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The Battle of the Komandorski Islands was one of the most unusual engagements of World War II. It was a naval battle which took place on 27 March 1943 in the North Pacific area of the Pacific Ocean, near the Komandorski Islands.
When the United States became aware of Japanese plans to send a supply convoy to garrisons on the Aleutian Islands, U.S. Navy ships commanded by Rear Admiral Charles McMorris were dispatched to intercept. The U.S. fleet consisted of the heavy cruiser Salt Lake City, the old light cruiser Richmond and the destroyers Coghlan, Bailey, Dale and Monaghan.
Unknown to the Americans, the Japanese had chosen to escort their convoy with two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and four destroyers commanded by Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya. On the morning of 27 March, the Japanese convoy was intercepted by the U.S. picket line and combat ensued. Because of the remote location of the battle and chance encounter on open ocean, neither fleet had air or submarine assistance, making this the only engagement exclusively between surface ships in the Pacific Theatre, and the last pure gunnery duel between major combatants in American naval history.
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Battle
- 0600: The United States ships were formed in a scouting line at six-mile intervals zig-zagging at 15 knots on base course 020.
- 0730: Lead ships Coghlan and Richmond made RADAR contacts with the two trailing Japanese transports and a destroyer on course 080 at 13 knots. A navigating officer on one of the transports visually observed the American force minutes later.
- 0740: The Americans changed course to 080 and the rear ships increased speed to operate as a compact group. Five RADAR contacts were counted.
- 0755: The Japanese turned northward to course 340 and the Americans came to course 000 to follow.
- 0811: The Americans visually identified the RADAR contacts as two transports, two light cruisers, and a destroyer.
- 0820: The Americans sighted the masts of four more Japanese ships on the horizon.
- 0835: The Americans identified the masts as two heavy cruisers and two destroyers and turned to course 240.
- 0838: The Japanese transports swerved off to the northwest.
- 0839: The Americans increased speed to 25 knots.
- 0840: Nachi opened fire on Richmond at a range of 20000 yards. The second and third salvos were straddles.
- 0841: Richmond opened fire on Nachi. The third salvo was a straddle.
- 0842: Salt Lake City opened fire on Nachi at a range of 21000 yards. The second salvo was a straddle.
As the range closed, Bailey opened fire on Nachi at a range of 14000 yards and then switched to a light cruiser. Coghlan opened fire on Nachi at a range of 18000 yards.[4]
- 0845: Nachi launched eight torpedoes. All missed.
- 0850: One of Richmonds 6-inch shells hits the starboard side of Nachis signal bridge killing 11 and wounding 21. Another shell hit Nachis mainmast and severed the flagship radio communication.
- 0852: One of Richmonds 6-inch shells hit Nachis torpedo compartment. Another of Richmonds 6-inch shells hit Nachis control room killing two and wounding five. Nachi dropped back after losing electrical power to ammunition hoists and gun mounts.
- 0903: Richmond ceased firing. Salt Lake City continued firing from stern turrets.
- 0910: Salt Lake City was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by Maya. The starboard observation plane caught fire and was jettisoned.
- 0920: Salt Lake City was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by Maya. Two men were killed.
- 1010: Salt Lake City was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by Maya.
- 1059: Salt Lake City was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by Maya.
- 1103: Salt Lake City was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by Maya. Salt Lake City transferred water to correct a list caused by flooding.
- 1152: Salt Lake City was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by Maya.
- 1153: Salt water entered a fuel tank in use and extinguished Salt Lake Citys boiler fires.
- 1154: Salt Lake City slowed to a stop. Bailey, Coghlan and Monaghan approached the Japanese cruisers for a torpedo attack while Richmond and Dale made smoke to shield Salt Lake City.
- 1203: Salt Lake City restarted boilers and increased speed to 15 knots.
- 1213: Salt Lake City increased speed to 22 knots.
- 1225: Bailey launched five torpedoes at 9500 yards. All missed. Bailey was hit twice by 8-inch shells and came to a stop with five dead. Coghlan was hit once.
- 1230: Japanese ships retired westward. Neither Coghlan nor Monaghan launched torpedoes.
Salt Lake City fired 806 armor piercing projectiles and then 26 high capacity shells after the supply of armor piercing ammunition was exhausted. Powder and shells were manhandled aft from the forward magazines to keep the after guns firing. Salt Lake Citys rudder stops were carried away, limiting her to 10 degree course changes.[4]
Outcome
Although the Japanese cruisers outnumbered the U.S. group by two to one, the engagement was tactically inconclusive. Both sides suffered damage, with the U.S. force not being as badly hurt by the superior firepower of the Japanese as could have been the case. When the Japanese force was poised for victory, Admiral Hosogaya—not realizing the heavy damage his ships had inflicted on Salt Lake City, and fearing American air forces were en route—chose to retire without delivering a knockout blow. Withdrawal led to a strategic defeat for the Japanese because it ended their attempts to resupply their Aleutian garrisons by surface, leaving only submarines for resupply runs.
Hosogaya was retired from service after the battle.
Order of Battle
United States
Task Group 16.6
RADM Charles McMorris, Commander, Task Group 16.6
Salt Lake City - CAPT Bertram J. Rodgers (F)
Richmond - CAPT Theodore Waldschmidt
Destroyer Squadron 14
CAPT Ralph Riggs
Coghlan - CMDR Benjamin Tompkins
Bailey - LT CMDR John Atkeson (F)
Dale - CMDR Anthony Rorschach
Monaghan - LT CMDR Peter Horn
Japan
Northern Force
VADM Boshiro Hosogaya, Commander, Fifth Fleet (Northern Force)
Cruiser Division One:
CA Nachi - CAPT Akira Sone (F)
CA Maya - CAPT Takeji Matsumato
CL Tama - CAPT Zensuke Kanome
Destroyer Division 21:
DD Wakaba
DD Hatsushimo
D Convoy
RADM Tomoichi Mori, Commander, Destroyer Squadron One
CL Abukuma - CAPT Shiro Shibuya (F)
Destroyer Division Six:
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma
Transport Asaka Maru *
Transport Sakito Maru *
2nd Escort Force
DD Usugumo *
Transport Sanko Maru *
- = not engaged in the battle
Notes
- ^ The date is often given as 26 March because the U.S. ships used Honolulu time which refers to the other side of the International Date Line. However, the local date at Komandorski Islands was 27 March
- ^ Morison, Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, p. 33. Five were killed on Bailey and two on Salt Lake City.
- ^ Morison, Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, p. 33 and Hackett, CombinedFleet.com, [1]. Thirteen were killed on Nachi and one on Maya.
- ^ a b Millsap, Ralph H., CDR USN "Skill or Luck?" United States Naval Institute Proceedings Supplement March 1985 pp.78-87
References
- D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
- Dull, Paul S. (1978). A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-097-1.
- Garfield, Brian (1995). The Thousand Mile War. Aurum Press. ISBN 1-84513-019-7.
- Lacroix, Eric; Linton Wells (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-311-3.
- Lorelli, John A. (1984). The Battle of the Komandorski Islands, March 1943. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-093-9.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (1951 (Reprint 2001)). Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, June 1942-April 1944, vol. 7 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Champaign, Illinois, USA: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-316-58305-7.