Battle off Horaniu

Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II

U.S. destroyers (from right to left): O'Bannon, Chevalier, and Taylor head towards Tulagi harbor in the Solomon Islands on 15 August 1943, two days before engaging in the Battle off Horaniu.

Date	17–18 August 1943
Location	Near Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands
Result	Strategic Japanese Victory

Belligerents

United States

Empire of Japan

Commanders and leaders

Thomas J. Ryan

Matsuji Ijuin

Strength

4 destroyers

4 destroyers,
20 barges and auxiliary ships

Casualties and losses

None

4 auxiliary ships sunk,
2 destroyers slightly damaged^[1]

Solomon Islands campaign

Southern Solomons Japanese Invasion of Tulagi Guadalcanal Campaign Operation Cartwheel Operation I-Go Operation Vengeance Central Solomons New Georgia Campaign Vella Lavella Northern Solomons Treasury Islands Raid on Choiseul Bombing of Rabaul Bougainville Campaign Green Islands

The Battle off Horaniu (Japanese: 第一次ベララベラ海戦) was a minor naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on the night of 17 August 1943 near the island of Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands

Background

After the fall of Munda and their defeat in the Battle of Vella Gulf, the Japanese had decided to evacuate their garrisons in the central Solomons. An evacuation convoy escorted by four destroyers (Sazanami, Hamakaze, Isokaze, and Shigure) commanded by Rear Admiral Matsuji Ijuin set out from its staging base at Horaniu on the northern tip of Vella Lavella on 17 August to evacuate the island of Kolombangara to the east.

Battle

At about 23:30 they were attacked by planes and were still in some disorganization when they were spotted at 00:29 by an American force of four destroyers (USS Nicholas, O'Bannon, Taylor, and Chevalier) commanded by Captain Thomas J. Ryan. After an ineffective exchange of torpedoes and gunfire at long range, the Japanese retreated at about 01:00.

Aftermath

The Japanese saved their barges and were subsequently able to evacuate 9,000 troops from Kolombangara.

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Notes

↑ Morison, Breaking the Bismarcks, p. 236. Ships sunk included two subchasers, two motor torpedo boats, and one powered barge with an unknown number of personnel killed or injured.

References

D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.
Hara, Tameichi (1961). Japanese Destroyer Captain. New York & Toronto: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-27894-1.
Kilpatrick, C. W. (1987). Naval Night Battles of the Solomons. Exposition Press. ISBN 0-682-40333-4.
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1958). Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, vol. 6 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Castle Books. ISBN 0-7858-1307-1.
Roscoe, Theodore (1953). United States Destroyer Operations in World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-726-7.

External links

Coordinates: 7°42′0″S 156°43′0″E / 7.70000°S 156.71667°E / -7.70000; 156.71667

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