70 Years ago Today: Climax at Guadalcanal

[spence]

November 12th, 1942

A large formation of G4M3s attacks the American TF that have just brought the US Army 182nd RCT to Guadalcanal. For the most part the bombers are unsuccessful although one manages to crash into the USS San Francisco.

Meanwhile air search reports a large force of Japanese ships, including battleships, headed towards Guadalcanal. Intelligence further reports what appears to be a major Japanese effort to reinforce their ground forces on Guadalcanal. Admiral Daniel Callahan, senior officer present afloat, forms an ad hoc surface TF to counter the approaching Japanese from his ships and those of Admiral Norman Scott which have covered the transports bringing the American troops to Guadalcanal. As the moon sets around 2330 neither American admiral knows he will not survive another 2 hours.

[tc464]

I went to a birthday party a couple years ago for a friend of mine and the main gift was a 14 day tour of the Solomons. During the unwrapping the story was told....the tour was bought for him and his brother (both retired Navy officers) to go back and see the area where their father had won the Navy Cross on the USS San Francisco, on 12-13 Nov 42. (http://www.ww2awards.com/person/33736)

[ilovestrategy]

That campaign always fascinated me. Just imagine both sides duking it out for months on land, sea, and air in a tropical climate far away from home and alien to both sides.

Wasn't this where the Polynesian cargo cults were formed?

[sprior]

Also. Operation Uranus was launched.

Battle of El Alamein just won, pursuit of DAK begun.

[Shellshock]

ORIGINAL: spence

November 12th, 1942

A large formation of G4M3s attacks the American TF that have just brought the US Army 182nd RCT to Guadalcanal. For the most part the bombers are unsuccessful although one manages to crash into the USS San Francisco.

Meanwhile air search reports a large force of Japanese ships, including battleships, headed towards Guadalcanal. Intelligence further reports what appears to be a major Japanese effort to reinforce their ground forces on Guadalcanal. Admiral Daniel Callahan, senior officer present afloat, forms an ad hoc surface TF to counter the approaching Japanese from his ships and those of Admiral Norman Scott which have covered the transports bringing the American troops to Guadalcanal. As the moon sets around 2330 neither American admiral knows he will not survive another 2 hours.

I always found the description of; “a barroom brawl with the lights out” quite apt.

[Grfin Zeppelin]

German 6th army is encircled at Stalingrad O.O