Naval battles of Guadalcanal

[Francis Marliere]

Gentlemen,

I have currently an interest on the events that led to the two naval battles of Guadalcanal. I have found some information on air and naval units for both countries, but unfortunately I have been unable to find all the stuff I am looking for. I request your help on the following subjects :

- According http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN ... nal-3.html USS Meade arrived at Aola Bay with the cargo ship Kopara on the morning of 13th November. Do you where do they come from ?

- The same source says that USS Dale, Lardner and Stack screened South Dakota after the battle. Do you know do they come from and why they were not part of one of the Task Force (TF16, 64 and 67) ?

- Vice admiral Halsey had 20 to 27 (sources don't agree) under his orders. Do you know which ones were available / on patrol at this time ?

- With almost 50 DD operating far away from their bases, I guess that fuel was a big problem for the two navies during the operations. However, I did not see any oiler in th oob. Do you know if there were some AO available in the area ?

- As far as I understand, auxiliary carrier Nassau and aviation transport Kitty Hawk arrived at Noumea on 10th November (then at Espiritu Santo the day after). Do you know if these ships were escorted ?

Thanks for any help,

Francis Marliere

Francis Marliere

Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:43 pm
Location: Tourcoing, France

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[Steve Crandell]

"Black Shoe Carrier Admiral" by John B. Lundstrom has a lot of information regarding the USN fuel problems, but it isn't tabulated. You pretty much have to wade though the description on a day to day basis.

I've picked out Cimarron, Platte, and Kaskaskia as apparent AOs involved in the operations. Noumea appears to be where they refueled from chartered civilian tankers such as Chester Sun. Tankers were in short supply and had a long transit from the US West Coast. Many of the destroyers listed as involved in operations actually had to be detailed to escort various ships involved in the logistics effort.

I just don't have the time to really look at that book in detail, but I've tried to at least give a few names from scanning. One major premise of the aforementioned book is that Morrison's account downplays the fuel difficulties because of incorrect assumptions he makes and reports as fact.

[Thorsten Wahl]

Guadalcanal Campaign
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/US ... canal.html

Title : Battle of Savo Island - Lessons Learned and Future Implications
Corporate Author : ARMY WAR COLL CARLISLE BARRACKS PA
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA404261

Title : Guadalcanal: The Naval Campaign (Joint Force Quarterly, Autumn 1993)
Corporate Author : NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIV WASHINGTON DC CENTER FOR COUNTERPROLIFERATION RESEARCH
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA426645

Title : Operation WATCHTOWER: An Analysis in Operational Design
Corporate Author : NAVAL WAR COLL NEWPORT RI DEPT OF OPERATIONS
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA279708

Title : Final Report on Guadalcanal Operation, Phase 1
Corporate Author : MARINE DIVISION (1ST) CAMP PENDLETON CA
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA556676

Title : Guadalcanal Operation. Volume 2
Descriptive Note : Final rept.
Corporate Author : MARINE DIV (1ST) CAMP PENDLETON CA
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA587853

Title : Guadalcanal Operation. Volume 3
Descriptive Note : Final rept.
Corporate Author : MARINE DIV (1ST) CAMP PENDLETON CA
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA576205

Title : Guadalcanal Operation. Volume 4
Descriptive Note : Final rept.
Corporate Author : MARINE DIV (1ST) CAMP PENDLETON CA
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA587854

Title : Guadalcanal Operation. Volume 5
Descriptive Note : Final rept.
Corporate Author : MARINE DIV (1ST) CAMP PENDLETON CA
Full Text : http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA587855


Battle of Guadalcanal 11-15 November, 1942 OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE U.S. NAVY [1943]
http://www.history.navy.mil/library/onl ... al1942.htm

Sodak offical damage report
http://www.history.navy.mil/library/onl ... rtno57.htm

[Steve Crandell]

Wow, thanks for the tabulation of sources!

[Byron Angel]

USS LARDNER (DD487) - My father served aboard this ship. Her activities up to the Battle of Tassafaronga as follows -
13 May 1942 - Commissioned.
21 Aug 1942 - Passed through the Panama Canal en route to PTO: Destination Noumea, New Caledonia via Souva, Fiji.
Assigned to Division 24 of Destroyer Squadron 12 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides.
14 Sep 1942 - Departed Espiritu Santo as part of escort covering a six transport convoy carrying 7th Marine Regiment to Guadalcanal. WASP sunk, NORTH CAROLINA and DD OBRIEN damaged by submarine attack. LARDNER rescued about 300 survivors from WASP and returned to Espiritu Santo.
Early Oct 1942 - LARDNER and AARON WARD despatched to bombard Japanese positions on Guadalcanal. The two ships ended off an air attack by 12 Betty bombers, claiming six shot down. A previously damaged and grounded Japanese freighter attempting to discharge its cargo and an oil barge were destroyed as well as various Japanese ammunition and fuel dumps ashore.
20-22 Oct 1942 - Participated in Battle of Santa Cruz.
30 Oct 1942 - LARDNER, AARON WARD, BENHAM, FLETCHER and light cruiser ATLANTA escorted convoy transporting artillery to the Marines on Guadalcanal. Attack by Japanese dive bombers was driven off, with seven claimed shot down.
11 Nov 1942 - In conjunction with several other US ships, fended off two Japanese air attacks during the morning hours off Lunga Point. AP9 ZIELIN is damaged by a bomb hit. LARDNER is assigned to escort ZIELIN back to Espiritu Santo, hence misses the two night actions off Guadalcanal.
25 Nov 1942 - Departs Espiritu Santo after re-fueling and taking on ammunition and assigned to join CV escort group.
30 Nov 1942 - Diverted en route to join TF67 at Guadalcanal. High speed dash, in company with DD LAMSON, enable these ships to join TF67 by nightfall.

B