• Source: Eastern Solomons order of battle

      • The Battle of the Eastern Solomons was fought August 23–25, 1942 in the waters east and northeast of the Solomon Islands by forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet and the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. The battle resulted from a major effort by the Japanese to reinforce their troop strength on the island of Guadalcanal. The Japanese high command had realized this reinforcement was necessary following the annihilation of the Ichiki Detachment by the 1st Marines a few days earlier.
      The battle can be counted both a tactical and strategic American victory: greater ship losses were inflicted on the Japanese, and the transports were turned back from their mission of landing reinforcements.


      Forces deployed


      Japanese forces

      Combat ships: 2 fleet carriers, 1 light carrier, 3 old battleships, 13 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 30 destroyers, 2 1st-class submarines, 1 2nd-class submarine
      Aircraft: 69 fighters, 41 dive bombers, 57 torpedo bombers
      American forces

      Combat ships: 3 fleet carriers, 1 fast battleship, 5 heavy cruisers, 2 anti-aircraft light cruisers, 18 destroyers
      Aircraft: 100 fighters, 54 dive bombers, 54 scout bombers, 45 torpedo bombers
      Ship losses

      IJN : 1 light carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 1st-class submarine
      USN : none


      Japanese order of battle




      = Guadalcanal Supporting Forces

      =
      Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo in heavy cruiser Atago

      Advanced Force
      Vice Admiral Kondo
      Main Body
      Cruiser Division 4
      3 Takao-class heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): Atago, Maya, Takao
      Cruiser Division 5 (Vice Adm. Takeo Takagi)
      2 Myoko-class heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): Myoko, Haguro
      Destroyer Squadron 4 (Rear Adm. Tamotsu Takama):
      1 Nagara-class light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): Yura
      2 Asashio-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): Asagumo, Yamagumo
      3 Kagero-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): Kuroshio, Oyashio, Hayashio
      Support Group
      1 Nagato-class battleship (8 × 16-in. main battery): Mutsu
      3 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): Murasame, Harusame, Samidare

      Striking Force
      Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo in fleet carrier Shokaku
      Carrier Group
      Vice Admiral Nagumo
      2 Shōkaku-class fleet carriers
      Shōkaku (Capt. Masafumi Arima)
      27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Hideki Shingo)
      27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Cdr. Mamoru Seki)
      18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Cdr. Shigeharu Murata)
      Zuikaku (Capt. Tameteru Notomo)
      27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Ayao Shirane)
      27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Sadamu Takahashi)
      18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Shigeichirō Imajuku)
      Screen
      1 Kagero-class (6 × 5-in. main battery): Akigumo
      3 Yugumo-class (6 × 5-in. main battery): Yugumo, Makigumo, Kazegumo
      2 Fubuki-class (6 × 5-in. main battery): Shikinami, Uranami

      Vanguard Group
      Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe
      Battleships
      2 Kongo-class fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery): Hiei, Kirishima
      Cruiser Division 7 (Rear Adm. Shoji Nishimura)
      2 Mogami-class (10 × 8-in. main battery): Kumano, Suzuya
      1 Tone-class (8 × 8-in. main battery): Chikuma
      Destroyer Squadron 10 (Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura)
      1 Nagara-class light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): Nagara
      1 Akizuki-class destroyer (8 × 4-in. main battery): Akizuki
      5 Kagero-class destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery): Hatsukaze, Maikaze, Nowaki, Tanikaze, Yukikaze

      Diversionary Group
      Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara in heavy cruiser Tone
      1 light carrier: Ryujo (Capt. Tadao Katō) (sunk)
      24 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Kenjirō Nōtomi)
      9 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Binichi Murakami)
      1 Tone-class heavy cruiser (8 × 8-in. main battery): Tone
      2 Kagero-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): Amatsukaze, Tokitsukaze


      = Southeast Area Forces

      =

      Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara

      Outer South Seas Force
      Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
      Reinforcement Group
      Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka
      Transport Unit
      1 auxiliary cruiser: Kinryu Maru
      Embarking 800 men of the 5th Yokosuka SNLF
      4 patrol boats: No. 1, No. 2, No. 34, No. 35
      Embarking 700 men of the 2nd echelon of the IJA Ichiki Detachment
      Escort Unit
      1 Sendai-class light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery, 1 scout plane): Jintsu
      2 Kagero-class destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): Kagero, Isokaze
      3 Shiratsuyu-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): Kawakaze, Suzukaze, Umikaze
      3 Mutsuki-class destroyers (4 × 4.7-in. main battery): Mutsuki (sunk), Yayoi, Uzuki
      Covering Group
      Vice Admiral Mikawa
      1 Takao-class heavy cruiser: Chōkai
      Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Adm. Aritomo Gotō)
      2 Aoba-class heavy cruisers (6 × 8-in. main battery): Aoba, Kinugasa
      1 Furutaka-class heavy cruiser (6 × 8-in. main battery): Furutaka
      Submarine Group
      2 1st-class submarines: I-121, I-123 (sunk)
      1 2nd-class submarine: Ro-34


      American order of battle




      = Task Force 61

      =
      Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher in Saratoga


      Task Force 11


      Vice Admiral Fletcher

      1 Lexington-class fleet carrier
      Saratoga (Capt. DeWitt C. Ramsey)
      Air Group (Cmdr. Harry D. Felt)
      VF-5: 27 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Leroy C. Simpler)
      VB-3: 17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Dewitt W. Shumway)
      VS-3: 15 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Louis J. Kirn)
      VT-8: 13 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Harold H. Larsen)
      Cruisers (Rear Adm. Carleton H. Wright)
      2 New Orleans-class heavy cruisers (9 × 8-in./55-cal. main battery)
      Minneapolis (Capt. Frank J. Lowry)
      New Orleans (Capt. Walter S. DeLany)
      Screen (Capt. Samuel B. Brewer)
      5 destroyers
      1 Porter-class (8 × 5-in./38 SP/low elevation main battery): Phelps
      4 Farragut-class (4 × 5-in./38 DP main battery): Farragut, MacDonough, Worden, Dale


      Task Force 16



      Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid in Enterprise

      1 Yorktown-class fleet carrier
      Enterprise (Capt. Arthur C. Davis)
      Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Maxwell F. Leslie)
      VF-6: 29 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Louis H. Bauer)
      VB-6: 17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Lt. Ray Davis)
      VS-5: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Turner F. Caldwell)
      VT-3: 15 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Charles M. Jett)
      Battleship and Cruisers (Rear Adm. Mahlon S. Tisdale)
      1 North Carolina-class fast battleship (9 × 16-in./45-cal. main battery)
      North Carolina (Capt. George H. Fort)
      1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in./55-cal. main battery)
      Portland (Capt. Laurance T. DuBose)
      1 Atlanta-class anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in./38-cal. main battery)
      Atlanta (Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins)
      Screen (Capt. Edward P. Sauer)
      6 destroyers
      1 Porter-class (8 × 5-in./38 SP/low elevation main battery): Balch
      2 Gleaves-class (5 × 5-in. dual purpose main battery): Grayson, Monssen
      1 Gridley-class (4 × 5-in./38 dual purpose main battery): Maury
      2 Benham-class (4 × 5-in./38 dual purpose main battery): Benham, Ellet


      Task Force 18 (deployed but did not take part in battle)



      Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes in Wasp

      1 Wasp-class fleet carrier
      Wasp (Capt. Forrest P. Sherman)
      Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. Wallace M. Beakley)
      VF-71: 28 F4F Wildcat fighters (Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Shands)
      VS-71: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. John Eldridge)
      VS-72: 18 SBD Dauntless scout bombers (Lt. Cmdr. Ernest M. Snowden)
      VT-7: 15 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers (Lt. Henry A. Romberg)
      Cruisers (Rear Adm. Norman Scott)
      1 Pensacola-class heavy cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery)
      Salt Lake City (Capt. Charles H. McMorris)
      1 New Orleans-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery)
      San Francisco (Capt. Ernest G. Small)
      1 Atlanta-class anti-aircraft light cruiser (16 × 5-in. main battery) S
      San Juan (Capt. James E. Maher)
      Screen (Capt. Robert G. Tobin)
      7 destroyers
      1 Porter-class (8 × 5-in. main battery): Selfridge
      2 Gleaves-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Aaron Ward, Buchanan
      3 Benham-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Lang, Stack, Sterett
      1 Benson-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Farenholt


      Individual attack waves




      = Attack on Enterprise (Nagumo carrier group 1st wave)

      =
      10 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: 4 from Shokaku, 6 from Zuikaku
      27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers: 18 from Shokaku, 9 from Zuikaku


      = Nagumo carrier group 2nd wave (found no targets)

      =
      9 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: 3 from Shokaku, 6 from Zuikaku
      27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers: 9 from Shokaku, 18 from Zuikaku


      = Ryūjō Attack on Henderson Field

      =
      6 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers: all from Ryūjō
      14 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters: all from Ryūjō


      = B-17 strike on Nagumo carrier group

      =
      TBD


      = Saratoga strike on Ryūjō

      =
      TBD


      = B-17 strike on Ryūjō

      =
      TBD


      Notes




      References




      Bibliography


      Lundstrom, John B. (2005). First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8.
      Morison, Samuel Eliot (1948). The Struggle for Guadalcanal, August 1942 – February 1943. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Vol. V. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. ISBN 0-7858-1306-3.
      Stille, Mark (2016). US Navy Light Cruisers, 1941-45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4728-1140-0.

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