Gavutu-Tanambogo

Discussion about wrecks and losses as well as historic sites in the Pacific.

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sonofsamphm1c
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Gavutu-Tanambogo

Post by sonofsamphm1c »

My father was a Corpsman on the USS New Orleans when it was torpedoed during the Battle of Tassafaronga.

After Tassafaronga he was assigned to be the Corpsman for a seaplane base on a small group of islands just outside of the harbor at Tulagi. I always assumed the seaplanes based there were PBY's.

The following entries from the Official Chronology of the USN explain what actually happened:

1942 -

November 30, Mon.
Pacific
Battle of Tassafaronga: TF 67, comprising four heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, and six destroyers (Rear Admiral Carlton H. Wright) surprises Japanese destroyers (Captain Sato Torajiro) off Tassafaronga Point, Guadalcanal. The enemy presses on to jettison supply containers to sustain Japanese troops on Guadalcanal, while torpedoes launched from destroyers Kagero, Makinami, Kuroshio, Oyashio, Kawakaze and Naganami wreak havoc on Wright's ships, damaging heavy cruisers Pensacola (CA-24), Northampton (CA-26), New Orleans (CA-32), and Minneapolis (CA-36). Japanese destroyer Takanami is damaged by cruiser and destroyer gunfire off Tassafaronga (see 1 December).


December

December 1, Tue.
Pacific
As a result of damage received in the Battle of Tassafaronga, heavy cruiser Northampton (CA-26) sinks at 09?12'S, 159?50'E; Japanese destroyer Takanami goes down about 10 miles south-southwest of Savo Island, 09?18'S, 159?56'E.

December 5, Sat.
Pacific
VCS Detachment RINGBOLT is established at Tanambogo, B.S.I., composed of planes (SOCs) from heavy cruisers Pensacola (CA-24), Northampton (CA-26), New Orleans (CA-32), Minneapolis (CA-36), and light cruiser Honolulu (CL-48). Operations of the new unit commence immediately, taking precedence over setting up camp. Two SOCs patrol this night with PT boats. Lack of equipment and communication difficulties handicap operations that are carried out on moonless nights in rain squalls. Only facilities provided being a flashlight on the beach to guide returning plane through reef passage after landing.

1943-

3 January, Sun.
Pacific
SOCs (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT) bomb footbridge and probable Japanese bivouac near Kukumbona, Guadalcanal.
4 January, Mon.

14 January, Thu.
General
...
SOCs (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT) locate and illuminate Japanese destroyers for PT-boats; the planes also bomb and strafe the enemy ships.

1 February, Mon.
Pacific
High speed transport Stringham (APD-6) and five tank landing craft (LCT) land Army 2d Battalion, 132d Infantry, at Verahue, Guadalcanal, covered by four destroyers. After unloading, three LCTs, escorted by destroyers Nicholas (DD-449) and DeHaven (DD-469), come under attack from Japanese planes about three miles south of Savo Island. DeHaven is sunk by three bombs, 09?09'S, 159?52'E, while Nicholas is damaged by near-misses. Tank landing craft LCT-63 and LCT-181, aided by SOCs (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT), rescue 146 DeHaven sailors, including 38 wounded.

4 February, Thu.
Pacific
SBDs, TBFs, F4Fs, and USAAF P-40s from Henderson Field attack Japanese destroyer force (Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintaro) en route to evacuate Japanese troops from Guadalcanal, damaging Shirayuki (Hashimoto's flagship), Maikaze, Kuroshio, and Kawakaze. Hashimoto's force, however, extracts 3,921 soldiers. SOC (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT) sights, tracks, and illuminates the Japanese ships.

sonofsamphm1c
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Post by sonofsamphm1c »

Japanese base they used:

Image


SOC Seagull:

Image

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