Savo Island order of battle: Difference between revisions

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:::* 4 × quad [[1.1″/75 caliber gun|1.1″/75 caliber guns]]

:::* 4 × quad [[1.1″/75 caliber gun|1.1″/75 caliber guns]]

:::* 6 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon 20 mm cannons]]

:::* 6 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon 20 mm cannons]]

:::* 2 × quad [[Mark 15 torpedo]] [[Torpedo tube|torpedo tubes]] 1 ”[[Leander-class cruiser (1931)|Leander-class]]: ”'[[HMAS Hobart (D63)|Hobart]]””’ Top speed: 32.5 knots

:::* 2 × quad [[Mark 15 torpedo]] [[Torpedo tube|torpedo tubes]] 1 ”[[Leander-class cruiser (1931)|Leander-class]]: ”'[[HMAS Hobart (D63)|Hobart]]””’

Top speed: 32.5 knots

:* 4× twin [[BL 6 inch Mk XXIII naval gun|BL 6 in (152 mm) guns]]

:* 4× twin [[BL 6 inch Mk XXIII naval gun|BL 6 in (152 mm) guns]]

:* 4 × single [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF 4 in (102 mm) guns]]

:* 4 × single [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF 4 in (102 mm) guns]]


Latest revision as of 09:11, 10 December 2025

The Battle of Savo Island was part of Guadalcanal Campaign and was fought on 9 August 1942 in the waters around Savo Island by forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and Allies’ Guadalcanal—Tulagi invasion force composed of ships from the United States Navy (USN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The battle resulted in a major Allied defeat, losing four heavy cruisers. The Japanese lost no ships but failed to capitalize on the temporary strategic advantage gained from the battle, leaving the unprotected Allied transports unharmed.

Because the Japanese had the tactical initiative, their forces are listed first.

Japanese order of battle

[edit]

Heavy cruiser Chokai
Heavy cruiser Furutaka
Light cruiser Tenryu
Light cruiser Yubari
Kamikaze-class destroyer

Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa in heavy cruiser Chokai

8th Fleet

1 heavy cruiser

1 Takao-class: Chokai (damaged)

Top speed: 34.25 knots
Main battery: 10 × 8-inch
Secondary btty.[a]: 8 × 5-inch
Anti-aircraft btty.: 8 × 25mm, 4 × 13mm
Torpedo tubes: 16 × 24-inch
1 destroyer

1 Kamikaze-class: Yūnagi

Top speed: 37.25 knots
Main battery: 4 × 4.7-inch
Anti-aircraft btty.: 2 × 7.7mm
Torpedo tubes: 6 × 21-inch
Cruiser Division 6
Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō in heavy cruiser Aoba

4 heavy cruisers

2 Furutaka-class: Furutaka, Kako (sunk by a submarine near Rabaul on 10 August)
2 Aoba-class: Aoba, Kinugasa (damaged)

Top speed: 33 knots
Main battery: 6 × 8-inch
Secondary btty.: 4 × 4.7-inch
Anti-aircraft btty.: 8 × 25mm, 4 × 13mm
Torpedo tubes: 8 × 24-inch
Cruiser Division 18
Rear Admiral Mitsuharu Matsuyama in light cruiser Tenryū

2 light cruisers

1 Tenryū-class: Tenryū (damaged)

Top speed: 33 knots
Main battery: 4 × 5.5-inch
Anti-aircraft btty.: 1 × 3-inch, 2 × 13mm
Torpedo tubes: 6 × 21-inch
1 Yūbari-class light cruiser: Yūbari

Top speed: 35.5 knots
Main battery: 6 × 5.5-inch
Anti-aircraft btty.: 1 × 3-inch, 2 × 13mm
Torpedo tubes: 4 × 24-inch

Allied order of battle

[edit]

Heavy cruiser Vincennes
Heavy cruiser Australia passing through the Panama Canal, 1935
Destroyer Bagley before World War II

Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley (RN) in heavy cruiser Australia

Southern Force
Captain Howard D. Bode (USN) in heavy cruiser Chicago

3 heavy cruisers

2 County-class / Kent-subclass: Australia[b], Canberra (damaged and scuttled)

Top speed: 31.5 knots
Main battery: 8 × 8-inch guns
Secondary btty.: 8 × 4-inch
Anti-aircraft btty.: 8 × 2-pounder, 8 × 50-cal.
Torpedo tubes: 8 × 21-inch
1 Northampton-class: Chicago (damaged)

Top speed: 32.7 knots
Main battery: 9 × 8-inch guns
Secondary btty.: 8 × 5-inch/25-cal. dual-purpose
2 destroyers

2 Bagley-class destroyers: Bagley, Patterson (damaged)

Top speed: 36.5 knots
Main battery: 4 × 5-inch/38-cal.[c]
Anti-aircraft btty.: 4 × 1.1-inch
Torpedo tubes: 16 × 21-inch
Northern Force
Captain Frederick L. Riefkohl (USN) in heavy cruiser Vincennes

3 heavy cruisers

All New Orleans-class: Vincennes (sunk), Astoria (sunk), Quincy (sunk)

Top speed: 32.7 knots
Main battery: 9 × 8-inch guns
Secondary btty.[a]: 8 × 5-inch/25-cal. dual-purpose
2 destroyers

1 Benham-class: Wilson
1 Bagley-class: Helm

Top speed: 36.5 knots
Main battery: 4 × 5-inch/38-cal.[c]
Anti-aircraft btty.: 4 × 1.1-inch
Torpedo tubes: 16 × 21-inch Eastern Force
Rear Admiral Norman Scott (USN) in light cruiser San Juan
2 Light cruisers

1 Atlanta-class: San Juan

Top speed: 32.5 knots
Top speed: 32.5 knots
  1. ^ a b Secondary armament broadside typically half the number of total guns due to side mounting.
  2. ^ Not involved in the battle as it was delivering Rear Admiral Crutchley to a meeting with Rear Admiral Turner, who was in the command of the entire Task Force 62.
  3. ^ a b Assuming by that time typical armament of 4 guns on Farragut through Gleaves class destroyers (as per Office of Naval Intelligence: “ONI 222-US, United States Navy Vessels” for example).

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