Today in Military History, October 11, 1942: As both a U.S. and Japanese landing force make for Guadalcanal the slug fest naval fight, the Battle of Cape Esperance, begins unexpectedly from the cruisers and destroyer escorts of the opposing navies. For the Japanese the Tokyo Express is trying to reinforce the island after the U.S. Marine attacks on their main positions west of the Matanikau River. The final major attack on them just took place on October 9, 1942, and the enemy was cut down to size and needs the reinforcements to initiate its now delayed assault on Henderson Field. For the Americans, who have been hurt, they just simply need much higher numbers to defend the airfield. Almost every single combat U.S. Marine is now on Guadalcanal and the U.S. troop convoy will bring the first unit of the U.S. Armys Americal Division, the 2,837 men of the 164th Infantry Regiment. These U.S. Army Soldiers will soon be the first U.S. Soldiers to see offensive operations during World War II. As both the U.S. Navy and Japanese convoys approach Guadalcanal they literally run into each other. The Americans are under the command of Rear Admiral Norman Scott with the Japanese under Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō. The slug fest will become a cruiser fight quickly as the U.S. Navy has no battleships left in the Pacific with most lost at Pearl and the Japanese using their battleships to now heavily protect their aircraft carriers after their disaster at Midway. This fight will soon be one the most dangerous places to be as the cruisers pound the enemy and the fast destroyers run through firing their smaller guns and popping out torpedos. The heavy fire began so quickly that even before the transports of both sides could start their runs for Guadalcanal the shells began falling way too near them. Both admirals ordered all the fire that was able on the others flagships to take as much fire off the transports as possible. These orders allowed all of the transports of both sides to successfully depart the engagement area and land their troops safely on Guadalcanal. It did the flagships no good though and both took heavy damage. Still slugging it out the U.S. ships began to get the upper hand and it became obvious to Admiral Scott. He ordered all ships to close and continue firing and this is where the Battle of Cape Esperance was won. Admiral Gotō began looking for escape routes but found little. The Japanese hope was to engage a group of destroyers trailing far behind but it was too late. As Gotō gave his commands a U.S. shell slammed into his flagships flag bridge mortally wounding the Japanese admiral and killing most of his officers and staff. Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō would die from his wounds by the following morning. As Scott disengaged his force his ships had sunk one enemy cruiser and heavily damaged another, the damaged cruiser being the enemy flagship. Three enemy destroyers were also sunk. The U.S. losses stood at one destroyer sunk and one damaged but able to be repaired by its crew. One cruiser out of the four U.S. cruisers which fought sustained significant damage. Although the Battle of Cape Esperance was a U.S. victory the main objective of the enemy, landing troops on Guadalcanal, was achieved. Luckily the same went for the U.S. and the U.S. Army reinforcements would soon be pulling missions with the U.S. Marines and also take part in the upcoming defense of the all important Henderson Field. (1) During the quick starting Battle of Cape Esperance one of the American transports is still close to the naval battle as it begins to remove itself from the hot zone and attempt its run to Guadalcanal. (2) After the Battle of Cape Esperance the heavily damaged Japanese cruiser IJN Aoba disembarks dead and wounded crew members after it has moved to a safe area to do so. (3) U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Norman Scott, the American commander during the Battle of Cape Esperance which took place off Guadalcanal on October 11, 1942. Photos courtesy of the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command and the Kure Naval Shipyard Museum, Kure, Japan.
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 00:21:04 +0000
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