Savo Island order of battle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Striking Force
Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa in heavy cruiser Chokai
- 8th Fleet[1][2][3]
- 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 Takao-class: Chokai (damaged)
- 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
- 1 Kamikaze-class: Yūnagi
- 1 heavy cruiser
- Cruiser Division 6[1][2][3]
- 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
- 4 heavy cruisers
- Cruiser Division 18[1][2][3]
- 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
- 1 Tenryū-class: Tenryū (damaged)
- 2 light cruisers
Allied order of battle
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Task Group 62.6
Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley (RN) in heavy cruiser Australia
- Southern Force[1][3][4]
- 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
- 2 County-class / Kent-subclass:
- 3 heavy cruisers
- 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
- 1 Northampton-class: Chicago (damaged)
- 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
- 2 Bagley-class destroyers: Bagley, Patterson (damaged)
- Northern Force[1][3][4]
- 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
- All New Orleans-class: Vincennes (sunk), Astoria (sunk), Quincy (sunk)
- 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
- 3 heavy cruisers