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Battle of Rennell Island: Setback in the SolomonsWorld War II | 4 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post Lieutenant Commander Joji Higai could not have been more pleased in late January 1943. Touted by cohorts throughout the Imperial Japanese Navy as one of its best torpedo plane commanders, he had been handed a plum assignment that suited his reputation. He and his 15-plane unit from the 701st Air Group, in coordination with a second group of 16 Mitsubishi G4M torpedo bombers, were ordered to rise from Rabaul’s airfields, head southwest, and attack American naval and air forces in the Solomon Islands in one of World War II’s first nighttime torpedo attacks. Subscribe Today
Approximately 700 miles to the southeast, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Robert C. ‘Ike Giffen cautiously guided a conglomeration of carriers, cruisers, escort carriers and destroyers toward the Solomon Islands. His superior, Admiral William F. Halsey, after recharging the American defensive stand at Guadalcanal, hoped Giffen’s foray would be the first of many U.S. offensive actions in the region. For months the American Marines and Navy had been knocked on their heels by the victorious Japanese, but Halsey’s arrival infused renewed energy in the U.S. forces fighting in the region. A speedy series of American land and sea triumphs pushed the foe backward and gave a slim advantage to the United States.
As 1943 dawned, Halsey optimistically said: December had shown us faint signs that the tide was turning. By January no one could doubt that it had begun to run with us. Halsey realized that victory in the Solomons had not yet been guaranteed and that he needed more reinforcements, additional ships and aircraft, and tons of ammunition. Nevertheless, he felt confident that U.S. forces were strong enough to attempt a modest offensive. He eagerly awaited developments as Giffen’s force steamed toward Guadalcanal.
The action began unfolding in late January, when American aerial reconnaissance spotted indications of a Japanese buildup at their major port of Rabaul, on the island of New Britain, and at Buin, on the island of Bougainville. An increasing number of troop transports and freighters mingled with destroyers at those locations, and Japanese carriers and battleships appeared to be on the prowl north of Guadalcanal. Radio intelligence supported the theory that a Japanese move was imminent. Since the Japanese had repeatedly poured reinforcements into the struggle for the Solomons, American planners at Pearl Harbor concluded that this was yet another such operation.
Halsey was under pressure to relieve the 2nd Marine Division, weary from months of vicious combat with crack Japanese land forces on Guadalcanal. The aggressive admiral jumped at an opportunity to combine two operations–he intended to send in troop transports to bring out the 2nd Marine Division while shielding the transports with as much naval power as he could gather in the South Pacific. By doing so, he hoped to entice the Japanese into a surface engagement.
Halsey’s opponent, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander in chief of the Combined Fleet, would not be tricked, however. The man who had planned the successful attack on Pearl Harbor had subsequently seen his navy face a reversal in the Coral Sea, catastrophic losses at Midway, and continued pounding in the Solomons. With fuel supplies running low, the Japanese commander could not mount a vast naval operation. Instead, he planned to send Higai and his 32 torpedo bombers–known as Bettys–against the Americans.
Halsey assembled a formidable force. Six separate groups headed toward the Solomons instead of one unit because each had assembled at a different harbor. Four groups steamed anywhere from 250 to 400 miles behind the two forward groups. The ships in the rear would rush in to meet any large Japanese threat that might unfold in response to the American attempt to land reinforcements on Guadalcanal. The four consisted of Rear Adm. Walden L. Ainsworth’s Task Force 67, composed of four light cruisers and four destroyers; Rear Adm. Willis A. Lee’s three battleships and four destroyers of Task Force 64; Rear Adm. DeWitt Ramsey’s carrier group, centered on Saratoga; and Rear Adm. Ted Sherman’s carrier group, anchored by Enterprise. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Historical Conflicts, Sea-Air Operations, World War II
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4 Comments to “Battle of Rennell Island: Setback in the Solomons”
Gentlemen,
I enjoyed your articles on History.Net very much and in particular the article on Rennell Island 1943 Battle inasmuch that I was a sailor on the USS La Vallette DD448. I have often wondered where did Admiral Giffen run off to after the Chicago was torpeoded and sunk and we ourselves were badly damaged.
Did he rendezvous with Captain Briscoe’s Catus Striking Force?`
Frank Suffridge
USS La Vallette DD448
12 Aug 1942 – 1 Feb 1946
By Frank Suffridge on Aug 25, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I appreciate your telling of the Battle of Rennell Island and impact on Guadalcanal. From my point of view, if Admiral Griffen had not rendezvous with the supply task force TG (62.8), four fully loaded transports “President Hays, President Adams, President Jackson and Cresent City” and four destroyers of the Catus Striking Force, my fathers Rober Burns, Jr. S/Sgt with the 214th CA(AA) regiment may not have completed their task relieving the 2nd marines and protecting Henderson Field and off course meeting my mother a “WAC” driving an ambulance when my father had a bought of maleria in the states. My father finished OCS went to the ETO and left service as a 1st LT. December 3 1945 and lived to a ripe old age of 89, leaving my mother and myself.
My job now is to relate to my family with the help of your writtings their grandfathers part in WWII.
Bob Burns
By Robert Burns on Jul 20, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I would like to correct an error I made in my earliar comments; I see now that the TF67 under rear admiral Griffen did in fact retreat from the seen after the chicago was dive bombed and sunk, leaving the four destroyers and four transports on their own.
What I would like to know, is what were the names of these four destroyers under TF62.8?
Also looking for conformation which units were on these transports and destroyers that landed on Guadalcanal January 30, 1943?
Great Coverage of the Battle of Rennell Island.
Bob Burns
By Robert A. Burns on Jul 22, 2009 at 8:44 am
On January 30, 1943 the balance of the 214th CA (AA) arrived on Guadalcanal aboard the President Jackson and the President Adams transports two of the four transports screended by the four destroyers already posted under TASK FORCE 62.8 and part of the fleet involved in the Battle of Rennell.
The mission of the 214th CA (AA) was to relieve the 3rd Marines defending Henderson Field on Guadalcanal since initial landing on August 7, 1942. Captain Harry B. Jennings was sent to Guadalcanal on November 26, 1942 to check Marine equipment and to expedite and effect an exchange of information in preparation of sending the rest of the 214th CA (AA).
The first 214th CA (AA) unit consisting of Battery “F”, Captain Wessberg, a small detachment of Medical Corps under the command of Captain Stevenson arrived on January 5, 1943 and took over positions on Flighter Strip #1 on January 9, 1943. Father J.F. O’Connell was attached to this advance unit as Chaplain.
On January 18th the following units and additional officers and enlisted men arrived at Guadalcanal: Battery “E” under the command of Captain Rasbury, Provisional Gun Gaattery #1 under the command of Captain Collins and Major R.A. Alford as Gun Group commander, 1st Lt. William E. Norris as Communications officer, Captain Schmidt with Automatic Weapons, Captains Camp and Ferrell with cadres from Batteries “C”, “D”, “K” and Headquarters.
Colonel John E. Stoddard and Jajor Jack G. Johnson arrived January 19, 1943 to have th plans changed for the entire regiment to come to Guadalcanal. Colonel stoddard returned to New Calendonia to bring remainder of the regiment, arriving January 30, 1943 already mentioned.
The 214th CA (AA) regiment as of January 30, 1943 consisted of 92 Officers, 9 Warrant Officers and 1982 enlisted men; making up three Battallions:
Hq. Hq. Battery, 1st BN, 214th CA(AA) Regiment with Batteries A, B,C,D and First and Second Provisional Batteries, making a total of six Gun Batteries;
Hq. Hq. Battery, 2nd BN, 214th CA (AA) Regiment with Batteries E, F, G and H;
Hq. Hq. Battery, , 3rd BN, 214th CA (AA) Regiment with Batteries I and K.
My father was part of the 2nd BN and may have arrived on January 5, 1943 or January 18, 1943 as an advance unit of NCO’s before assuming the duties of the 3rd marines defending Henderson airfield.
If you have any further information or would like to know more about this period please drop me an e-mail: farne230@yahoo.com.
By ROBERT A. BURNS on Aug 20, 2009 at 8:54 am