The Battle of Blackett Strait (Japanese: ビラ・スタンモーア夜戦 (Battle of Vila–Stanmore)) was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on 6 March 1943 in the Blackett Strait, between Kolombangara and Arundel Island in the Solomon Islands. The battle was a chance encounter between two Japanese destroyers that had been undertaking a resupply run to Vila and a U.S. Navy force of three light cruisers and three destroyers that had been tasked with bombarding the Japanese shore facilities around Vila. The two forces clashed as the Japanese destroyers were withdrawing through the Kula Gulf. In the short battle that followed the two Japanese destroyers were sunk, after which the U.S. ships completed their bombardment of Vila before returning to their base.
Background
thumb|left|Airbase at Vila
thumb|Airbase at Munda Point
After the American victory in the Guadalcanal campaign in early 1943, operations in the Solomon Islands shifted to the west, where the Japanese maintained a substantial garrison on Kolombangara. Airbases had been established at Munda on the western coast of New Georgia and at Vila on the southern coast of Kolombangara. Allied efforts to reduce these airbases initially focused on air strikes but later included naval bombardment in preparation for a ground campaign to capture New Georgia that would eventually commence in late June and early July 1943. Meanwhile, the Japanese continued to build up these bases as part of their efforts to reinforce the southern defenses to their main base around Rabaul.
On the night of 5 March 1943, the Japanese destroyers and took supplies to the Japanese base at Vila. Together, these ships formed part of the 2nd Fleet's Destroyer Squadron 4, which was under the command of Captain Masao Tachibana. Their passage to Vila was undertaken through the Vella Gulf and Blackett Strait, while they decided to return to the Shortland Islands via the shorter route through the Kula Gulf.
Order of Battle
thumb|Admiral [[Aaron S. Merrill|Merrill's light cruisers at Efate]]
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="2"; align="center" | US Task Force MIKE
|-
! Ship
! Commander
|-
! colspan="2" | 3 light cruisers
|-
| (F)
| Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill<br/>Capt. Leighton Wood
|-
|
|Capt. Edmund W. Burrough
|-
|
|Capt. Robert B. Carney
|-
! colspan="2" | 3 destroyers
|-
| (F)
|Comdr. Harold F. Pullen<br/>Lt. Comdr. Nathaniel S. Prime
|-
|
|Lt. Comdr. Harry D. Johnston
|-
|
|Comdr. Laurence H. Frost
|}
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="2" align="center" | Japan In this case, the entire opening salvo straddled Murasame. As Minegumos captain began passing orders to his crew, Murasame was hit by the sixth salvo of American gunfire, which was followed shortly afterwards by a salvo of five torpedoes that had been fired by the destroyer Waller. At around 01:15, one of these torpedoes hit Murasame, which exploded, caught fire and eventually sank. The explosion was reportedly heard by Briscoe's force about away around Munda. The U.S. cruisers then rapidly shifted target, doing so before Minegumo could release any torpedoes.
Mining operations
On 20 March, the Allies began mining operations in the central Solomons using U.S. Navy and Marine Corps torpedo bombers to sow mines throughout the northern Solomons.
Patrolling just after the section leader had departed for home, PT-109 was run down on a dark moonless night by the , returning from the supply mission. The PT boat had her engines at idle to hide her wake from seaplanes. Conflicting statements have been made as to whether the destroyer captain spotted and steered towards the boat. Members of the destroyer crew believed the collision was not an accident, though other reports suggest Amagiris captain had not intentionally rammed PT-109. Kennedy's crew was assumed lost by the U.S. Navy but were found later by Solomon Islander scouts Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana.
Notes
References
External links
- Order of battle
- Article at CombinedFleet.com about the sinking of Oyashio, Kagero, and Kuroshio.
- Interrogation of Lieut. Comdr. S. YUNOKI, gunnery officer at Munda (NHHC)