Posted on 11/14/2012 4:22:17 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/nov42/f14nov42.htm
Japanese defeated off Guadalcanal
Saturday, November 14, 1942 www.onwar.com
Wreck of a Japanese transport at Guadalcanal [photo at link]
In the Solomon Islands... Off the coast of Guadalcanal, Admiral Tanaka turns south with his destroyers and transports and comes under heavy air attack from both Henderson Field and planes from the USS Enterprise. Seven of the transports and two warships are lost. He continues his advance throughout the night and manages to sail his remaining transports to Tassafaronga. However, more of the Japanese troops are killed by air attack while disembarking. Meanwhile, the second battle of Guadalcanal gets underway shortly before midnight. The Japanese covering force supporting the convoy, led by Admiral Kondo ( with the battleship Kirishima, four cruisers and nine destroyers), encounters US Task Force 64, under the command of Admiral Lee ( with the battleships Washington and South Dakota and four destroyers). The battle begins with damage to the South Dakota. It is forced from the battle. A seven minute burst of fire from the USS Washington sinks the Kirishima. Control of the seas around Guadalcanal is passing to the Americans. Supply problems are mounting for the Japanese, who will now be forced to make considerable use of submarines to transport supplies. Already many of the Japanese troops are ill and hungry.
In Tunisia... French General Barre, begins the movement of his troops away from the coastal towns in preparation for switching to the Allied side.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm
November 14th, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM:
Evening Standard
After shooting down a German into the sea off Malta, a Canadian Spitfire pilot made a gallant bid to save the life of his victim. Although if another enemy pilot had taken him by surprise he might have needed it himself, the Canadian dropped his dinghy into the water beside the German.
The pilot was Flt. Lieut. Henry William McLeod. “When he hit the water I circled over him and he waved to me, apparently quite cheerfully,” said McLeod, “so I dropped my dinghy for him to show that I had no hard feelings.”
HMC ML 102 commissioned.
Minesweeper HMS Lightfoot launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY:
U-871, U-994, U-1162 laid down.
U-842, U-955, U-956 launched.
U-231, U-733 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-77 rescued two badly injured crewmembers of a German aircraft.
U-595 sunk in the Mediterranean NE of Oran, in position 36.38N, 00.30E, by depth charges from 2 British Hudson aircraft (Sqn 608). 45 survivors (No casualties)
U-605 sunk in the Mediterranean near Algiers, in position 36.20N, 01.01W, by depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft (Sqn 233/B). 46 dead (all hands lost).
(Dave Shirlaw)
At 1947 hours submarine HMS Sahib sank the Italian transport Scillin (built 1903, 1579 BRT). The Scillin was transporting Allied POWs, many of whom drowned. (Date correction by Brian Sims)
NORTH AFRICA: General Barre prepares to go over to the Allies, by moving his French troops away from the coastal towns, in Tunisia.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Admiral Nishimura with cruisers Suzuya, Maya and Tenryu and destroyers Yugumo, Makikumo and Kazegumo as the Support Force to Admiral Mikawa’s main body of cruisers Chokai, Kinugasa and Isuzu and destroyer Arashio bombard Henderson Field with almost 1000 8 inch shells at 0130.
Kinugasa is sunk by aircraft from the carrier Enterprise during their morning withdrawal. Chokai and Isuzu are damaged during this attack. They also attack Admiral Tanaka’s convoy in the slot sinking 2 transports and damaging 1. An attack from Henderson Field sinks one transport. A second strike from Enterprise disables two more transports which are abandoned. Late afternoon strikes from Henderson Field sink one transports. Lt.Col. Harold Bauer is flying escort in a Wildcat on this strike. He destroys one Zero before being shot down himself. Col. Bauer will be awarded, posthumously, the MOH for his actions in the air from Henderson Field since his arrival October 14, 1942. Losses are 5 Enterprise SBDs, 2 Cactus AF Wildcats and 13 Zeros.
With darkness brings the arrival of the naval forces for Part II of The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. US forces under Admiral Willis “Ching” Lee are battleships Washington and South Dakota with 4 destroyers. Japanese forces under Admiral Kondo Nobutake are battleship Kirishima, cruisers Atago, Takao Sendai and Nagara with 9 destroyers.
Lee arrives first about 2200 and radios Henderson Field for last minute intelligence. There are no preplanned radio codes, so Lee is forced to radio “Cactus, this is Lee. Tell your boss ‘Ching” Lee is here and wants the latest information.” PT boats from Tulagi are spotted moving in. Lee radios “Refer your big boss about Ching Lee; Chinese, catchee? Call off your boys!” Henderson Field has no new information for him. Meanwhile Kondo, north of Savo Island, splits his force with 1 cruiser and 3 destroyers heading east of Savo and the bombardment force west. At 2316 Washington opens fire at 18,500 yards followed a minute later by South Dakota. Their target are the ships east of Savo. Several reports reach Admiral Kondo identifying the US ships as battleships, Kondo does not believe them.
By 2358 lookouts on cruiser Atago (flagship) reidentify the South Dakota as a cruiser. At 2359 they recognize their error, but Kondo still hesitates. Japanese “Long Lance” torpedos are launched. At midnight, Atago’s searchlights open on South Dakota and Kondo is convinced about her size. This time the Japanese torpedos miss, but she is hit with 27 shells. The damage topside knocked out all radios, most radar and control crew. Washington now takes Kirishima under fire. South Dakota pulls out of the fight to concentrate on damage control.
The Japanese loose Kirishima and 1 destroyer, the US looses 3 destroyers with damage to South Dakota and destroyer Gwin. Admiral Tanaka’s convoy, with 4 remaining transports, is ordered to beach themselves on Guadalcanal.
SADO MARU, Japanese Navy Transport (7180 GRT) is sunk in convoy at 08° 30’S, 158° 45’E - in New Georgia Sound. (89)(Peter Beeston)
U.S.A.:
Destroyers USS Black and Chauncey laid down.
Destroyer escort USS Cannon laid down.
Destroyer USS Bache commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-134 sank SS Scapa Flow.
U-413 sank SS Warwick Castle in Convoy MKF-1X.
U-73 damaged SS Lalanded in Operation Torch.
U-117 took on two ill crewmembers from U-84. (Dave Shirlaw)
Lee attributes the victory almost entirely to radar. The Kirishima is the victim of the first radar-controlled battleship barrage.
Lunch bump.
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