|
|
Battle of Rennell Island: Setback in the SolomonsWorld War II | 4 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post
Nimitz had already been angered, even embarrassed, by earlier American naval losses in the Solomons. The Battle of Rennell Island did not help matters. At first, he intended to include a harsh condemnation of Giffen in his official report, but he eventually watered down his remarks, stating that the loss of Chicago was especially regrettable because it might have been prevented. However, Nimitz ordered that word of the cruiser’s sinking be withheld from the public. He also vowed in a staff meeting, If any man lets out the loss of the Chicago, I’ll shoot him! Subscribe Today
The Battle of Rennell Island was not one of the war’s conclusive encounters in the Pacific. However, it occurred at a time when American forces appeared to have swung momentum in the Solomons in their favor and to have halted the Japanese advance in the South Pacific. Any setback, no matter how small, was thus seen as a threat to the success of the American war effort.
Naval historian Samuel Eliot Morison offered a calmer summation of the Battle of Rennell Island. In his History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Morison wrote: This defeat was due not only to a combination of bad luck and bad judgment, as at Tassafaronga, but to Admiral Giffen’s inexperience and his determination to make the rendezvous with Briscoe on time. Halsey’s endorsement on Giffen’s Action Report was a scathing indictment of mistakes in judgment; that of Nimitz was more tolerant.
This article was written by John Wukovits and originally appeared in the March 2000 issue of World War II magazine. For more great articles subscribe to World War II magazine today! Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Historical Conflicts, Sea-Air Operations, World War II
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||
What is HistoryNet?The HistoryNet.com is brought to you by the Weider History Group, the world's largest publisher of history magazines. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 5,000 articles originally published in our various magazines. If you are interested in a specific history subject, try searching our archives, you are bound to find something to pique your interest. |
From Our Magazines
|
Weider History Group |
Weider History Network: HistoryNet | Armchair General | Great History | Achtung Panzer! Terms of Use | Copyright © 2009 Weider History Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. |
||
Loading ...
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