1943-11-02
Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville
On the night of 1-2 November 1943 Rear Admiral Sentaro Omori came down from Rabaul to break up the landings at Cape Torokina. His flag was in the heavy cruiser Myoko, with Haguro. The light cruiser Sendai, Rear Admiral Matsuji Ijuin's flag, had Shigure, Samidare, and Shiratsuyu. The light cruiser Agano had Naganami, Hatsukaze, and Wakatsuki. Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill met them in Montpelier, with Cleveland, Columbia, and Denver, and eight destroyers. Captain Arleigh Burke had Charles Ausburne, Dyson, Stanly, and Claxton in the van. Commander Bernard Austin had Spence, Thatcher, Converse, and Foote astern. The American cruisers sank Sendai. That fire is not credited to one of them. Myoko, cutting through the other column, collided with Hatsukaze and cut off her bow. American destroyers then finished Hatsukaze. That fire is not credited to one of them. Samidare and Shiratsuyu collided and left damaged. Shigure was not hit. The usual account is that a torpedo from Sendai's spread wrecked Foote. She was not sunk. Spence was hit and was not sunk. The transports Omori had been sent to cover were not in the fight, and the landing ships in the bay were not in the gun line.
Sunk in this fight
2 ships.
Chart of the action at Empress Augusta Bay, 1-2 November 1943, in four stages. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 78966. Public domain.
Paths on the night of 1-2 November 1943. North is up. Not to scale, and not a surveyed track. A line is the ships that stayed together, until the line splits. The numbers are the things the record agrees on.
LCVP landing craft circle while awaiting landing orders during the invasion of Cape Torokina, Bougainville, 1 November 1943. Photographed by PFC P. Scheer from a 20mm gun position on board American Legion (APA-17). The invasion beaches are in the background, being shelled, and there are planes over the beaches. The smoking volcano in the far center distance is Mount Bagana. U.S. Marine Corps photograph USMC 67319. Public domain. This is the landing, not the night action.
Shells or bombs hit near the beach at Cape Torokina, Bougainville, as Navy landing craft stand offshore, 1 November 1943. The LCVP at the far right is from George Clymer. U.S. Navy photograph 80-G-54388. Public domain. This is the landing, not the night action.
