Posted on 12/04/2002 5:37:50 AM PST by SAMWolf
I met a Pearl Harbor Survivor a few months ago who served on a tin can that was sunk, possibly in this battle. I've got to dig through my papers to find the notes I took when we had our conversation. He was a very interesting fellow to talk to and I learned a lot in the short amount of time we spent together. I think I posted a comment at the Canteen about the encounter, but that was during the time that I was on the list. Now, where did I put those notes?
Just like Pearl Harbor. If he had followed on and destroyed the transports who know how much longer the war would of lasted.
Thanks for telling about your dad. Being right is seldom forgiven. Fortunately there are still people who will speak up.
One fact the the article doesn't make clear is that Mikawa did not know the U.S. carriers had withdrawn. He was certain that if he regrouped and attacked the transports his force would be destroyed by carrier aircraft at sunrise.
In postwar interviews he insisted had made the correct choice in withdrawing, based on the information he had at the time, and was more than a little bitter at the second guessing of his descision by later critics who knew that there was in fact no air threat.
Correct, second guessing the commander on the spot is easy after the fact.
My Dad was also on The U.S.S Astoria CA-34 “ The Nasty Asty”. He too was wounded during that battle and saved by an unknown sailor. My dads name was Lester E. Iglehart. I’ve become very interested in the battle of Savo Island since he died, he never talked about it with us.
The Guadalcanal invasion was officially called "Operation Watchtower" but the Marines actually did sardonically call it "Operation Shoestring."
This was because these Marines, commanded by Major General Vandegrift, came to the theater expecting to have six months to train and organize their materials before being put into action. Instead, Admiral King demanded an immediate invasion of the Solomons once it became clear that the Japanese were building an airstrip on Guadalcanal island (thanks to the reports of British coast watcher Martin Clemens). This airstrip would have threatened the vital sea routes connecting Australia to the U.S. West Coast.
So the Marines had to deploy immediately with only a portion of the supplies and materials they should have had at their disposal.
Making matters worse, Admiral Fletcher insisted on removing his carriers just two days after the Marines landed as he believed them to be in "grave danger". Admiral Turner insisted that five days were needed to offload the supplies and materials that were brought to the theater but Fletcher would not relent. So the Marines were left to effectively fend for themselves with not even half of the already inadequate supplies they brought.
One can only wonder how the Battle of Savo Island would have turned out had Fletcher kept the three carrier groups in the area.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.