The Battle of the Eastern Solomons was fought August 23–25, 1942 in the waters east and northeast of the Solomon Islands by forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet and the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. The battle resulted from a major effort by the Japanese to reinforce their troop strength on the island of Guadalcanal. The Japanese high command had realized this reinforcement was necessary following the annihilation of the Ichiki Detachment by the 1st Marines a few days earlier.
The battle can be counted both a tactical and strategic American victory: greater ship losses were inflicted on the Japanese, and the transports were turned back from their mission of landing reinforcements.
Forces deployed Japanese forces Combat ships: 2 fleet carriers, 1 light carrier, 3 old battleships, 13 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 30 destroyers, 2 1st-class submarines, 1 2nd-class submarine Aircraft: 69 fighters, 41 dive bombers, 57 torpedo bombers
American forces Combat ships: 3 fleet carriers, 1 fast battleship, 6 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 2 anti-aircraft light cruisers, 20 destroyers Aircraft: 100 fighters, 54 dive bombers, 54 scout bombers, 45 torpedo bombers
Ship losses IJN : 1 light carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 1st-class submarine USN : none
Japanese order of battle
Guadalcanal Supporting Forces Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo in heavy cruiser Atago
Advanced Force Vice Admiral Kondo
Main Body Cruiser Division 4 3 heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): , , Cruiser Division 5 (Vice Adm. Takeo Takagi) 2 heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): , Destroyer Squadron 4 (Rear Adm. Tamotsu Takama): 1 light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): 2 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): , 3 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): , ,
Support Group 1 battleship (8 × 16-in. main battery): 3 destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): , ,
Striking Force Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo in fleet carrier Shokaku
Carrier Group Vice Admiral Nagumo 2 fleet carriers (Capt. Masafumi Arima) 27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Hideki Shingo) 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Cdr. Mamoru Seki) 18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Cdr. Shigeharu Murata) (Capt. Tameteru Notomo) 27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Ayao Shirane) 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Sadamu Takahashi) 18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Shigeichirō Imajuku) Screen 1 (6 × 5-in. main battery): 3 (6 × 5-in. main battery): , , 2 (6 × 5-in. main battery): ,
Vanguard Group Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe Battleships 2 fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery): , Cruiser Division 7 (Rear Adm. Shoji Nishimura) 2 (10 × 8-in. main battery): , 1 (8 × 8-in. main battery): Destroyer Squadron 10 (Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura) 1 light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): 1 destroyer (8 × 4-in. main battery): 5 destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery): , , , ,
Diversionary Group Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara in heavy cruiser Tone 1 light carrier: Ryujo (Capt. Tadao Katō) (sunk) 24 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Kenjirō Nōtomi) 9 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Binichi Murakami) 1 heavy cruiser (8 × 8-in. main battery): Tone 2 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): ,
Southeast Area Forces
Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara
Outer South Seas Force Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
Reinforcement Group Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka Transport Unit 1 auxiliary cruiser: Kinryu Maru Embarking 800 men of the 5th Yokosuka SNLF 4 patrol boats: No. 1, No. 2, No. 34, No. 35 Embarking 700 men of the 2nd echelon of the IJA Ichiki Detachment Escort Unit 1 light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery, 1 scout plane): 2 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): , 3 destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): , , 3 destroyers (4 × 4.7-in. main battery): (sunk), ,
Covering Group Vice Admiral Mikawa 1 heavy cruiser: Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Adm. Aritomo Gotō) 2 heavy cruisers (6 × 8-in. main battery): , 1 heavy cruiser (6 × 8-in. main battery):
Submarine Group 2 1st-class submarines: , (sunk) 1 2nd-class submarine:
American order of battle
Task Force 61 Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher in Saratoga: "The USS Dewey War Diary reports on 25 August, Task Force 11 comprised Saratoga, New Orleans, Australia, Hobart, Bagley, Patterson, Macdonough, Dewey, Phelps, Worden, Farragut as well as North Carolina, Atlanta, Grayson, and Monssen detached from Task Force 16."
Task Force 11 Vice Admiral Fletcher
1 fleet carrier (Capt. DeWitt C. Ramsey) Air Group (Cmdr. Harry D. Felt) VF-5: 27 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Leroy C. Simpler) VB-3: 17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Dewitt W. Shumway) VS-3: 15 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Louis J. Kirn) VT-8: 13 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Harold H. Larsen) Cruisers (Rear Adm. Carleton H. Wright) 2 heavy cruisers (9 × 8-in./55-cal. main battery) (Capt. Frank J. Lowry) (Capt. Walter S. DeLany) 1 County-class heavy cruiser (8 × 8-in. main battery) HMAS Australia (Capt. Harold Farncomb, RAN) 1 Leander-class light cruiser (8 × 6-in. main battery) HMAS Hobart (Capt. Henry Showers, RAN) Screen (Capt. Samuel B. Brewer) 7 destroyers 1 (8 × 5-in./38 SP/low elevation main battery): Phelps 4 (4 × 5-in./38 DP main battery): Farragut, MacDonough, Worden, Dewey: "USS Dale is commonly cited to have been present but the USS Dewey- War Diary, 8/1/42 to 12/31/42 confirms Dewey was present for the battle instead." 2 Bagley-class (4 × 5-in./38 DP main battery): Bagley, Patterson
Task Force 16
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in Enterprise
1 fleet carrier (Capt. Arthur C. Davis) Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Maxwell F. Leslie) VF-6: 29 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Louis H. Bauer) VB-6: 17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Ray Davis) VS-5: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Turner F. Caldwell) VT-3: 15 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Charles M. Jett)
Battleship and Cruisers (Rear Adm. Mahlon S. Tisdale) 1 fast battleship (9 × 16-in./45-cal. main battery) (Capt. George H. Fort) 1 heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in./55-cal. main battery) (Capt. Laurance T. DuBose) 1 anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in./38-cal. main battery) (Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins)
Screen (Capt. Edward P. Sauer) 6 destroyers 1 (8 × 5-in./38 SP/low elevation main battery): Balch 2 (5 × 5-in. dual purpose main battery): Grayson, Monssen 1 (4 × 5-in./38 dual purpose main battery): Maury 2 (4 × 5-in./38 dual purpose main battery): Benham, Ellet
Task Force 18 (deployed but did not take part in battle)
Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes in Wasp
1 Wasp-class fleet carrier Wasp (Capt. Forrest P. Sherman) Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Wallace M. Beakley) VF-71: 28 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Shands) VS-71: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. John Eldridge) VS-72: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Ernest M. Snowden) VT-7: 15 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Henry A. Romberg)
Cruisers (Rear Adm. Norman Scott) 1 heavy cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery) (Capt. Charles H. McMorris) 1 heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery) (Capt. Ernest G. Small) 1 anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in. main battery) S (Capt. James E. Maher)
Screen (Capt. Robert G. Tobin) 7 destroyers 1 (8 × 5-in. main battery): Selfridge 2 (5 × 5-in. main battery): Aaron Ward, Buchanan 3 (4 × 5-in. main battery): Lang, Stack, Sterett 1 (4 × 5-in. main battery): Farenholt
Individual attack waves
Attack on Enterprise (Nagumo carrier group 1st wave) 10 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: 4 from Shokaku, 6 from Zuikaku 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers: 18 from Shokaku, 9 from Zuikaku
Nagumo carrier group 2nd wave (found no targets) 9 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: 3 from Shokaku, 6 from Zuikaku 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers: 9 from Shokaku, 18 from Zuikaku
Ryūjō Attack on Henderson Field 6 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers: all from Ryūjō 14 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: all from Ryūjō
B-17 strike on Nagumo carrier group TBD
Saratoga strike on Ryūjō 29 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless Dive Bombers 7 Grumman TBF-1 Avenger Torpedo Bombers The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942, pg. 122
B-17 strike on Ryūjō TBD
Notes
References
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