Battle of Cape St. George 23Nov 1943

[jainso31]

The Battle of Cape St George was perhaps the greatest destroyer action fought in the Pacific Campaign in WW2. it was fought on Thanksgiving Day, 26th Nov. 1943. It was the last engagement between surface ships in the Solomom Islands Campaign.
Americans had landed troops on Bougainville on 1st Nov.1943.This posed a threat to the Japanese based on Buka island to the west. 900 Japanese army troops were loaded on the destroyer transports Amagari,Yugiri,Uzuki and sent together with the destroyers Onami,Makinami,under the command of Capt.Kagawa to relieve the garrison.
The USN learned of the convoy and sent Desron23- five Fletcher class destroyers Charles Ausburne,Claxton,Dyson,Converse and Spence under the command of Capt.(later Adm) Arleigh Burke to intercept it.
The Japanese destroyers landed the 900 troops and supplies,embarked navy personel and were returning to Rabaul,when at about 01.40 they were spotted by the US ships radar.Desron23 approached and launched 15 torpedoes at 01.55; before the Japanese sighted them.Onami was hit by several torpedoes and sank immediately.Makinami was hit by one torpedo ,disabled;and sunk by gunfire.the transport destroyers fled in different directions;Burke pursued Yugiri, to a point very close to Japanese air cover but sank her at 03.30 before turning away for safety.The USN had come a long way since Savo Island in terms of nightfighting technique-in spades!!
This battle ended the Tokyo Express and saw the end of Japanese resistance in the Solomons.
Why was this surface action so successful; and what more,if anything; could have been done to cap this achievement. Where was Austin's Division in this action-I think that herein, lies a flaw in the Plan of Attack- underused I suspect.?

The link gives a location map and some expanded details.

http://navysite.de/cg/capehist.htm

jainso31,

[Abbeywood.]

According to my reference books,(3), the action took place approx' 50 miles SE of Cape St George during the night of 24/25th November with
@02:00: 'Onami' struck by torpedoes from 'Ausburne', DD-570, 'Claxton', DD-571, and 'Dyson',DD-572,and sank almost immediately.
'Makinami' sank at 0255 hrs, following torpedo strikes by 'Converse', DD-509, and 'Spence', DD-512.
03:00, 'Yugiri' hit by torpedoes and gunfire from 'Ausburne', 'Claxton', and 'Dyson' and sank at 0328.

'Spence'seems to have had and eventful month as on 2nd November, she was involved with the sinking of IJN destroyer 'Hatsukaze' in an action in Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville. though 'Spence' was hit by a 5" shell. This caused her to operate at a reduced speed. The problem seems to have been quickly rectified so that she was able to undertake a high-speed collision with the 'Thatcher', DD-514. Both ships escaped with minor damage
I've studied a map of the area and am still trying to figure out which way the Japanese were trying to get back to Rabaul. Whether through the St George's Channel, or round the top of New Ireland
My regards to you.

[jainso31]

Thanks for the reply Pete-like you, I found the map to be of little use.I reckoned that St George's Channel is between Buka (north of Bougainville ) and New Britain (Rabaul) or Cape St George,New Ireland and this was the line of pursuit.
This was a victory hailed by Halsey as the Trafalgar of the Pacific and via the leadership of "31knot Burke" a pasting was dished out to the Japanese; but Austin's two destroyers seem to have taken a minor role ie sinking Makinami; and then got left behind.
There is obviously more to the this action than is immediately apparent.

jainso31

[Abbeywood.]

Thanks for the reply Pete-like you, I found the map to be of little use.I reckoned that St George's Channel is between Buka (north of Bougainville ) and New Britain (Rabaul) or Cape St George,New Ireland and this was the line of pursuit.
This was a victory hailed by Halsey as the Trafalgar of the Pacific and via the leadership of "31knot Burke" a pasting was dished out to the Japanese; but Austin's two destroyers seem to have taken a minor role ie sinking Makinami; and then got left behind.
There is obviously more to the this action than is immediately apparent.

jainso31

Take the second option. i.e St Georges Channel is tha between New Britain and the southern end of New Ireland, with Cape St George at the entrance.
Don't know if there is any significance between that channel and the one that lies between Old Ireland and Old Britain, (Wales).Probably yes.
Some of the old explorers had a penchant for naming places after the mother country.

[jainso31]

After Austin caught up with Burke,he (Burke) kept the squadron together; despite Austin's request to after Amagiri and Uzuki in a NW direction, to cut off their escape route and perhaps have sunk them-but that is pure speculation. NB.This snippet from O'Hara's "USN against the Axis"
PS Yes- I understand that Cape St George is at the southern tip of New ireland; but Buka Is is to the north of Bougainville.
jainso31

[Abbeywood.]

After Austin caught up with Burke,he (Burke) kept the squadron together; despite Austin's request to after Amagiri and Uzuki in a NW direction, to cut off their escape route and perhaps have sunk them-but that is pure speculation. NB.This snippet from O'Hara's "USN against the Axis"
PS Yes- I understand that Cape St George is at the southern tip of New ireland; but Buka Is is to the north of Bougainville.
jainso31

Sorry, Jimbo, I missed your query ref: Buka Island
After scanning my Times Atlas I can see that Buka lies at the northern tip of Bougainville. the northern tip of Buka is just about 5 degrees north of the Equator and also lies approx' 115 miles East of Cape St George.
For more info' google in 'Buka Island' that might bring some other snippets to the fore
Good hunting, Pete'

[jainso31]

Good morrow Pete
Now that we have the geography right-what do make of Austin's request for Destroyer Division [DesDiv] 46 to break away NW to block the escape route of the Amagiri and the damaged Uzuki- which Burke dismissed??

Was Burke's extremely bold approach to the Japanese air base at Rabaul undermining it's continued viability??

jainso31

[Abbeywood.]

Good morrow Pete
Now that we have the geography right-what do make of Austin's request for Destroyer Division [DesDiv] 46 to break away NW to block the escape route of the Amagiri and the damaged Uzuki- which Burke dismissed??

Was Burke's extremely bold approach to the Japanese air base at Rabaul undermining it's continued viability??

jainso31

Bearing in mind that had the US destroyers been permitted to break-away to the NW that would have placed them in the 'throat of the St George's Channel with little room to manoeuvre. With Japanese aircraft based 'just over the hill' at Rabaul. the risk was obviously too great to contemplate.
Better to hold what you have, while your winning, methinks, and live to fight another day. Very Shakespearian dontcha think.

[jainso31]

Pete that has me baffled-I thought that DesRon 23's approach to St Georges Channel was approx NE and should DesDiv 47 have bore NW they would have intercepted the two escaping IJN DDs before they turned north up the East side of New Ireland.
Obviously I am no seafaring navigator-a good map would have helped enormously.The only thing the map does show is the direstion from Buka Is to St geoerges channel as ENEastish.???Is my orientation all to pot??

jainso31

[Vince O'Hara]

The Japanese anchorage was at the southern tip of Buka Island. The Japanese destoyers headed toward Cape St. George which bore about 290 degrees. (WNW). The U.S. destroyers came up from the south on a converging course (about 330 degrees or NNW). After the surprise attack the surviving Japanese destroyers headed north and then two of them peeled off to the west. If he had responded promptly, Austin's division might have cut the corner and intercepted by taking off to the NW but that was uncertain at the time. Burke doesn't mention it in his report, but I wouldn't be surprised if he thinking of his experiences at Empress Augusta Bay. There his divisions became separated and he swapped salvos with friendly squadrons. Burke played it safe and kept the glory for his division. Commander's perogative. It was a nice action, but hardly the Trafalgar of the Pacific like Halsey described it. I always thought Moosbrugger at Vella Gulf fought a better action.

Vince

[jainso31]

Vince
Many thanks for your expert and timely intervention- when the thread got a little lost.The Japanese force was heading NNW away from Buka Is. Burke was patrolling the sea to the west of this line and so as to make contact they had to head NNE from the south ie The Japanese were in front of them -both proceeding in a northerly direction.
On contact Burke sank 2 Jap DDs and Austin 1Jap DD -this caused two Jap DDs to turn west; and this where Austin wanted to chase after them to cut off their escape route.Burke vetoed this and at least one got away.
It was a well fought encounter; but as you say - Trafalgar it was not.

jainso31

[Don Boyer]

Halsey was always a bit bombastic in his pronouncements concerning naval actions, especially in the SoPac days when we were taking a beating but holding our own. As is usual in wartime, hard times and losses are percieved by the public back home as an indication of "we're losing", stupid as that is, and Halsey was PR conscious enough to recognize that kind of drivel by journalists and newspapers for what it was, thus the little PR "bump" given successful actions.

This battle is well covered in the book "Destroyer Squadron 23" by Ken Jones, although he departs from strict historical analysis in some areas. Arliegh Burke went on to serve with the Fast Carrier Task Forces, and was one of the officers to immediately recognize how the Battle of Leyte Gulf should have been conducted instead of the silly decisions that were implemented by Halsey and his staffers. He later became the longest-serving Chief of Naval Operations and was instrumental in creating the nuclear navy and the Polaris submarine program through his astute use of capable subordinates and his abilities to create teams that actually worked and produced. There is very little in his conduct of the Battle of Cape St. George that merits second-guessing as to what could have been done. Like Nelson, Burke knew exactly what he was doing, and the results clearly demonstrate that. Even though things could have been done differently, that seldom means the results would have been any better.

[jainso31]

Hi Don
Back on line again after a nasty PC glitch.
I must agree with both your good self and Vince that this battle was well fought; and as you say second guessing, may even have worsened the outcome.
Burke was right to call a halt when he was ahead.
I realise that the "Trafalgar" statement was good PR at the time.
My thanks for your postscript.

jainso31

[jainso31]

My summing up of this naval engagement more or less agrees with Don's; but there are couple of points where we differ.
Although Burke did not prevent the Japanese from landing their reinforcements,or of evacuating the bulk of the aviation personnel;they did sink three destroyers at no loss to themselves- via a well executed torpedo attack.
On the other hand he underutilised Austin's division.If he had released them as Austin requested; and much like Moosbruger had done with Simpson at Vella Gulf-the Amagiri and Uzuki would, at least,would have had their best escape route denied them and placed them in jeopardy.
Nevertheless Burke won a resounding tactical victory that expunged the agony of the Savo Island Battle.


jainso31