Japanese reaction to the Guadalcanal-Tulagi invasion was swift, if not initially very effective. At Rabaul, the principal Japanese base in the area, the local fleet commander, Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa, pulled together some ground troops, put them in six transports and ordered them off toward Guadalcanal, about six hundred miles to the southeastward. However, during the night of 8 August one of the transports had the ill-fortune to pass near the old U.S. submarine S-38, which sank her with over three hundred men. This forced the cancellation of this first of what would be many Japanese efforts to reinforce their embattled troops on Guadalcanal.
Meanwhile, Japanese planes from Rabaul were sent off to attack the invaders, or preferably their supporting aircraft carriers. In the early afternoon of 7 August, some 27 twin-engine bombers (of a type soon to be nicknamed "Betty") and 18 deadly "Zero" fighters, not having found the carriers, arrived over the invasion fleet. Making a high-level bombing attack, they achieved no hits and lost five bombers and two fighters in actions with U.S. carrier planes (of which the "Zeros" shot down several F4F-4 "Wildcat" fighters and one SBD scout bomber). A few hours later nine single-engine Japanese dive bombers (type "Val") appeared and scored a non-fatal hit on the destroyer Mugford. All of these attackers were lost, either shot down or ditched on the way home.
The Japanese tried again the next day, this time with 27 "Betty" bombers fitted with aerial torpedos and an escort of 15 "Zeros". Once more, they failed to locate the U.S. aircraft carriers, but made a daring low-level torpedo attack on the Vice Admiral Turner's amphibious force. Turner skillfully maneuvered his ships in the sound between Guadalcanal and Tulagi, throwing off the enemy's aim. Only one torpedo scored, hitting destroyer Jarvis in the bow. The transport George F. Elliot was struck amidships by a crashing bomber and was set afire. Japanese losses were very heavy, about seventeen bombers and two fighters, the great majority to the ship's anti-aircraft guns.
The damage done by these Japanese air attacks only inconvenienced the invasion force, slowing supply off-loading by a few hours and taking three ships out of the fight. George F. Elliot was a total loss, her fires burned out of control and she had to be scuttled. Jarvis and Mugford were both able to steam away to seek repairs, but the former, sailing independently, was found by enemy planes on the 9th of August and sunk with no survivors.
This page features, and provides links to, all our views
of Japanese air attacks on the Allied invasion force, during the
first days of the Guadalcanal Campaign.
For more pictures related to these Japanese air attacks,
see:
For other views related to the initial phase of the Guadalcanal
Campaign, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: 80-G-K-385 (Color) Guadalcanal-Tulagi Operation, 7-9 August 1942 Ships maneuvering between Tulagi and Guadalcanal during the Japanese aerial torpedo attack on 8 August 1942. USS President Jackson (AP-37) is at left. HMAS Australia is in the center distance, with anti-aircraft shells bursting nearby. Photographed from USS Ellet (DD-398). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 525 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-17066 Guadalcanal-Tulagi Operation, August 1942 Japanese Navy Type 1 land attack planes (later nicknamed "Betty") fly low through anti-aircraft gunfire during a torpedo attack on U.S. Navy ships maneuvering between Guadalcanal and Tulagi in the morning of 8 August 1942. Note that these planes are being flown without bomb-bay doors. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 600 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 97766 Guadalcanal-Tulagi Operation, August 1942 Japanese Navy Type 1 land attack planes ("Betty") make a torpedo attack on the Tulagi invasion force, 8 August 1942. The burning ship in the center distance is probably USS George F. Elliott (AP-13), which was hit by a crashing Japanese aircraft during this attack. The original photograph came from the illustrations package for Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II", volume IV (originally published opposite page 293). U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 545 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 69117 Guadalcanal - Tulagi Operation, August 1942 A Japanese torpedo plane attack on U.S. transports between Guadalcanal and Tulagi, 8 August 1942. Several G4M1 bombers are visible, flying low through anti-aircraft shell bursts near the destroyer in the center. Collection of Admiral Richmond K. Turner, USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 455 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 97751 Guadalcanal-Tulagi Operation, August 1942 Ships maneuvering during the Japanese torpedo plane attack on the Tulagi invasion force, 8 August 1942. Several Japanese Navy Type 1 land attack planes ("Betty") are faintly visible at left, center and right, among the anti-aircraft shell bursts. Destroyer in the foreground appears to be USS Bagley (DD-386) or USS Helm (DD-388). A New Orleans class heavy cruiser is in the left distance, with a large splash beside it. Column of smoke in the left center is probably from a crashed plane. The original photograph came from Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's World War II history project working files. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 560 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 97752 Guadalcanal-Tulagi Operation, August 1942 Ships maneuvering during the Japanese torpedo plane attack on the Tulagi invasion force, 8 August 1942. Several Japanese Navy Type 1 land attack planes ("Betty") are faintly visible in the center and at right. The ship in the left center appears to be USS San Juan (CL-54). Other ships present include two destroyers, a fast transport and a heavy cruiser, with the latter very distant at the right. The original photograph came from Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's World War II history project working files. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 560 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 97753 Guadalcanal-Tulagi Operation, August 1942 Japanese Navy Type 1 land attack planes ("Betty") make a torpedo attack on the Tulagi invasion force, 8 August 1942. The ship faintly visible in the center is HMAS Hobart. Guadalcanal is in the distance. The original photograph came from Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's World War II history project working files. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 550 pixels |
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For more pictures related to these Japanese air attacks,
see:
For other views related to the initial phase of the Guadalcanal
Campaign, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 27 January 2002