for plans and logistical preparations was appreciated by all, but everyone turned to in the realization that the national interest required quick action. The loading proceeded smoothly for the most part. The wreck of a 4-motored Japanese bomber lay on the coral reef just south of Gavutu, and from it came sniper fire as our boats passed. Where time or the terrain did not permit this, Marston mats3were sometimes laid. On July 21st Admiral Fletcher notified all commanders concerned that the 3 carrier groups and Task Force TARE (the amphibious force) would rendezvous at 1400, Zone minus 12 time, July 26th, in position latitude 2315' S., longitude 18000', and that a conference of commanding officers, including General Vandegrift, would be held aboard theSaratoga. The debarkation schedule had been carefully worked out to utilize all the boats and landing craft carried by the transports and cargo ships. It was followed at 5-minute intervals by the other two waves. The division's First Echelon, the Fifth Marines, was already in New Zealand, had unloaded and was ready to reembark immediately. The enemy forces on Guadalcanal had all withdrawn to the bush. Our cruiser planes had dropped smoke bombs indicating the limits of the beach. The minesweepers. Major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II, South West Pacific theatre of World War II, The British Resident Commissioner of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate and therefore nominally the commander of the Commonwealth military forces in the Solomon Islands. The Marines sustained under 50 casualties. I was launched at 1140, as leader of eight VF, to intercept this attack at Guadalcanal about 70 miles away, with a climb of 16,000 feet rendered necessary to get above the weather. 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Cruiser: Vincennes (CA) (2 VOS planes), Capt. "37Within a few minutes theElliotthauled out of formation, and other ships observed that a large part of her crew were going overboard or floating in her wake. Soon afterwards dive bombers from our carriers appeared in the sky above and began hammering the enemy's remaining hideaways in Tulagi and Tanambogo. Ens. The Solomon Islands Was a Pivotal WWII Battleground Beginning on August 7, 1942, the Guadalcanal campaign was a six-months-long series of battles fought between Allied forces and Imperial Japan on and around Guadalcanal, the largest landmass in the Solomon Islands. Ens. 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This group was directed to maintain daily search of the southern Solomons and their western waters, track important enemy contacts, and execute air attacks on enemy objectives as directed. Solomon Islands Campaign 23 Aug 1942 - 25 Dec 1943 Contributor: C. Peter Chen This article does not include events taking place on and around the island of Guadalcanal. which had convoyed auxiliary ships from Pearl Harbor to Tongatabu, also joined the force that afternoon. At 0224 the thin crescent of the waning moon rose and the dark shadow of the shore line could be clearly seen. Within a few minutes 15 dive bombers arrived on the station, and he received word that on sighting a green rocket signal on Gavutu he was to order bombing of Tanambogo. Canberra (HMAS) (CA), Capt. It was hoped that Combat Group B, by immediately moving into the interior of the island, could get in behind the Japanese and stop them from escaping to the mountains. Aircraft carriers arrive south of Guadalcanal. Flying high above Squadron YOKE off Florida, they dived steeply on Squadron XRAY off Guadalcanal. (b) One scout bomber shot down; pilot Lieut. Mine sweepers bombard Gavutu and Bungana Island. As it did so, the weather changed to a complete overcast, with a fresh wind and moderate sea. This group was ordered to land on Florida Island hear Halavo at H-hour plus 30 minutes and seize that village.8. The Japanese overran Tulagi and its environs early in April and soon put its various facilities to use. Only a few miles to the north was Task Force NEGAT, which, until the evening of August 6th, maintained a generally parallel course and provided reconnaissance and patrols. 129 (1903) Surplus Provisions, General Order No. Its 15 transports were in 2 columns of 7 and 8 ships, respectively, arranged in the same order in which they would lie for the initial debarkation. These were Companies E and F, commanded by Capt. ", By 1400 the men on the left flank of our landing had made sufficient progress to be able to relieve by mortar fire the pressure on our right flank. One of the falling aircraft barely missed hitting theVincennes'stern, while another crashed on the deck of theGeorge F. Elliottsetting the ship afire. . In perusing these narratives, the reader should bear in mind that while they recount in considerable detail the engagements in which our forces participated, certain underlying aspects of these operations must be kept in a secrete category until after the end of the war. The first landing, scheduled to be made at 0740 immediately east of Haleta, was to be carried out by Company B, Combat Team A (Second Marines) from thePresident Jackson. Bagley, Lt. Comdr. Francis W. Benson. In spite of these limitations, however, much valuable experience was gained. This group was directed to search sectors northwest from Plane Des Gaiacs, in central New Caledonia, to a depth of 400 miles, to conduct antisubmarine patrols and provide antisubmarine protection to incoming and outgoing vessels as might be required. About 1026 the first wave of the landing boats left the assembly area and started the 7-mile run to the line of departure. On 7 August 1942 U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal, beginning the Guadalcanal Campaign. Beginning in August 1942 and continuing through the end of 1943, when the Japanese base at Rabaul was isolated and bypassed, the Solomon Islands Campaign was conducted with combined Allied forces from the Southwest Pacific and Central Pacific commands and included several major amphibious landings, a dozen naval battles, and continuous air attacks. Arthur C. Davis}. This division of control and operation of the combat patrols apparently created some confusion, because the fighters when over the carriers were directed to take orders from theEnterprise,but when they proceeded relatively few miles to positions over the transports they were to obey the director on theChicago. After some fierce fighting, the US Marines cleared Tulagi and Florida by August 9. Island-New Georgia. The Japanese lost 31,000 men, 38 ships, and 683 aircraft. This was not the best beach on the island, but this was precisely its merit. But due to the closeness of the carrier groups and the inexperience of some of the pilots, considerable confusion ensued, planes from one carrier joining up with those from another. 1953], Pt. A hill on Gavutu 148 feet high and another 120 feet high on Tanambogo commanded the beach. More fires were set on Tanambogo, and the house harboring the Japanese flag was burned to the ground. DePoix and four others were probably damaged before the Zeros forced our fighters to take refuge in nearby clouds. To utilize to the utmost the troop-carrying capacity of the ships available, all excess supplies and equipment were eliminated and even normal supplies were radically curtailed. Meanwhile the leader of the squadron's last section, Lt. (jg) Robert L. Howard, who was retiring after dropping his last bomb, had sighted twin-engine bombers (tentatively identified as T-97 heavy bombers) approaching our transports. Two were placed under the command of Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher. On Christmas Day, the Armys Americal Division arrived on Bougainville to relieve the 3d Marine Division. William E. Hank. It was the scene of bitter fighting between US and Japanese forces. [32] An account (oral statement recorded in the Office of Naval Records) by Lieut. The tractor was towed into the Tulagi transport area and turned over to a tank lighter for delivery toNeville. Crane arrived with 6 of his men. In March 1942 Admiral Ernest King, then Commander-in Chief of the U.S. Fleet, had advocated an offense from New Hebrides through the Solomon Islands to the Bismarck Archipelago. The enemy had concentrated his forces on the steep slopes of Hill 281 and in the shovel-shaped ravine west of the hill and to the north of the cricket ground. - Ten units of fire, one unit of fire being the ammunition necessary to operate a weapon in one day of fighting. Bell. At first the newcomers were thought to be a relief arriving from another carrier, and our planes continued on their retirement course. 1 Austrian 6-pounder Howitzer - Plaque, No. Meanwhile Lieut. As early as January her fleet invaded and established bases in New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago and in the northern Solomons, both then under Australian mandate. At about the same time one of our scout bombers scored a hit near the battery and demolished a building on the hilltop. Before 0900 they were streaming their sweeping gear, and operations started a little later. Shortly after he returned with the boat to Tanambogo to evacuate the others. On this leg of her long voyage theWaspand her escorts served as convoy to five transports, theCrescent City,President Adams,President Hayes,President Jackson, andAlhena, which had the Second Marines on board. The Commander Southwest Pacific also agreed to provide the following surveillance: from 5 days before the attack to 4 days afterwards, four daily reconnaissance flights over the area Port Moresby-Madang-Kavieng-Ontong Java-Port Praslin (northwest end of Santa Isabel Island)--easternmost point of New Georgia-Tagula Island. one rifle company and one machine-gun platoon (from Combat Team A, Second Marines) were to land at a cove19near Haleta and hold the point to the southeast. Ramsey stated, and informed Commander Task Group NEGAT of the action taken. 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Pamphlet No. Also part of the plan was a Navy operation to capture Tulagi in the southern Solomons. involving respotting of the deck "on the double," and "the stamina of these crews, who have been hardened by continuous service in the war, is worthy of mention.". F.E. [45] Admiral McCain's operation plan for land-and water-based planes provided for a comprehensive search of the Solomons region before, during, and after the Tulagi-Guadalcanal landings. It covers both the sea and land battles and amphibious attacks. Avoiding the nearby trails, which were dominated by cliffs, these two companies headed directly across the island before turning southeast along the far shore where Company B quickly secured the village of Sasapi. This suggestion proved satisfactory to General MacArthur, and he agreed that for 2 days preceding the attack and for 4 days afterward the SOUWESPAC air forces would search water areas to the limit of range southeast of line Madang-Kapingamarangi Islands and northwest of the line of Tagula Island-easternmost point of New Georgia Island, thence along 158 E., paying particular attention to entrances to the Coral Sea from the north and east. Hope, MS2c, Lilton T. Walker, S1c, two nat - NARA - 520630.jpg 3,000 2,328; 1.37 MB. It also simultaneously sighted the enemy bombers and was attacked by Zeros. Edward L. Beck. Runyon, who had previously shot down another in a head-on run, beat him to it. Admiral William F. Halsey, USN, Commander South Pacific, ordered Task Force 39 (which included four cruisers and the eight destroyers of Capt Arleigh Burkes Destroyer Squadron 23), under RADM A.S. Merrill, to bombard airfields on Buka and Bonis northwest of Bougainville. Transports: Crescent City, Capt. 5 - Decorations Awarded By Foreign Governments, Pt. The campaign began with Japanese landings and capture of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, during the first six months of 1942. A Japanese goal was to establish an effective defensive perimeter from British India on the west, through the Dutch East Indies on the south, and to island bases in the south and central Pacific as its southeastern line of defense. So the tank knocked the ramp down and started up the beach with the fourteen Marines right behind it. Accordingly our ships came in and anchored in about 30 fathoms of water, some 2,000 yards off Beach RED, about 1100. The last seen or heard of the destroyer was early in the morning of the 9th, when theBluesighted her rounding Cape Esperance, presumably bound for Noumea. 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