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The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the Battle of Rennell Island (1/29-30/1943) - June 9th, 2005
World War II Magazine | March 2000 | John Wukovits

Posted on 06/08/2005 10:03:49 PM PDT by SAMWolf



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


.................................................................. .................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
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The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

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The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

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Battle of Rennell Island:
Setback in the Solomons

The tactical judgment of Admiral Robert C. Giffen may have contributed to the loss of the cruiser USS Chicago.

Lieutenant Commander Joji Higai could not have been more pleased in late January 1943. Touted by cohorts throughout the Imperial Japanese Navy as one of its best torpedo plane commanders, he had been handed a plum assignment that suited his reputation. He and his 15-plane unit from the 701st Air Group, in coordination with a second group of 16 Mitsubishi G4M torpedo bombers, were ordered to rise from Rabaul's airfields, head southwest, and attack American naval and air forces in the Solomon Islands in one of World War II's first nighttime torpedo attacks.



Approximately 700 miles to the southeast, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Robert C. "Ike" Giffen cautiously guided a conglomeration of carriers, cruisers, escort carriers and destroyers toward the Solomon Islands. His superior, Admiral William F. Halsey, after recharging the American defensive stand at Guadalcanal, hoped Giffen's foray would be the first of many U.S. offensive actions in the region. For months the American Marines and Navy had been knocked on their heels by the victorious Japanese, but Halsey's arrival infused renewed energy in the U.S. forces fighting in the region. A speedy series of American land and sea triumphs pushed the foe backward and gave a slim advantage to the United States.

As 1943 dawned, Halsey optimistically said: "December had shown us faint signs that the tide was turning. By January no one could doubt that it had begun to run with us." Halsey realized that victory in the Solomons had not yet been guaranteed and that he needed more reinforcements, additional ships and aircraft, and tons of ammunition. Nevertheless, he felt confident that U.S. forces were "strong enough to attempt a modest offensive." He eagerly awaited developments as Giffen's force steamed toward Guadalcanal.


Admiral Robert C. Griffen


The action began unfolding in late January, when American aerial reconnaissance spotted indications of a Japanese buildup at their major port of Rabaul, on the island of New Britain, and at Buin, on the island of Bougainville. An increasing number of troop transports and freighters mingled with destroyers at those locations, and Japanese carriers and battleships appeared to be on the prowl north of Guadalcanal. Radio intelligence supported the theory that a Japanese move was imminent. Since the Japanese had repeatedly poured reinforcements into the struggle for the Solomons, American planners at Pearl Harbor concluded that this was yet another such operation.

Halsey was under pressure to relieve the 2nd Marine Division, weary from months of vicious combat with crack Japanese land forces on Guadalcanal. The aggressive admiral jumped at an opportunity to combine two operations--he intended to send in troop transports to bring out the 2nd Marine Division while shielding the transports with as much naval power as he could gather in the South Pacific. By doing so, he hoped to entice the Japanese into a surface engagement.


Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty'


Halsey's opponent, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander in chief of the Combined Fleet, would not be tricked, however. The man who had planned the successful attack on Pearl Harbor had subsequently seen his navy face a reversal in the Coral Sea, catastrophic losses at Midway, and continued pounding in the Solomons. With fuel supplies running low, the Japanese commander could not mount a vast naval operation. Instead, he planned to send Higai and his 32 torpedo bombers--known as "Bettys"--against the Americans.

Halsey assembled a formidable force. Six separate groups headed toward the Solomons instead of one unit because each had assembled at a different harbor. Four groups steamed anywhere from 250 to 400 miles behind the two forward groups. The ships in the rear would rush in to meet any large Japanese threat that might unfold in response to the American attempt to land reinforcements on Guadalcanal. The four consisted of Rear Adm. Walden L. Ainsworth's Task Force 67, composed of four light cruisers and four destroyers; Rear Adm. Willis A. Lee's three battleships and four destroyers of Task Force 64; Rear Adm. DeWitt Ramsey's carrier group, centered on Saratoga; and Rear Adm. Ted Sherman's carrier group, anchored by Enterprise.


Cruisers of Task Force 18 at sea en route to Guadalcanal on 29 January 1943, prior to the Japanese night air attack off Rennell Island.
Photographed from USS Wichita (CA-45). USS Chicago (CA-29) is in the right center, with USS Louisville (CA-28) in the distance.
Note men on Wichita's deck, working on a paravane.


As for the two groups of ships that steamed ahead of the rest, the four transports and four destroyers of Task Group 62.8 conveyed the replacements for the 2nd Marine Division. Giffen's potent Task Force 18 consisted of three heavy cruisers--Wichita, Chicago and Louisville--steaming in conjunction with three light cruisers--Montpelier, Cleveland and Columbia. Two escort carriers--Chenango and Suwannee--provided air cover, while eight destroyers--La Vallette, Waller, Conway, Frazier, Chevalier, Edwards, Mead and Taylor--circled the larger ships as a screen.

Ike Giffen was not new to command. He had battled German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean and led forces in North African waters, but he had never served in the Pacific, where air assaults on ships at sea were far more common. Giffen came from the old school of naval leadership and was a favorite of Admiral Ernest J. King, commander in chief of the U.S. Fleet and chief of naval operations. Giffen commanded by the book, and he even refused to step aboard Halsey's flagship because he detested Halsey's open-necked shirts and ruffled caps.


VICE ADMIRAL JINICHI KUSAKA


Giffen guided Task Force 18 out of Efate on January 27, the same day the transport group departed Noumea. His orders were to rendezvous 15 miles off Cape Hunter, on Guadalcanal's southwest coast, late on January 30 with the four destroyers that escorted the transports. The combined force would then steam north through Solomon waters in search of Japanese ships while the transports dropped off Marine reinforcements at Lunga Point.

A string of mistakes and poor judgment by Giffen plagued the operation from the start. Because of his experience in the Atlantic, he focused on a possible submarine threat while downplaying the danger from the skies. His decision to keep the slower escort carriers with his faster cruisers and destroyers slowed the entire group to 18 knots, the maximum speed attainable by the baby flattops. The group also encountered delays each time the carriers had to turn into the southeast wind to launch or recover aircraft.



TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: freeperfoxhole; japan; pacific; rennellisland; solomons; usnavy; usschicago; veterans; wwii
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To: SAMWolf
understood.

free dixie,sw

41 posted on 06/09/2005 9:47:53 AM PDT by stand watie (being a damnyankee is no better than being a racist. it is a LEARNED prejudice against dixie.)
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To: Lee Heggy123; Peanut Gallery
Ah! The Eagle! Spent two months on that beautiful ship. Thats where you really learn seamanship.

I'll bet! I just read Master and Commander, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Mainly for the minutea of naval life, and the running of a sailing ship.

42 posted on 06/09/2005 9:58:01 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (I stuck around free republic, until it was a time for a change)
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To: PAR35

I had forgotten about that connection. Thanks for the picture.


43 posted on 06/09/2005 10:00:20 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (I stuck around free republic, until it was a time for a change)
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To: SAMWolf

Hiya Sam


44 posted on 06/09/2005 10:00:36 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (I stuck around free republic, until it was a time for a change)
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To: bentfeather

Hi miss Feather


45 posted on 06/09/2005 10:02:02 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (I stuck around free republic, until it was a time for a change)
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To: Professional Engineer; snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; Valin; Darksheare; alfa6; Iris7; ...
LuftSpankenTruppen recruit.


46 posted on 06/09/2005 10:04:48 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (I stuck around free republic, until it was a time for a change)
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To: SAMWolf; Iris7; All
Halsey was under pressure to relieve the 2nd Marine Division, weary from months of vicious combat with crack Japanese land forces on Guadalcanal.

Speasking of research being off, I was wondering about that line last night as well but was to busy to do anything but give a good morning bump.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

47 posted on 06/09/2005 11:06:06 AM PDT by alfa6
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To: SAMWolf

Hi Sam.


48 posted on 06/09/2005 11:06:14 AM PDT by Aeronaut (2 Chronicles 7:14.)
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To: Professional Engineer

Cool.


49 posted on 06/09/2005 11:27:48 AM PDT by Darksheare (Hey troll, Sith happens.)
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To: SAMWolf

I just noticed a discrepancy in the displacement as well. This story shows 11,000+. The US Navy and DANFS both give 9300 tons.

That being said, I may have figured out the problem. The next USS Chicago - CA-136 (launched 1944) was larger, and is shown with a complement of 1,142 men. I suspect that someone lost track of their Chicagos when listing the crew size, although the displacement for the newer ship would have been somewhat heavier at about 13,000 tons and some change.

Here are the comparative stats:

(CA-29: dp. 9,300; l. 600'3"; b. 66'1"; dr. 16'8"; s. 32 k.; cpl. 621; a. 9 8", 4 5", 6 21" tt.; cl. Northampton)

(CA-136: displacement 13,600 tons; length 674 feet 11 inches; beam 70 feet 10 inches; draft 20 feet 6 inches; speed 33 knots; complement 1,142; armament 9 8-inch/55, 12 5-inch/38, 11 quadruple 40mm, 2 twin 40mm, 21 single 20mm; class Baltimore)

http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c7-list.htm


50 posted on 06/09/2005 11:34:12 AM PDT by PAR35
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To: PAR35

Good job. Sometimes it's hard to find accurate data, modifications chnaged a lot of stats and I've found most sources use the "as built" stats. Plus like you pointed out, new ships with the same name can get confusing.


51 posted on 06/09/2005 11:41:10 AM PDT by SAMWolf (If a mute boy swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf
"We make a mistake and somebody don't come home." Sgt. Stryker, Sands of Iwo Jima. (from memory)
52 posted on 06/09/2005 11:55:52 AM PDT by colorado tanker (The People Have Spoken)
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To: SAMWolf; snippy_about_it
Microsoft has just announced that they are going to release 8 critical updates for Winwos, one of which will also involve the UNIX deal with Microsoft as well as one update for Microsoft Exchange and one for Microsoft Security Services.

Aslo the June version of the Malicious Software Removal Tool will be included with this update.

If you use Windows, be sure to watch for these updates on Tuesday.

53 posted on 06/09/2005 11:58:14 AM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: Iris7
I agree with you about Halsey, Iris. I think he was one of the great commanders of WWII. What got him into trouble at Samar was what made him so good - his very aggressive style of warfighting, always taking the fight to the enemy. Boy, but when he made that mistake it was a whopper.
54 posted on 06/09/2005 12:00:19 PM PDT by colorado tanker (The People Have Spoken)
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To: Professional Engineer
I just read Master and Commander, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Be careful, you might get hooked on the series, as I have.

55 posted on 06/09/2005 12:04:29 PM PDT by colorado tanker (The People Have Spoken)
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To: Professional Engineer
"LuftSpankenTruppen"

LOL! Ah, the days before feminazis and the Tailhook brigade.

56 posted on 06/09/2005 12:06:09 PM PDT by colorado tanker (The People Have Spoken)
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To: colorado tanker; Professional Engineer
Master and Commander is very good.

By about #8 Maturin becomes something of a buffoon, taking pratfalls to advance the plot. There are still many excellent scenes and vivid evocation of images, but I fear O'Brian, who was in his eighties, became tired attempting to write the stories while he had time. On the other hand, the Aubrey - Maturin character and friendship development is well done. I will give no details, except that modern grossness, vileness, and nihilism have no part in it.

The technicals of running a square rig ship are accurate as far as I can tell. Sometimes I could follow the technical description all the way to the end - a triumph!! Lots of rushing about hollering "I understand this! Look! Look!"

If my long suffering wife didn't run and hide I would excitedly explain what the text meant. After an half hour on this one passage her eyes would glaze over. Looking back, she is a woman of rare forbearance.
57 posted on 06/09/2005 12:29:43 PM PDT by Iris7 ("War means fighting, and fighting means killing." - Bedford Forrest)
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To: Iris7
LOL! I bought a companion that explained most of the nautical terms and details about the Navy of the time, which helped this landlubber understand a lot.

I got to tour the ship used to shoot the movie in San Diego, at the maritime museum, which was cool.

58 posted on 06/09/2005 12:41:01 PM PDT by colorado tanker (The People Have Spoken)
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To: SAMWolf

This work thing leaves me to little time to FReep. It leaves me tired and in need of a nap when I get home.


59 posted on 06/09/2005 2:37:19 PM PDT by GailA (Glory be to GOD and his only son Jesus.)
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To: Iris7; colorado tanker
If my long suffering wife didn't run and hide I would excitedly explain what the text meant. After an half hour on this one passage her eyes would glaze over. Looking back, she is a woman of rare forbearance.

I felt that same way in reading about the square rig operation details. Very interesting.

I've gotta say I have an extraordinary wife as well. She is a former Sailor, and having read several of the books in the series first, suggested I read them as well.

60 posted on 06/09/2005 2:43:40 PM PDT by Professional Engineer (I stuck around free republic, until it was a time for a change)
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