Battle of Rennell Island
1943 last major naval engagement between the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Guadalcanal campaign of World War II
-
Japanese bombers that attacked Chicago came from Rabaul (upper left), Buin, Bougainville (center left), and Munda, New Georgia (center).
-
Japanese Vice Admiral Jinichi Kusaka commanded all Japanese naval forces in the Solomon Islands area, including the aircraft from the 11th Air Fleet involved in this battle.
-
Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen, U.S. Navy, wearing a battle helmet while on board ship, sometime during 1942-1943.
-
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.
-
Chart of Japanese (dashed red line) air attack on U.S. Task Force (TF) 18 (solid black line) between Rennell Island and Guadalcanal on the evening of January 29, 1943. Click on map for larger image and full description.
-
USS Chicago low in the water on January 30, 1943 during the battle of Rennell Island.
-
Louisville (right) tows the damaged Chicago on the morning of January 30, 1943 before the fleet tug Navajo took over the tow.
-
Japanese (dotted red line) aircraft torpedo attack on Chicago (yellow dot) on the morning January 30, 1943. Dashed black arrows are attacks on the Japanese aircraft by U.S. carrier fighter aircraft.