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Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal: Turning Point in the Pacific WarWorld War II | 4 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post
Washington watched all this as the quarter moon vanished, leaving behind darkness. Washington was still tracking the questionable target. It could not be South Dakota, could it? Then the target lit her searchlights, illuminating South Dakota and revealing herself as Kirishima. The Japanese ship was 8,400 yards away on the starboard beam. ‘Body-punching range,’ Seely called it. Subscribe Today
In seconds, Washington’s main battery plot had a solution from the SG radar, which was functioning perfectly. At precisely midnight, Washington fired a nine-gun salvo that straddled Kirishima. A minute later Washington’s third salvo landed fair and square amidships, causing massive explosions.
Kirishima and Washington exchanged fire. Hooper fed the fire-control data into his range finders, and shells were hurled at the Japanese dreadnought. ‘Fire control and battery functioned as smoothly as though she were engaged in a well-rehearsed target practice,’ Lee wrote later.
Kirishima was covered with shells. Seely watched as three of the four main 14-inch turrets were knocked out and a ‘dull red glow amidships began to brighten considerably.’ At 12:07 a.m., Washington fired the last of 75 16-inch rounds. The shells disabled two of Kirishima’s main turrets, started fires, jammed the rudder, and drilled waterline holes. Kirishima started flooding and began circling to port, coughing out gusts of smoke.
Lee was still worried about the location of South Dakota. That unhappy ship was still in Washington’s blind arc. Lee planned to head north and attack the transports.
The destruction of Kirishima caught Kondo by surprise. He had been convinced that South Dakota was being sunk and was alone. Shelling Henderson Field was impossible. Atago and Takao were damaged. Kondo ordered three destroyers to remove Kirishima’s crew. The rest of Kondo’s ships raced off to pursue Washington.
South Dakota now had a moment to breathe. Her executive officer, Commander A.E. Uehlinger, was surrounded by fires in Battle II, the alternate conning tower. For a time it seemed they were trapped, but determined shipmates doused the fires and closed open steam lines. With 39 dead and 59 wounded, Captain Gatch realized his ship was in no shape for battle. He withdrew at 1 a.m., ‘to the great relief of the Task Force commander,’ wrote Lee.
Davis was less charitable in his report of the action: ‘Retired? Hell, [South Dakota] just left the action. We didn’t know anything about it, and we didn’t see or hear from her until morning.’
Meanwhile, Kondo raced after Washington. At 12:11 a.m., he spotted the American ship, and at 12:13 he fired eight torpedoes at 4,000 yards–all of which missed–and then swung 300 degrees to face Washington broadside. Lee was now fighting six ships single-handed. His only advantage was Washington herself–fast, powerful, undamaged, well-protected and well-crewed. Lee swung on course 340 at 12:20 to continue the battle.
Shells were now flying at Washington. Lieutenant junior grade Bob Macklin watched’six white-hot shells as they left the enemy turrets. They seemed to float slowly toward us, picking up speed as they came, becoming bright red as they drew closer. Remarkably, we didn’t quail at the prospect of being hit, but rather the shots were subjected to professional criticism.’
Seely watched ‘between the blinding flashes of our secondary guns, splashes close aboard, which from their size could only have been made by large-caliber projectiles. By their second salvo I could see it was the usual Jap pattern: overshorton; I awaited the arrival of their third salvo with considerable interest.’ Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Historical Conflicts, Naval Battles, World War II
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4 Comments to “Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal: Turning Point in the Pacific War”
Utterly fascinating account of a very significant part of our history which most people now days are not aware of. Thanks very much for making this available in this format.
By Jim Coile on Sep 10, 2008 at 4:55 pm
My Dad was chief firecontrol man on the Gwin in this battle. I never know of this or the other 7 fighting engagements he was in until he finally started talking about it late in his seventies after I pestered him for information. I will never forget the first time I heard his version of the story. To the men on the destroyers, they felt Halsey was sending in four expendable destroyers to draw the Japanese fire and blunt their attack to allow the battlewagons to come to bear. They were ready and willing to do this.
He told me that they could hear the shelling in the firecontrol room and when they were hit, several times, he said the ship lifted and dropped, and they talked to each other about their coming deaths.
My Dad talked about the Washington as if she was a troop of rescuing cavalry.
I marvel as I read this story about the charachter of these people who so casually put themselves in harms way and NEVER talked about their heroism. To my father, as is true of so many of these men, he was just doing his job.
My thanks for all of the additional info. My brother and I have always been interested in filling in the details of our father’s naval career. It is a sobering reminder that at best, we are only very small chips off of a very big block.
By Ralph Cooper on Jan 8, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I would like to point out a little know fact about this battle. The captain of the Preston, CAPT Goldsbourough S Patrick and the USS Washington’s gunnery officer CMD Edwin B Hooper were brother n laws. CAPT Patrick went on to retire as a RADM and the NAVY IG under Burke. CDR Hooper went on to retire as a VADM and the Navy Historian. To answer the question of how do I know this, they are my great uncles both of whom I am very proud of and very honored to be related to.
By ROBERT EDWARDS on May 12, 2009 at 11:49 pm
The following is a biography of the VADM Patrick note the portion concerning the commisioning of the preston and its service time. It is my understand from family history that the preston at Guadicanal is the same preston.
CAPTAIN GOLDSBOROUGH S. PATRICK, USN
Captain, USS WISCONSIN 6/11/54-9/3/55
was born on Goat Island, San Francisco CA. He was the son of Chaplain Bower Reynolds Patrick, the senior Chaplain of the Navy. Admiral Patrick had a distinguished Navy career,, culminating in his appointment as inspector general of the Navy in 1963. He was Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in the Netherlands. His early assignments aboard the AUGUSTA, POPE and the FARRAGUT in the Pacific established him as an innovator in ordnance and gunnery. As gunnery officer, he participated in the development of the concept of a combat information center to integrate the data available from new technologies being introduced into the fleet. In the summer of 1941 he served as a commander of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. His directive that ships moored in Pearl Harbor store live ammunition in their gun mounts contributed to the resistance of the Japanese attack. In 1943 he commissioned the PRESTON, under his command for the duration of the war in the Pacific. He was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in connection with his command of the PRESTON during the assaults on the islands of Okinawa and Iwo Jima in 1945, He received a letter of commendation with ribbon for meritorious service, the Bronze Star Medal and a Gold Star. He assumed command of the WISCONSIN 11 June 1954. Retired as RADM
By ROBERT EDWARDS on May 13, 2009 at 12:04 am