antarmike Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 (edited) As part of operation cartwheel, a plan to neutralize, militarily, the major Japanese base at Rabaul, the Solomon Islands had to be cleared of Jananese. After their defeats on New Georgia and in the Battle of Vella Gulf, the Japanese had evacuated their garrisons in the central Solomons. A staging post had been established at Horaniu on the north tip of Vella Lavella for the evacuation barges. In October 1943, six hundred soldiers remained, and a force of nine destroyers (Fumitsuki, Matsukaze, Yunagi, Akigumo, Isokaze, Kazegumo, Yugumo, Shigure, Samidare) and several smaller ships was dispatched under Rear-Admiral Matsuji Ijuin to rescue them. At 22:30 they spotted a U.S. force of three destroyers (Selfridge, Chevalier, O'Bannon) commanded by Captain Frank R. Walker, approaching from Vella Gulf. A second division of three U.S. destroyers (Ralph Talbot, Taylor, and La Vallette) was also sailing up the west coast of Vella Lavella. Walker did not wait for his other three destroyers to come up but attacked immediately. Both sides launched torpedoes and opened fire at about 23:00. The Naval Battle of Vella Lavella had begun. Yugumo, first in the Japanese line, was hit several times, knocking out her steering, and she was finished off by a torpedo and sunk at about 23:10. However, one of her torpedoes hit the Chevalier, detonating the forward magazine. O'Bannon then collided with the crippled Chevalier, and for some time the two ships were locked together. Selfridge attacked alone and was hit by a torpedo at 23:06 and disabled. All three ships were severely damaged, and reinforcements still fifteen minutes away. However, the rest of the Japanese turned away, having perhaps misidentified the three approaching destroyers as cruisers. The Chevalier could not be saved and was sunk around 03:00. The Japanese completed their evacuation mission, ending the second phase of Operation Cartwheel with the Allied capture of the central Solomons after a three-month campaign that cost the Allies six ships and the Japanese sixteen. Edited October 6, 2008 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted October 6, 2008 Author Share Posted October 6, 2008 The Chevalier and a Yugumo class destroyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.