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Battle of Rennell Island: Setback in the SolomonsWorld War II | 4 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post
All hell broke loose as Higai and his pilots descended toward their targets. One American sailor looked at the radar plate in Wichita and described it as a disturbed hornet’s nest. To avoid silhouetting his aircraft by attacking out of the twilight, Higai had circled his force around Task Force 18 and approached from the darkness. When the planes drew within 14 miles of Task Force 18, Higai split the aircraft into two groups and charged in. Subscribe Today
One Betty headed toward Waller, dropped a torpedo at the destroyer and then strafed her and nearby Wichita. A heavy stream of anti-aircraft fire found its mark, however, and the aircraft plummeted to the ocean in a fiery ball, near Chicago. A second Betty sped between Chicago and Wichita and launched a torpedo that barely missed Louisville, then soared into the darkness.
The brief attack ended in moments. Higai’s first wave inflicted no damage on the American ships, which had managed to avoid all the torpedoes by zigzagging, and the Americans had downed at least one Betty. Round one went to Giffen, but round two was shortly to begin.
Giffen assumed the Japanese attack had ended. Still hoping to make his rendezvous, at 1930 hours he halted the ships’ zigzagging and headed on a straight course. While this may have increased his ship’s speed it also made them easier targets.
The Japanese took advantage of Giffen’s error. One minute later, at 1931, Higai led the second group of Bettys from the east–and this time he could clearly see the targets, since Japanese scout planes had dropped parachutes from which dangled yellow-white flares. As they slowly descended to the ocean on both sides of the columns, the flares illuminated Giffen’s cruisers and destroyers. Other clusters of red and green float lights relayed information to Higai about the ships’ speed and composition. Brightly illuminated against the black backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and steaming in a straight course, Task Force 18 became an easy mark for Higai’s aviators, who focused upon Giffen’s right-hand cruiser column, consisting of Chicago, Wichita and Louisville.
Giffen did have one ace in the hole. His anti-aircraft gunners had the new proximity Mark-32 shell fuses, which automatically exploded whenever the shell came near an aircraft. Gunners did not have to hit a bomber; they only had to shoot in its vicinity. The shells lived up to expectations. One Betty careened into the ocean astern of Waller.
Luck at first shielded the Americans from harm. One torpedo dropped from a Betty and churned through the waters toward Chicago but missed her by only a few yards. A second torpedo smacked into Louisville but failed to explode.
At 1938 Higai dipped his aircraft and charged through thick anti-aircraft fire toward a ship. He continued through the explosions and tracers that rent the sky until an American shell burst near his aircraft. Higai’s Betty then plummeted to the Pacific and crashed off Chicago’s port bow.
Within four minutes of Higai’s death, the Japanese retaliated, sending two torpedoes plowing into Chicago and stopping her dead in the water. The first tore into her starboard side, ripping a huge gash, which quickly flooded two compartments and destroyed three shafts, so the cruiser’s rudder could no longer be controlled from the bridge. The second smacked into the No. 3 fire room, flooded the forward engine room and knocked out the only remaining drive shaft. Chicago floated helplessly on the ocean as Captain Ralph O. Davis and his crew frantically attempted to regain control and save the ship. At 2000–in an effort to keep Japanese aircraft from locating them–Giffen made a course change, reduced speed to lessen the ships’ phosphorescent wakes and ordered that no ship should open fire unless a target was clearly identified. His orders, though appropriate, meant little, for the Japanese had already broken off their attack and were heading back to Rabaul. 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