Battle off Horaniu

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Solomon Islands campaign
Guadalcanal – Savo I. – Eastern Solomons – Cape Esperance – Santa Cruz Is. – Naval Guadalcanal – Tassafaronga – Rennell I. – Blackett Strait – Operation Cartwheel – New Georgia – Kula Gulf – Kolombangara – Vella Gulf – Horaniu – Vella Lavella – Naval Vella Lavella – Treasury Is. – Choiseul – Empress Augusta Bay – Cape St. George – Green Is. – 2nd Rabaul – Bougainville

Solomon Islands campaign
Guadalcanal – Savo I. – Eastern Solomons – Cape Esperance – Santa Cruz Is. – Naval Guadalcanal – Tassafaronga – Rennell I. – Blackett Strait – Operation Cartwheel – New Georgia – Kula Gulf – Kolombangara – Vella Gulf – Horaniu – Vella Lavella – Naval Vella Lavella – Treasury Is. – Choiseul – Empress Augusta Bay – Cape St. George – Green Is. – 2nd Rabaul – Bougainville

The Battle off Horaniu was a minor naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought on the night of August 17, 1943 near the island of Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands

Contents

1 Background
2 Battle
3 Aftermath
4 References

4.1 Books
4.2 External links
4.3 Notes

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, Shigure) commanded by Rear Admiral Matsuji Ijuin set out from its staging base at Horaniu on the northern tip of Vella Lavella on August 17 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 (Nicholas, O'Bannon, Taylor, 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 had saved their barges and were able subsequently to evacuate 9,000 troops from Kolombangara.

References

Books

External links

Notes

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