Seventy Years Ago: Battle Of Kolombangara

The night of July 12/13, 1943, in the Solomons near Kolombangara, three light cruisers and ten destroyers of TG 36.1 (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) engage one Japanese light cruiser (Jintsu) and five destroyers (Rear Admiral Izaki Shunji) escorting troop-carrying destroyers. Japanese torpedoes damage U.S. light cruisers Honolulu (CL-48) and St. Louis (CL-49), and New Zealand light cruiser HMNZS Leander (which has replaced the lost Helena (CL-50)). Destroyer Gwin (DD-433), damaged by torpedo, is scuttled by Ralph Talbot (DD-390). Destroyers Woodworth (DD-460) and Buchanan (DD-484) are damaged by collision. Japanese light cruiser Jintsu is sunk by cruiser gunfire and destroyer torpedo; and destroyer Yukikaze is damaged.

At this stage of the conflict, nearly two years into the war with Japan,The US Navy still had no idea about the range, speed and explosive power of the Japanese 24" Long Lance torpedo, carried by all Japanese cruisers and destroyers. US forces continued to close Japanese surface ships to fire their own torpedoes, not realizing they were well within range of the Long Lance.

Cruiser Helena was lost a week earlier in the nearby battle of Kula Gulf.


A single Long Lance torpedo did this damage to the bow of USS Honolulu.