Battle off Horaniu

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle off Horaniu


caption= U.S. destroyers (from right to left): "O'Bannon", "Chevalier", and "Taylor" head towards Tulagi harbor in the Solomon Islands on August 15, 1943, two days before engaging in the Battle off Horaniu.
partof=the Pacific Theater of World War II
date=August 17, 1943 – August 18, 1943
place=Near Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands
result=U.S. tactical victory; Japanese strategic success
combatant1=flag|United States|1912
combatant2=flag|Empire of Japan
commander1=Thomas J. Ryan
commander2=Matsuji Ijuin
strength1=4 destroyers
strength2=4 destroyers,
20 barges and auxiliary ships
casualties1=None
casualties2=4 auxiliary ships sunk,
2 destroyers slightly damaged [Morison, "Breaking the Bismarcks", p. 236. Ships sunk included two subchasers, two motor torpedo boats, and one powered barge with an unknown number of personnel killed or injured.] |

The Battle off Horaniu (Japanese: 第一次ベララベラ海戦) 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

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", and "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", and "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 subsequently able to evacuate 9,000 troops from Kolombangara.

Notes

References

*cite book
last = D'Albas
first = Andrieu
authorlink =
year = 1965
title = Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II
publisher = Devin-Adair Pub
location =
id = ISBN 0-8159-5302-X
*cite book
last = Dull
first = Paul S.
authorlink =
year = 1978
chapter =
title = A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-87021-097-1
*cite book
last = Hara
first = Tameichi
authorlink = Tameichi Hara
year = 1961
chapter =
title = Japanese Destroyer Captain
publisher = Ballantine Books
location = New York & Toronto
id = ISBN 0-345-27894-1
*cite book
last = Kilpatrick
first = C. W.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1987
chapter =
title = Naval Night Battles of the Solomons
publisher = Exposition Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-682-40333-4
*cite book
last = Morison
first = Samuel Eliot
authorlink = Samuel Eliot Morison
coauthors =
year = 1958
chapter =
title = Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier", vol. 6 of "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II
publisher = Castle Books
location =
id = 0785813071
*cite book
last = Roscoe
first = Theodore
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1953
chapter =
title = United States Destroyer Operations in World War Two
publisher = Naval Institute Press
location =
id = 0870217267

External links

* [http://www.microworks.net/pacific/battles/horaniu.htm Description by Vincent O'Hara]
* [http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Horaniu.htm Order of battle]
* [http://www.ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=8 WW2DB: Solomons Campaign]