TheNavalBattleofKulaGulf

July5–6,1943

EricHammel

TheAlliedinvasionofNewGeorgiabeganonJune30,1943,whenalargepartof

theU.S.Army’s43rdInfantryDivisionlandedatRendovaIsland.Thislandingwasafirst
steptowardthecaptureofthestrategicallyimportantJapaneseairbaseatMunda.

DuringthenightofJuly4–5,asthe43rdInfantryDivision’smaindriveagainst

Mundagotunderway,aforceofU.S.MarineRaidersandtwoU.S.Armyinfantry
battalionsfromthe37thInfantryDivisionwerelandedatRiceAnchorage,innorthwestern
NewGeorgia.ItwasthegoalofthisforcetodivertJapanesetroopsfromthemainbattle
beforeMundaandtoblocktheflowofJapanesereinforcementsandsuppliestoMundavia
KolombangaraIslandandNewGeorgia’sBairokoHarbor.Inordertodivertattention
awayfromthelandingsofMarineColonelHarryLiversedge’sNorthernLandingGroupat
RiceAnchorage,ithadbeendecidedtodispatchastrongforceofU.S.Navycruisersand
destroyerstocarryoffahopefullydevastatingbombardmentofthestrongJapanese
installationsaroundVila,onKolombangara.

Quitebychance,theJapanesethemselveshadreachedadecisiontobeginmoving

groundtroopstoKolombangaraaboardfastdestroyer-transports.Then,from
Kolombangara,thegroundtroopswouldbemovedtoBairokobymeansoflanding
barges.Thefirstdestroyer-bornereinforcementeffortwassettogooffonthenightofJuly
4–5,whenfourthousandImperialArmytroopsweretobesetdownatVilaforeventual
stagingintotheMundadefensecomplexviaBairoko.

OntheAmericanside,RearAdmiralWaldenL.“Pug”Ainsworth’sTaskGroup

36.1wasjustgettingintopositioninKulaGulfabitbeforemidnight.Onceinthegulf,
Ainsworth’sbattleforcesetadirectcourseforVila.

MilitaryHistorianEricHammel,in5,700words,describeswhathappenedwhen

theopposingforcesmetinKulaGulf.

TheNavalBattleofKulaGulf

July5-6,1943

EricHammel

BooksbyEricHammel

76Hours:TheInvasionofTarawa(withJohnE.Lane)

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Guadalcanal:StarvationIsland

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AcesAgainstJapan

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AirWarEuropa:Chronology

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AirWarPacific:Chronology

AcesinCombat

MarinesatWar

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PacificWarriors:TheU.S.MarinesinWorldWarII

IwoJima:PortraitofaBattle

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TheU.S.MarinesinWorldWarII:Guadalcanal

TheU.S.MarinesinWorldWarII:NewGeorgia,Bougainville,andCapeGloucester

TheU.S.MarinesinWorldWarII:TarawaandtheMarshalls

TheForge

CoralandBlood

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IslandsofHell

AlwaysFaithful

TheSteelWedge

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MarinesIntheSolomons

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MarinesIntheMarianas:Vol.1:Saipan

MarinesIntheMarianas:Vol.2:TinianandGuam

MarinesOnPeleliu

MarinesOnIwoJima:Vol.1and2

MarinesOnOkinawa

TiltheLastBugleCall

TheNavalBattleofKulaGulf

July5–6,1943

EricHammel

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Pleasealsovisithttp://www.PacificaMilitary.com

TheNavalBattleofKulaGulf

July5–6,1943

EricHammel

TheAlliedinvasionofNewGeorgiabeganonJune30,1943,whenalargepartof

theU.S.Army’s43rdInfantryDivisionlandedatRendovaIsland.Thislandingwasafirst
steptowardthecaptureofthestrategicallyimportantJapaneseairbaseatMunda.

DuringthenightofJuly4–5,asthe43rdInfantryDivision’smaindriveagainst

Mundagotunderway,aforceofU.S.MarineRaidersandtwoU.S.Armyinfantry
battalionsfromthe37thInfantryDivisionwerelandedatRiceAnchorage,innorthwestern
NewGeorgia.ItwasthegoalofthisforcetodivertJapanesetroopsfromthemainbattle
beforeMundaandtoblocktheflowofJapanesereinforcementsandsuppliestoMundavia
KolombangaraIslandandNewGeorgia’sBairokoHarbor.Inordertodivertattention
awayfromthelandingsofMarineColonelHarryLiversedge’sNorthernLandingGroupat
RiceAnchorage,ithadbeendecidedtodispatchastrongforceofU.S.Navycruisersand
destroyerstocarryoffahopefullydevastatingbombardmentofthestrongJapanese
installationsaroundVilaStanmore,onKolombangara.

Quitebychance,theJapanesethemselveshadreachedadecisiontobeginmoving

groundtroopstoKolombangaraaboardfastdestroyer-transports.Then,from
Kolombangara,thegroundtroopswouldbemovedtoBairokobymeansoflanding
barges.Thefirstdestroyer-bornereinforcementeffortwassettogooffonthenightofJuly
4–5,whenfourthousandImperialArmytroopsweretobesetdownatVilaforeventual
stagingintotheMundadefensecomplexviaBairoko.

*

OntheAmericanside,RearAdmiralWaldenL.“Pug”Ainsworth’sTaskGroup

36.1wasjustgettingintopositioninKulaGulfabitbeforemidnight.Onceinthegulf,
Ainsworth’sbattleforcesetadirectcourseforVila,leavingtheU.S.Navydestroyer-
transportscarryingtheNorthernLandingGrouptroopstomaketheirownwaytoRice
Anchorage.Asthebombardmentforceleftthedestroyer-transportsbehind,thedestroyers
StrongandNicholaspulledaheadofthemainbattleforcetocheckforsurfaceor
submarineintrusionswiththeirlate-modelradarandsonargear.

Thenightwasdarkandovercast.Amoderatebreezefromoutofthesoutheastwas

pushingintermittentrainsquallsoutoverthegulfarea.

At0026,July5,thelightcruisersHelena,Honolulu,andSt.Louis(comprising

CruiserDivision9)openedfireonpre-selectedtargetswithsomethreethousand6-inch
rounds.ThedestroyersO’BannonandChevelieraddedtothebombardmentwiththeir5-
inchguns.Thejobwascompletedinrelativelyshortorderandtheformationstoodoutto

theeast.Soon,theU.S.NavyvesselsopenedfireagainstBairokoHarbor.

Inthemeantime,theU.S.Navydestroyer-transportscarryingtheNorthern

LandingGroupfollowedthenorthernshoreofNewGeorgiatowardtheRiceAnchorage
landingsite.At0031,theRalphTalbot’sradarpickeduptwoformsstandingoutofKula
Gulfat25knotsinanorth-northwesterlydirection.

At0040,thedestroyerNicholas,commandedbyLieutenantCommanderAndrew

J.Hill,wasmovingnorthwardaftercompletionoftheBairokobombardment.The
remainderofAdmiralAinsworth’sbombardmentforcewasfollowingincolumn
formation.

At0049,justasAinsworthqueriedtheRalphTalbotaboutthereportedradar

sightings,LieutenantJamesA.Curren,theStrong’sgunneryofficer,spottedatorpedo
wakebearingdownuponhisship.BeforeCurrencouldsoundanysortofalarm,the
Strong’shullwastornopenonbothsidesbytheterribleimpactoftheexplodingwarhead.
Theforwardfireroomwasdemolished,andtheengineeringspaceswereflooding.The
Stronglisted15degreestostarboardandsaggedamidships.Asshestaggeredforwardtoa
forcedhalt,theremainderofAinsworth’scolumnranswiftlypast,lesttheytoofallpreyto
someunseenenemy.

ThetorpedothatstoppedtheStronghadbeenfiredbyoneofagroupofJapanese

destroyer-transportsmanymilestothenorthwestoftheAmericanforce.TheJapanesehad
beeninadvertentlywarnedofAinsworth’spresenceasthefirstAmericansalvoswere
beingunleashedagainstVilaStanmore.Inanefforttoavoidadirectencounter,the
Japanesehadfiredawidespreadoftheirsuperb,lethal24-inchLongLancetorpedoesin
hopesofscoringahituponsomethingofvalue.ThetorpedothathadtakenouttheStrong
haddonesobypurechance.

AdmiralAinsworthattemptedtoraisetheStrong’scaptainbyradio,buttheeffort

failed,sothetaskforcecommanderdispatchedthedestroyersO’BannonandChevelierto
undertakerescueoperations.Bythen,theStronghaddriftedtowithintwomileswestof
RiceAnchorage.Thecripple’scaptain,CommanderJosephH.Wellings,decidedtokeep
allhandsaboardtheshipinthehopeoffacilitatingrescueoperationsintheeventsuch
assistancearrivedintime.TheChevelier,whichreachedtheStrongfirst,chargedrightin
andburiedherbowsdeepintotheStrong’sportside.Lineswerepassedbetweentheships
andcargonetswereriggedout.Sailorsfromthecripplecommencedtoswarmtosafety.

Suddenly,justastherescueoperationbeganinearnest,aJapaneseshorebattery

composedoffour14cmnavalriflesopenedonthedriftingtargets.Theguns,whichwere
emplacedatEnogaivillage,weresoonsupportedbylighterbatteriesthatopenedfirefrom
positionsaroundBairokoharbor.AJapanesefloatspotterplanearrivedovertheareato
dropparachuteflarestoassistthegunners.

Whenoneshell—adud—plowedintotheStrong,theO’Bannonimmediately

pumped5-inchshellsbackattheJapaneseshorebatteries.Inthemeantime,theChevelier
tookoffthelastoftheStrong’s241crewmenandbackeddownfromtheremainsat0122.
Onlyaminutelater,theStrongsankfromviewandherstarboarddepthchargeswentoffin
afinal,brutalprotest.

AstheO’BannonandCheveliermadeforthenearestexitfromKulaGulf,their

radiossparkedoutsimultaneousmessagesforallAmericanshipstoremainonthelookout
forStrongsurvivorswhomighthavesteppedofftheshipbeforeherdemiseandwho
mighthavebeenseverelyhurtfromconcussiongivenoffbythedepthcharges.Other
shipsdid,infact,pickupseveralmembersoftheStrong’screw,includingCommander
Wellings,butatotalofforty-sixsailorswaslost.

DuringtheoperationcenteredaroundtheStrong,theentireNorthernLanding

GroupwassafelydepositedatRiceAnchorage.AndsoalltheAmericanwarshipsretired.

*

DuringtheafternoonofJuly5,ashewasleadinghisshipsbacktotheAllied

advancenavalbaseatTulagi,AdmiralAinsworthreceivedamessagedirectfromVice
AdmiralWilliamF.Halsey,theSouthPacificAreacommander.AforceofJapanese
warshipswasreportedlygettingupsteamatBuinpreparatorytosallyingintoKulaGulf
thatnight.UponreadingHalsey’smessage,Ainsworth,whowasamonganewbreedof
aggressiveU.S.NavytaskforcecommanderssenttotheSouthPacificfollowingthe
Guadalcanalcampaign,orderedhisshipstoturnaboutataneager29knots.

TheChevelier,whosebowshadbeenrippedupduringthenight’srescueoperation,

wasorderedtodockatTulagi.There,shepassedhersupplyofammunitiontothe
destroyerRadford,whichwouldtakeherplaceinAinsworth’scolumn.WhentheRadford
finishedtoppingoffhermagazinesandfueltanksat1647sherushedtorendezvouswith
Ainsworth’sspeedingcolumn.Afterpassingupanoffertoloadanextratwohundred5-
inchshells,thedestroyerJenkinsalsorushedtocatchupwithAinsworth’sforce.Shehad
beenorderedtoreplacetheStrong.

*

Therewasnotimeforanythingresemblingacommandconference.Boththe

NicholasandO’Bannonwereoperatingonmarginalfuelsupplies;neitherhadanyfueloil
towaste.OrdershadbeensummarilypassedfromAdmiralAinsworth,andthereweretwo
destroyersthatjoinedthegrouplatewhosecaptainsandcrewsdidnotknowwhatAdmiral
AinsworthwantedthemtodoifJapanesewarshipswereencountered.Nevertheless,the
RadfordandJenkinshadsailedunderAinsworthatonetimeoranotherinthepast,which
minimizedthechancethattheymightstrayfarfromtheprescribedtrack.Ontheplusside,
everyshipinthetaskforcewasequippedwithmodernsurface-searchradar,andeachwas
fittedwithacombatinformationcenter(CIC),anewinnovationfromwhichtheaction
couldbemonitoredandcontrolled.

Ainsworth’splanenvisagedtwopossibilities:TaskGroup36.1couldcarryouta

medium-rangeengagementatbetween8,000and10,000yardswithfullradar-controlled
gunfire,oralong-rangeengagementmakinguseofstarshellsforillumination.The
admiralfeltthatanyradartheJapanesemighthavewouldbetheusualcrudevariety.Also,
heknewthattheJapanesewouldprefertolaunchatorpedoassaultfromlongrange.
Ainsworthassumed,however,thathisthree6-inchcruiserbatteries—whichtotaledforty-
fiveradar-controlledrapid-fireguns—wouldbethedeterminingfactorintheupcoming
battle.

*

Atanaveragespeedof29knots,thesevenwarshipsofTaskGroup36.1made

theirwaybymidnightasfarasVisuPoint,innorthwesternNewGeorgia.General
Quarterswassoundedaboardallshipsasaprecautionarymeasure,andtheshipsheldtoa
routinespread-outantiaircraftdeploymentasnosurfaceoppositionwasyetinsight.

Theskywasmoonlessandblottedwithmoderatecloudcover.Theseawas

tranquilandtherewasagentlebreeze.Speedwasgraduallyreducedto27knots,andthen
to25knots.

Farthertothenorth,RearAdmiralTeruoAkiyamawasleadingthreegroupsof

destroyersonadashintoVilaStanmore,wherealargecomplementofImperialArmy
troopswouldbeunloadedforeventualdeploymentonNewGeorgia.AdmiralAkiyama
waspersonallyleadinghisSupportUnit,whichconsistedofthedestroyersNiizuki,
Suzukaze,andTanikaze;theFirstTransportUnit,underthecommandofCaptainTsuneo
Orita,consistedofthedestroyersMochizuki,Mikazuki,andYamakaze;andCaptain
KatsumoriYamashiro’sSecondTransportUnitwascomposedofthedestroyersAmagiri,
Hatsuyuki,Nagatsuki,andSatsuki.

DespiteTaskGroup36.1’ssuperiorityinfirepower,anddespitethehindranceof

havingtroopsaboardhisvessels,Akiyamahadtheedge.Badweatherhadpreventeda
U.S.NavyPBYBlackCatpatrolbomberfromscoutingthearea,andtheweatherwould
continuetokeepAlliedaircraftfromthescene.The24-inchtorpedomountsonAkiyama’s
shipswerethegreatequalizer,andtheNiizukiwasequippedwithexcellentmodernradar.
Further,Akiyamawasconfident;earliertrooprunshadbeensuccessfuland,justthenight
before,asingledestroyerdivisionhadreportedlybeatenoffalargeAlliedcruiserforce
afterinflictingheavylosses.

*

At0026,AdmiralAkiyamadetachedCaptainOrita’sFirstTransportUnitforarun

alongthecoastofKolombangaratoVilaStanmore.Theremainingdestroyerscontinuedin
columnat21knotstowardthefootofKulaGulf.At0118,theJapanesecolumnreversed
coursebycolumnmovement,andat0143,AkiyamadispatchedCaptainYamashiro
towardVilawhilehisownSupportUnit—theNiizuki,Suzukaze,andTanikaze—sailed
north.

AsYamashiro’sdestroyer-transportsreceivedtheirordersfortheruntoVila

Stanmore,Americanship-borneradaroperatorswereabletoplottheirtracks.Contacthad
beenmadeat0140atadistanceof24,700yards.OrdersfromAdmiralAinsworthshifted
theAmericancolumnaroundtobattleformationandafullstateofreadiness.The
NicholasandO’Bannonwereinthevanguard;followingwerethelightcruisersHonolulu,
Helena,andSt.Louis;andthedestroyersRadfordandJenkinsweretherearguard.Course
wasshiftedat0142from292degreesto242degrees,andspeedwasheldat25knots.

TheCICplotsonalloftheAmericanwarshipswereabitconfusedduetothe

jumbledradarreturnscausedbyKolombangara’sirregularshoreline,whichfilledinthe
backgroundonalltheAmericanradarscopes.Also,Yamashiro’sfour-destroyerunitwas
intheprocessofpeelingofffromAkiyama’ssupportingcolumn.Nevertheless,by0149,
AmericanradarmenhadaffirmedthattheJapaneseforceconsistedofbetweensevenand
nineships,andtheyknewthatthereweretwoseparateJapanesegroups.

AdmiralAinsworthordereda60-degreeturntostarboard,whichbroughthis

columnbacktocourse302degrees.Rangehaddroppedto11,000yardsintheintervening
minutes,soAinsworthdecidedtoengagetheJapaneseatmediumrangewithradar-
controlledgunfire.TheNicholasandO’BannonwereorderedafterAkiyama,andthe
cruisersandrear-guarddestroyerswouldtakeoutYamashiro.

“CommenceFiring!”waspassedtothedestroyersat0154.CaptainFrancisX.

McInerney,thecommanderofDestroyerSquadron21,askedAinsworthwhetherthat
orderspecifiedgunsortorpedoes.Ainsworthreplied,“Gunfirefirst,butholdeverything.”

Yamashiro’sdestroyer-transportswererapidlyopeningtherange.TheAmerican

admiralorderedhislightcruiserstohitthenearergroup—Akiyama’sSupportUnit—and
then“reachahead,makesimultaneousturns,andgettheothersonthereversecourse.”
Thetimewas0156;theaveragerangetotheJapaneseshipsstoodat7,000yards.

TheHelena,aveteranofmanybloodynightengagements,wasabitslowgetting

onhertarget;shedidnotopenwithherfifteen-gun6-inchmainbatteryuntil0157.By
then,Akiyama’sgroupwasbroadontheportbeamanddowntoarangeof6,800yards.
Duethelackofflashlesspowder,theHelenawasrevealedbyherveryfirstsalvo.Thetwo
otherAmericanlightcruisersalsolitthemselvesupafterfiringonlytwoorthreeflashless
salvos.

OntheJapaneseside,theNiizukihadspottedAinsworth’scolumnat0147.The

Japaneseadmiralorderedhisshipstogetupsteamfora30-knotrunandtochangecourse
40degreesfromtheoriginalheadingofduenorth.CaptainYamashirowasorderedinto
thefightdespitethepresenceofunprotectedinfantrymenonhisships’opendeckspaces.

AstheAmericangunfireflashedinthenight,Japanesetorpedomenfoundtheir

pointsofreference.ButtheNiizukihadalreadybeensmotheredbythefirstAmerican6-
inchsalvos.Hersteeringwasgone,andsheveeredcrazilyoutofformation.Nevertheless,
theSuzukazeandTanikazefilledthewaterwithsixteenoftheir24-inchLongLance
torpedoeswithinaminuteoftheirownadmiral’sordertocommencefiring.

LieutenantCommanderDonaldJ.MacDonald,masteroftheveterandestroyer

O’Bannon,wantedanopportunitytofirehisowntorpedoes.Despitethefactthathis
gunneryofficerhadcomeupwithaseeminglyperfectgunfiresolution,MacDonald
withheldpermissiontofiretheship’sfive5-inchgunsuntilhewasabsolutelysurethathis
torpedoeswouldbeofnouse.TheNicholas’scaptain,LieutenantCommanderAndrew
Hill,madeanidenticaldecision.Bothvanguarddestroyersfinallygotaroundtofiringa
fewdesultoryroundsfromtheir5-inchbatteries,andthetorpedoeswounduplayingidle
intheirtubes.CommanderHarryF.Miller,ofthedestroyerJenkins,andCommander
WilliamK.RomoseroftheRadford,alsoheldtheirgunsincheckuntiltorpedoattacks
werecompletelyoutofthequestion.

Itisinterestingtonotethatthedecisionsreachedbythefourdestroyerskippers—

eachactingindependentlyoftheothersandthelightcruisers—wereindirectcontrastto
themethodsofattackemployedbyU.S.Navydestroyercommandersbetweenelevenand
eightmonthsearlier,duringthebignavalsurfaceengagementsaroundGuadalcanal.
Clearly,astudyofsuccessfulJapanesetechniquesemployedinthenumerousnight
encountersoffGuadalcanalhadnettedaconsensusamongAmericancommandersthat

manyoftheJapanesesuccessestherehadbeenaresultoftheImperialNavy’soft-used
stand-offoffensivedoctrine,inwhichtorpedoeswerefired,ifpossible,beforegunswere
employed.ThiswasindirectcontrasttothebasicU.S.Navydoctrineinwhichattacks
openedwithmassedgunfire.ThemeetingengagementinKulaGulfonthenightofJuly
5–6,1943,wasthefirstopportunitytheAmericandestroyercommandershadtotestthe
Japanesedoctrineintheirownbehalf.

Atanyrate,thecruiserswereintheprocessofpumpingmorethan2,5006-inch

roundsintothenight.Allthatfirewasloosedwithintheopeningfiveminutes—againsta
JapaneseformationwhosesurvivorslaterclaimedtheAmericanshademployed“6-inch
machineguns.”AdmiralAinsworthwasconvincedthatAkiyama’sthreesupporting
destroyershadbeenwrittenoff,butonlytheNiizukiwasfatedtosink.TheSuzukazelost
hersearchlightbattery,theforwardgunmount,andamachine-gunammunitionlocker,
andsustainedafewminorhullpunctures.AndtheTanikazewasstruckbyasingledudin
heranchorwindlassthataccountedforthelossofsomericeandbarelystores.At0159,
bothofthesewarshipsmadesmokeandretirednorthwardtoreloadtheirtorpedotubes.

At0203,Ainsworthorderedhiscolumntocountermarchtocourse112degrees.

Beforethatmovecouldbecarriedout,however,CaptainCharlesP.Cecil’sveteranHelena
wasstruckbyaLongLance.By0207,shehadsustainedthreetorpedohits.Thefirst
torpedosheeredoffthelightcruiser’sbowsbetweenTurret-1andTurret-2,whichcaused
thecruisertoflood.ComingupasternoftheHelena,CaptainColinCampbell’sSt.Louis
cuthardtostarboardtoavoidcollision,thensettleddownonacoursetotheeast-
southeast.AdudtorpedoclangedintotheHelena’shullaftjustasCampbell’scruiser
clearedthearea.

AstheAmericangunfireagainsttheSuzukazeandTanikazebegantoabate,and

justastheRadfordandO’Bannonsentacombinednine-torpedospreadinahopelesstail
chaseafterthetwowithdrawingSupportUnitdestroyers,CaptainYamashiro’sfourtroop-
ladendestroyer-transportsbegantoappearonAmericanradarscopes.ThenewJapanese
arrivalsweresome13,000yardsdistantandmakingnorthat30knots.At0207,the
Americancolumnshiftedtostarboardoncourse142degrees,andat0215itcamehard
abouttoportoncourse082degrees.

TheHelenawasnotansweringrepeatedradioqueriesfromhersisters,butAdmiral

Ainsworthhadnotimetoworry.At0218,theAmagiri,whichwasbearingsouth-
southwestat11,600yards,becameatarget.At0221,Ainsworthagainshiftedcourse—this
timeto112degrees.TheAmericanadmiralwasattemptingto“CrosstheT”—crossin
frontoftheJapanesecolumnatrightanglessothathisships’fullbroadsideswouldbe
opposedonlybytheforwardgunmountoftheleadingJapanesewarship.

TheAmericancolumn’smovewassuccessful.TheleadJapanesedestroyer,the

Amagiri,begantotakeheavyflankingfire.Uponseeingtheirshellsstrikehome,the
Americansincreasedtherateoffire.TheAmagiriswervedhardtostarboard,laidathick
blacksmokecover,andlaunchedseveraltorpedoes,Sheescapedwithonlyminordamage.

TheHatsuyuki,nextinline,wasstruckbythreeshells.Allwereduds,butdamage

wasamazingconsideringthelackofexplosiveforce,Hergundirectorwasdamaged,
communicationswereout,steeringfromthebridgewasout,aboilerwaspierced,themain

feedlinewaspierced,atorpedomountwastwisted,threesparetorpedoesweredestroyed,
andfivemenwerekilled.Thedestroyerreturnedfireassheheeledoverhardtoportand
ranbeforeshehadanopportunitytolaunchanyLongLances.

TheNagatsukiandSatsukicountermarchedalmostimmediatelyaftertheencounter

eruptedandmadeforVilaStanmoretolandtheirpassengers.Neithershipwashit,and
neitherfiredashot.

*

At0227,theAmericanwarshipsturned150degreestostarboardandheadeddue

west,buttherewerenotargetsoutthatway.TheHonolulu,commandedbyCaptain
RobertW.Hayler,firedseveralroundshereandtherewhileCaptainColinCampbell’sSt.
Louisfiredstarshells.At0230,AdmiralAinsworthdecidedthathehadputtheJapanese
tofullflight.Coursewasshiftedto292degreesandthecolumnmadeforTheSlot—New
GeorgiaSound.At0235,theactionwasconcededasbeingoverandwordwaspassedto
“Cleartheguns,forward!”

SeveralshipsclearedtheirgunsbyfiringpartingshotsatthesinkingNiizuki,and

someprobablyfiredafewroundsattheHelena’sfloatingbowsection.TheNicholas
launchedfivetorpedoesattheNiizukiandthensweptontoscoutVelaGulfwithherradar,
ataskshecompletedwithoutincidentat0315.TheRadford,whichmovedtoscoutKula
Gulf,foundwhatappearedtobeashipoffWaughRock.Ratherthanattackonhisown,
CommanderRomoserelectedtosetupamorningairstrikeagainstthetarget.

AftershiftingtheHonoluluandSt.Louistoaneast-southeasterlyheading,Admiral

AinsworthorderedCaptainFrancisMcInerneytoremainbehindwiththeNicholasand
RadfordtopickupsurvivorsfromtheHelena.

*

TheHelena’screwwasdoingeverythingpossibletoabandonship.Belowdecks

aftofthelostbows,thecrewhadfeltthetorpedohit,butthemeninthemainpartofthe
truncatedshiphadnoinklingastotheextentofthedamage.Clearingthesecompartments
wasthereforeslowedconsiderablyfromtheoutset,butthesecondandthirdhitsspeeded
thingsupaswatercascadedintotheengineeringspaces.

Thecaptainordered“AbandonShip,”andtheship’sCICofficer,Lieutenant

CommanderJohnL.Chew,supervisedthelaunchingofrafts.Thenthecrewbeganto
makeitswayoverthesides,withCaptainCecilwaitingpatientlyinordertobethelast
mantoleave.Sixminutesaftertheorderhadbeenpassed,theHelenajack-knifedandfell
intothe300-fathomdeepunderherkeel.Theseveredbowsremainedafloat.

Smallconvoysofliferaftsformed,andofficersandpettyofficersledthesurvivors

inshoutsof“Hip,hip,hooray!”inhopesofattractingattentiontothemselves.Sailorswith
bosun’spipesbeganblowingthemloudly.

TheRadfordandNicholasarrivedat0341andimmediatelybegantotakesurvivors

aboard.Justaseightbellswasstruck,andbeforeverymanyofthesurvivorshadbeen
pickedup,theNicholasmadearadarcontactwithatargetapproachingrapidlyfromthe
west,andtheRadford’sCICcameuponasecondtargetcomingonstrongfromthesouth.
Withshoutsof“We’llbeback,”therescueshipsmovedslowlyoutofthesurvivor-choked

waters.

TheunidentifiedshipscomingaftertheRadfordandNicholasweretheTanikaze

andSuzukaze,bothofwhichhadreloadedtheirtorpedotubesandwerelookingfor
trouble.Withal,neitherofthemspottedtheAmericandestroyersortheNiizuki,andthey
retiredfollowingaquicksweepthroughthearea.Astheyleft,theRadfordandNicholas
rushedbacktocontinuerescuingtheHelena’screw.

*

TheJapanesehadthusfarsucceededinputtingaboutsixteenhundredtroopsand

theirsuppliesashoreatVilaStanmore.Theyhadgottenoffquiteeasily.Theyhadkilled
theHelenaandhadaccomplishedtheirprimarymissionatthecostofonlyonedestroyer
lost.ButitwasnottoendwiththelossoftheNiizuki.InclearingVilaStanmore,the
destroyerNagatsukiranagroundinthetreacherouslyfouledwatersinBambariHarbor.
TheSatsukitriedtohaultheNagatsukioffthecoral,butshehadtosecureat0400inorder
tobefartothenorthbydawn,beyondtherangeofAlliedbombers.SheandtheHatsuyuki
reachedBuinsafelylateinthemorning.

TheAmagiri,withCaptainYamashiroaboard,steamedalongtheeastcoastof

KolombangaratowardKulaGulf.At0515,agroupofNiizukisurvivorswasspottedinthe
oil-slickwaters.TheAmagirislowedtopickthemup.Only13,000yardstothenorth-
northwest,theRadfordandNicholaswerestillinamongtheHelenasurvivors.Thetwo
AmericanwarshipsimmediatelyspottedtheAmagiri—whoselookoutsspottedthemat
0518.CaptainMcInerneysecuredtherescueeffort,andhisshipstrainedalltheirweapons
ontheAmagiri.CaptainYamashiroabandonedhisownrescueeffort,calledforflank
speed,andrantothenorthwest.At0522,theNicholaslaunchedahalf-salvooftorpedoes
atarangeof8,000yards.TheAmagirirepliedinkindat0530.Bothshipsescaped
damage;theNicholas’storpedoespassedaheadandasterntheAmagiri,andoneLong
LanceporpoisedamerefifteenfeetasternoftheRadford.

Bothsidesopenedwithgunfireat0534.TheNicholas,whichalsofiredstar-shell

illumination,scoredonehitthatdisabledtheAmagiri’sfire-controlcircuitsanddestroyed
herradioshack.TheJapanesecaptainputupasmokescreenandmovedoutattopspeed.
ThesmokeledtheAmericanstobelievetheyhadsettheJapaneseshiponfire,butthat
wasnotthecase.

WiththeAmagiri’shastydeparture,theNiizuki’screwwaslefttoitsowndevices.

Asaresult,theship’scaptain,RearAdmiralTeruoAkiyama,andnearlythreehundred
officersandcrewmendiedatsea.

*

WhiletherescueoperationswereunderwayinKulaGulf,CaptainOrita’s

unengagedtransportunitwaslandingtroopsatVilaStanmore.Whenfinished,the
MikazukiandYamakazesteamedthroughBlackettChannelandsafelyretired.The
Mochizukineededanextrahourtounloadherpassengers.Whendone,sheusedtheKula
Gulfpassage.CaptainOrita,whowasaboard,preferredtohugthecoastofKolombangara
andstayoutoftrouble,butthedestroyerwascaughtinopendaylightbytheNicholasand
Radford.BothAmericandestroyersopenedfirewiththeirgunsatarangeoffivemiles.At
0615,theMochizukilaunchedoneLongLance,madesmoke,andranwhilenursing5-inch

hitsinhertorpedoandgunmounts.AftertheAmericandestroyerssetfourlauncheswith
volunteercrewsinthewatertoassistadditionalHelenasurvivors,CaptainMcInerney
likewisemadesmokeandretiredtowardTulagiat0617with745Helenasurvivorsaboard.

*

TheonlyshipthatremainedwastheNagatsuki,whichwasstillhighonthereefat

BambariHarbor.At1010,theAlliedairstrikerequestedbytheRadford’sCommander
RomosertocheckoutWaughRockarrivedoverKulaGulf.TheelevenSBDdive-
bombersandTBFtorpedobombersandtheireighteenfighterescortslocatedthe
Nagatsukiontheirownandmountedanimmediateattack.Bythen,sevenImperialNavy
Zerofighterswereguardingthestrandeddestroyer,buttheyprovidednoprotection
whatsoever.FourZeroswereshotdownbytheAmericanfighterpilots,andtherestfled.
ThoughshefiredallhergunsattheAmericanairplanes,theNagatsukiwassimply
walloped.Asecondattack,conductedbyArmyAirForcesB-25mediumbombersofthe
42dMediumBombardmentGroup,setherafire.Eventually,beforedark,hermagazines
blewup.Nextmorning,thesurvivorsbeganthetrektoVilaoverthereefthathadsnared
theirship.

*

ExceptforthejobofpickinguptheremainderoftheHelena’ssurvivorsfromthe

water,theBattleofKulaGulfwasover—aclearAmericanvictory.

KulaGulfSidebar

TheImperialNavywasanelite,elitistorganization.Asproneattheadministrative

levelsasanylargebureaucracytobecomingboggeddowninpaperwork,careerism,
politics,andminutia,theImperialNavyneverthelessenjoyedauniquedynamic.Itwas
drivenbyasenseofpurposeanddutythatwesternnavalofficerscouldonlybeginto
sense,muchlesscomprehend.Tobesure,Westernobserverssawthetangibleresultsof
theJapanesedynamism,buttheydidnotunderstanditsroots.

JapanesesocietywassuffusedwithitsdevotiontotheEmperorandthenation’s

divinemission.Theblood,thesinew,theheartbeatofJapanservedonlyonepurpose,and
thatwastopaytheemperorbackforhislargesse.Whenthemenwhostoodbehindthe
throneandguideditdecreedamilitaristpolicyintheEmperor’sname,whenthey
identifiedthearchenemy,whentheyarticulatedthegoals,andwhentheyrevealedthe
timetable,thecreativejuicesoftheentirenationflowedinjustonedirection.

Inaveryfewyears,Japanesenavalarchitectsdesignednewhigh-pressuresteam

powerplantstomovelargershipsfasteronlesspreciousfuel.Navalarmorersdevised
bettergunsfortheirships,andnavalordnancemendevisedbetterammunitionand
propellants.WhattheJapaneselackedintechnicalorindustrialability,theymadeupforin
otherways.Japanhadnotaprayerofdevelopingsearchorgunneryradarsforherships,
soshefoundhersonswiththekeenesteyesightandnightvision,andtrainedthemtobe
lookoutsandspottersaboardherwarshipsandinherobservation-scoutplanes.They
developedthefinestopticaldevicesintheworld,includingtheworld’sfinestmarinenight

opticalequipment.

Inoneextremelyimportantarea,Japan’storpedoexpertsimproveduponthe

world’sbest21-inchnavaltorpedobydevelopingtheworld’sbesttorpedo,period—a24-
incherdubbedtheLongLance,whichcouldgofasterandwaseffectiveouttorangesmore
thanfivetimesgreaterthanthequirkyAmericannavaltorpedo.Andtheyinstalledmore
torpedotubesonmoreclassesofwarshipsthantheirAmericancounterparts.(MostU.S.
Navycruisershadnotorpedotubesbecausetheyhadbeenforbiddeninthe1922and1930
navaltreaties.)UnliketheU.S.Navy,theJapaneseequippedtheirtorpedo-carrying
warshipswithextratorpedoesforreloads.Yetmoreimportant,theJapanesetrainedwith
theirtorpedoes.Theylearnedtheirshortcomingsandimprovedonthemovertime.And
theydevelopedsuitable,realistictorpedotacticsbasedonlive-firetrialsatsea.(TheU.S.
Navyfiredfewofitstorpedoesinpractice,andthelossofanexpensivetorpedoinvariably
ledtoamajorinvestigation,athreatthatitselfeffectivelyquelledpre-war
experimentation.)

Likewise,formanyyearstheImperialNavyhadsentallhershipstoseatopractice

grouptacticsinever-changingcombinations.Theaimoftheseexerciseswastotestthe
shipsandweaponstotheutmost,tofindfaultsthatcouldbecorrected.TheImperialNavy
gaveherofficersandsailorsvaluableship-handlingandcommandexperience.

Becauseitwasrelativelypoorandlackedmanyofthemoderntechnological

systemsthatsupportedthenaviesofitsadversaries,theImperialNavydevelopedtactics
baseduponwhatmodernnavaltacticiansandstrategistsnowcalla“stand-off”
philosophy.Simplystated,theJapanesesoughttoengageenemysurfaceunits—atnight—
bymeansthatwouldnotrevealthepositionoftheirownships.Thenight-visiontraining
andaids,andthedevelopmentoffaster,longer-rangedtorpedoessupportedthe
philosophy,asdidthedevelopmentofbrighterandlonger-lastingstarshellsandrelatively
flashlessgunpowder.AllweredesignedtoallowtheJapanesetoseetheenemybefore
theywereseen,andtoengagehimearlierandfromgreaterdistancesthanhecouldengage
theJapanese.

WhiletheJapanesewerepronetooperateinrigidcolumnsofwarships—a

singularlyuninspiringformation—theydidpracticetheuseoflaunchingsuccessiveor
continuousattacksbymutuallysupportingformations.Aboveall,Japanesecaptainsand
unitcommandersweretaughttowithholdgunfireuntilaftertheirreadytorpedoeshad
beenfiredanduntiltheenemywasabsolutelycertaintobeoverwhelminglystruckby
numerousinitialhits.Morethantheiradversaries,theJapanesetrainedtoboldlyusearrays
ofpowerfulsearchlights,notonlytolocateandfixtargets,buttoblindandstartletheir
adversaries.

Withal,innovationsbeyondtheserelativelysimpleexpedientswereslowin

arising.TheJapanesenavalinstitutionalhierarchywasextremelyrigid.While
subordinateswereurgedtospeakoutinpractice—Japan’sleadingtorpedotactician,
TameichiHara,madehisgreatestcontributionsasanaggressiveyounglieutenant—the
menatthetopruledwithanironhand.Perquisitesweredistributedorwithheldonthe
basisoffamilyorschoolties,anultimatelyruinoussystemthatcouldinnowaybe
abolishedinthatsemi-feudalsociety.Thiswasnotanenvironmentconducivetochangeor
bringingoutthebestinindividuals.

Butforallitsquirksandnegativetraits,inthelastanalysistheImperialNavywas

bredasafightingnavy.Andindeeditwas.

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