Ironbottom Sound
Encyclopedia
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
sailors to Savo Sound, the stretch of water at the southern end of The Slot between Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
, Savo Island
Savo Island
Savo Island is a volcanic island in the Solomon Islands group in the South Pacific ocean. It is located to the northeast of the northern tip of Guadalcanal Island at . Politically, Savo Island is a part of the Solomons' Central Province. The indigenous language of Savo is the Savosavo language.The...
, and Florida Island of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, because of the dozens of ships and planes that sank there during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942-43. Prior to the war, it was called Sealark Sound. Every year on the battle's anniversary, a US ship in the area cruises into the waters and drops a wreath to commemorate those who lost their lives.
Battles
- Battle of Savo IslandBattle of Savo IslandThe Battle of Savo Island, also known as the First Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , was a naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval forces...
, 9 August 1942 - Battle of Cape EsperanceBattle of Cape EsperanceThe Battle of Cape Esperance, also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , took place on 11–12 October 1942, and was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and United States Navy...
, 11–12 October 1942 - Naval Battle of GuadalcanalNaval Battle of GuadalcanalThe Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, sometimes referred to as the Third and Fourth Battles of Savo Island, the Battle of the Solomons, The Battle of Friday the 13th, or, in Japanese sources, as the , took place from 12–15 November 1942, and was the decisive engagement in a series of naval battles...
, 13–15 November 1942 - Battle of TassafarongaBattle of TassafarongaThe Battle of Tassafaronga, sometimes referred to as the Fourth Battle of Savo Island or, in Japanese sources, as the , was a nighttime naval battle that took place November 30, 1942 between United States Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy warships during the Guadalcanal campaign...
, 30 November 1942
Allied
- Aaron WardUSS Aaron Ward (DD-483)USS Aaron Ward was a in the service of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship named in honor of Rear Admiral Aaron Ward. She sank on 7 April 1943 in a shoal near Tinete Point of Florida Island during Operation I-Go...
(US Gleaves-classGleaves class destroyerThe Gleaves-class destroyers were a class of 66 destroyers of the United States Navy built 1938–1942, and designed by Gibbs & Cox. The first ship of the class was the USS Gleaves . The U.S. Navy customarily names a class of ships after the first ship of the class; hence the Gleaves class...
destroyer) - AstoriaUSS Astoria (CA-34)The second USS Astoria was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser that participated in both the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, but was then sunk in August 1942 at the Battle of Savo Island...
(US New Orleans-classNew Orleans class cruiser (1931)The New Orleans class cruisers were a class of seven heavy cruisers built for the United States Navy in the 1930s, the last built under the Washington Naval Treaty before World War II. They were an improvement on the heavy cruisers...
cruiserCruiserA cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
) - AtlantaUSS Atlanta (CL-51)USS Atlanta of the United States Navy was the lead ship of the Atlanta class of 11 light cruisers. She was the third Navy ship named after the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Designed to provide anti-aircraft protection for US naval task groups, Atlanta served in this capacity in the naval Battles of...
(US Atlanta-classAtlanta class cruiserThe Atlanta-class cruisers were United States Navy light cruisers originally designed as fast scout cruisers or flotilla leaders, but later proved to be effective anti-aircraft cruisers during World War II. They were also known as the Atlanta-Oakland class. The lead ship Atlanta was sunk in action...
anti-aircraft cruiser) - BartonUSS Barton (DD-599)USS Barton was a Benson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship named for Admiral John Kennedy Barton....
(US Benson-classBenson class destroyerThe Benson class was a class of 30 destroyers of the U.S. Navy built 1939–1943. The first ship of the class was the . The U.S. Navy customarily names a class of ships after the first ship of the class; hence the Benson class....
destroyer) - BlueUSS Blue (DD-387)USS Blue , a Bagley-class destroyer, was the first United States Navy ship of that name, in honor of Rear Admiral Victor Blue . Blue served during World War II. She was launched 27 May 1937 by Norfolk Naval Shipyard; sponsored by Miss Kate Lilly Blue, sister of Rear Adm. Blue; and commissioned 14...
(US Bagley-classBagley class destroyerThe Bagley class of destroyers was built by the United States. All eight ships were ordered and laid down in 1935 and subsequently completed in 1937. Their layout was based upon the Gridley-class destroyer design, but they retained the power plants of the Mahan-class destroyers, and thus had a...
destroyer) - CanberraHMAS Canberra (1927)HMAS Canberra , named after the Australian capital city of Canberra, was a Royal Australian Navy heavy cruiser of the Kent subclass of County class cruisers...
(AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Kent-class cruiser) - ColhounUSS Colhoun (DD-85)USS Colhoun was a in the United States Navy during World War I and as APD-2 in World War II. She was the first Navy ship named for Edmund Colhoun....
(US Wickes-class destroyer) - CushingUSS Cushing (DD-376)USS Cushing was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the third Navy ship named for Commander William Barker Cushing .-History:...
(US Mahan-classMahan class destroyerThe Mahan-class destroyers served in the United States Navy before and during World War II. The lead ship of the class was named for Alfred T. Mahan, a US Naval officer and influential theorist on sea power....
destroyer) - De HavenUSS De Haven (DD-469)USS De Haven was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the first Navy ship named for Lieutenant Edwin J. De Haven USN...
(US Fletcher-classFletcher class destroyerThe Fletcher class were a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939 as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types...
destroyer) - DuncanUSS Duncan (DD-485)|...
(US Gleaves-class destroyer) - George F. ElliotUSS George F. Elliott (AP-13)USS George F. Elliott was a Heywood-class transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War I and then reacquired by the Navy for service as a troop carrier during World War II...
(US Heywood class transport) - GregoryUSS Gregory (DD-82)USS Gregory was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I and, as APD-3 World War II. She was named for Admiral Francis Gregory USN ....
(US Wickes-class destroyer) - JarvisUSS Jarvis (DD-393)USS Jarvis , a Bagley-class destroyer, was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy to be named for James C. Jarvis, a U.S. Navy midshipman who was killed during the Quasi-War with France....
(US Gridley-classGridley class destroyerThe Gridley-class destroyers were a class of four 1500-ton destroyers in the United States Navy.The initial two ships were laid down on June 3, 1935 and commissioned in 1937. The second two were laid down in March of 1936 and commissioned in 1938....
destroyer) - John PennUSS John Penn (APA-23)USS John Penn was a John Penn-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II. Named after John Penn, a signatory to the American Declaration of Independence, she was the only ship in her class....
(US miscellaneous class Attack Transport) - KanawhaUSS Kanawha (AO-1)The third USS Kanawha was a replenishment oiler of the US Navy. She was laid down 8 December 1913 by the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California; launched 11 July 1914; sponsored by Miss Dorothy Bennett; and commissioned 5 June 1915, Lt. Comdr...
(US Kanawha/Cuyama class fleet oiler) - LaffeyUSS Laffey (DD-459)|...
(US Benson-class destroyer) - LittleUSS Little (DD-79)USS Little , a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during the World War I and World War II. She was the first Navy ship named for George Little ....
(US Wickes-class destroyer) - MoaHMNZS Moa (T233)HMNZS Moa was a Bird class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy.On 29 January 1943, with her sister ship Kiwi, Moa helped ram and wreck the Japanese submarine I-1...
(New Zealand Bird classBird class minesweeperThe Bird class minesweeper was a naval trawler built to Admiralty specifications so it could function as a minesweeper. Forty-five were built. The RNZN ships were also referred to as corvettes....
corvetteCorvetteA corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
) - MonssenUSS Monssen (DD-436)USS Monssen , a Gleaves-class destroyer, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Mons Monssen, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions aboard the USS Missouri in 1904....
(US Gleaves-class destroyer) - NorthamptonUSS Northampton (CA-26)USS Northampton was a heavy cruiser in service with the United States Navy. She was the lead ship of her class and commissioned in 1930...
(US Northampton-classNorthampton class cruiserThe ' was a group of six heavy cruisers built for the U.S. Navy in the 1930s. The design of the ships was heavily influenced by the Washington Naval Treaty, which limited cruisers to a maximum of 10,000 tons displacement and a maximum main battery caliber of . The Northamptons were a reaction to...
heavy cruiserHeavy cruiserThe heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
) - PrestonUSS Preston (DD-379)USS Preston was a in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fifth Navy ship named for Lieutenant Samuel W. Preston ....
(US Mahan-classMahan class destroyerThe Mahan-class destroyers served in the United States Navy before and during World War II. The lead ship of the class was named for Alfred T. Mahan, a US Naval officer and influential theorist on sea power....
destroyerDestroyerIn naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
) - PT-37 (US PT boatPT boatPT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
) - PT-44 (US PT boatPT boatPT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
) - PT-109Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109PT-109 was a PT boat last commanded by Lieutenant, junior grade John F. Kennedy in the Pacific Theater during World War II...
(US PT boatPT boatPT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
) - PT-111 (US PT boatPT boatPT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
) - PT-112 (US PT boatPT boatPT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
) - PT-123 (US PT boatPT boatPT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
) - QuincyUSS Quincy (CA-39)USS Quincy was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942.Quincy, the second ship to carry the name, was laid down by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts on 15 November 1933, launched on 19 June 1935, sponsored by Mrs. Henry S...
(US New Orleans-classNew Orleans class cruiser (1931)The New Orleans class cruisers were a class of seven heavy cruisers built for the United States Navy in the 1930s, the last built under the Washington Naval Treaty before World War II. They were an improvement on the heavy cruisers...
cruiser) - SeminoleUSS Seminole (AT-65)USS Seminole , the third ship named Seminole of the United States Navy, was a whose task was to travel with the fleet and provide towing services as required....
(US Navajo-classNavajo class fleet tugThe Navajo class was the initial class of three fleet tugs built for the United States Navy prior to the start of World War II. They represented a radical departure from previous ocean-going tug designs, and were far more capable of extended open ocean travel than their predecessors. This was due...
oceangoing tugTugboatA tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
) - SerpensUSS Serpens (AK-97)USS Serpens was a United States Coast Guard-manned in the service of the United States Navy in World War II. It was the first ship of the Navy to have this name. It is named after Serpens, a constellation in the northern hemisphere....
(United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast GuardThe United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
-manned Liberty shipLiberty shipLiberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
) - VincennesUSS Vincennes (CA-44)USS Vincennes was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. She was the second ship to bear the name....
(US New Orleans-class cruiser) - WalkeUSS Walke (DD-416)USS Walke was a World War II-era in the service of the United States Navy, named after Rear Admiral Henry A. Walke USN...
(US Sims-classSims class destroyerThe Sims-class consisted of 12 destroyers in the United States Navy, built in seven various shipyards, and commissioned in 1939 and 1940. It was the last United States destroyer class completed prior to World War II. All Sims-class ships saw action in World War II, and seven survived the war...
destroyer) - YP-284 (US Yard Patrol craft)
Japanese
- AkatsukiJapanese destroyer Akatsukiwas the twenty-first , or the lead ship of the Akatsuki-class destroyer , built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the inter-war period. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world...
(Japanese Akatsuki-class destroyer) - Ayanami (Japanese Fubuki-classFubuki class destroyerThe was a class of twenty four destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Fubuki class has been called "the world's first modern destroyer." The Fubuki class not only set a new standard for Japanese vessels, but for destroyers around the world...
destroyer) - FubukiJapanese destroyer Fubukiwas the lead ship of twenty-four destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. When introduced into services, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world. They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well...
(Japanese Fubuki-class destroyer) - FurutakaJapanese cruiser Furutakawas the lead ship in the two-vessel Furutaka-class of heavy cruisers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was named after Mount Furutaka, located on Etajima, Hiroshima immediately behind the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy.-Design:...
(Japanese Furutaka-classFurutaka class cruiserThe were a class of two Japanese heavy cruisers which saw service during World War II, both were sunk in 1942.-Description:The Furutaka class cruisers were the first heavy cruisers in the Japanese Imperial Navy....
cruiser) - HieiJapanese battleship Hieiwas a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. Designed by British naval architect George Thurston, she was the second launched of four s, among the most heavily armed ships in any navy when built. Laid down in 1911 at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal, Hiei was formally...
(Japanese Kongō-class battleshipBattleshipA battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
) - Hirokawa Maru (Japanese military transport)
- Kasi Maru (Japanese freighter)
- Kinugawa Maru (Japanese military transport)
- KirishimaJapanese battleship Kirishimawas a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War I and World War II. Designed by British naval engineer George Thurston, she was the third launched of the four Kongō-class battlecruisers, among the most heavily armed ships in any navy when built...
(Japanese Kongō-class battleship) - Makigumo (Japanese Yugumo-class destroyer)
- Takanami (Japanese Yugumo-class destroyer)
- TeruzukiJapanese destroyer Teruzukiwas an Akizuki-class destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her name means "Pale or Lighter Moon, Shining Moon".On 12–13 November 1942, Teruzuki was part of the Bombardment Force commanded by Rear Admiral Abe Hiroaki. In the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, she claimed hits on seven U.S....
(Japanese Akizuki-classAkizuki class destroyer (1942)The was one of the primary classes of new destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy after 1942. The IJN called them from their plan name. They were designed to fight larger ships, aircraft and submarines....
destroyer) - Toa Maru (Japanese military transport)
- YudachiJapanese destroyer Yudachiwas the fourth of ten destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the "Circle One" Program .-History:The Shiratsuyu class destroyers were modified versions of the , and were designed to accompany the Japanese main striking force and to conduct both day and night torpedo attacks against...
(Japanese Shiratsuyu-classShiratsuyu class destroyerThe was a class of ten destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy in service before and during World War II.-Background:The initial six Shiratsuyu class destroyers were modified versions of the , and had been originally planned as the final six vessels of that class under the ”Circle-One” Naval...
destroyer)