Guadalcanal 72 Years On

[kham]

Final tally at least 18 Betty, 2 Zero lost; 25th Air Flotilla essentially wiped out

[kham]

~1300 Aug 8 Fletcher declares that losing 20% of his F4Fs in 2 days of air combat, will withdraw the covering force *tonight. BEFORE seeking permission from Adm Ghormley. This is 1 full day ahead of the planned pullout

[kham]

Marines have captured incomplete airfield; discover huge stockpile of supplies and 100 trucks and an electrical power station


Japanese resistance on Tulagi wiped out; Marine casualties 36 KIA, 54 WIA

USS Jarvis at Tulagi wharf; attempts emergency repairs, unsuccessful. Will have to make for Australia
Her radio is out; does not get word she is to wait for escort. Limps away on own at maybe 5 knots

[kham]

From IJN sources:

roughly 1630 local time, redacted

[kham]

Marines on Gavutu and Tulagi report, Japanese there attempted surrender numerous times, only to get close enough to use grenade or pistol

Word spreads quickly; Marines take few prisoners from this point on

[kham]

~1450 local time:

Adm Turner calls Adm Crutchfield (screen force commander) for a meeting to discuss situation about CV withdrawl

Adm Crutchfield does not tell his 2nd in command he will be in charge while he is away

He also does not tell him he will be away; goes on his flagship, CA Australia, taking her away from the Southern Force

~1800 Fletcher's Carriers are out of range of Guadalcanal

Submarine S-38 spots enemy convoy near Cape George, New Britain; engages and sinks SS Meiyo Maru, 373 lost

[kham]

Adm Turner learns the Transports near Tulagi have hardly unloaded anything


~1900 Adm Mikawa : "Let us strike in certain victory in the traditional night attack of the Imperial Navy. Let each man do his best"

~2100 Mikawa launches 2 floatplanes, to drop flares; when they get to Guadalcanal the burning Elliot makes a good beacon

Turner and Crutchfield have their meeting:

[kham]

~2115 USS Ralph Talbot, Northern Radar Picket, detects an incoming IJN Floatplane

Sends warning message to Adm Turner but does not get through (static)

When other US ships hear the planes they assume they're American since they got no warning message. CA Vincennes DID hear the message

[kham]

~2130-2145 Mikawa's floatplanes orbit over the ships in Sealark Channel. They are waiting to drop flares when the fight starts

Since Adm Turner has no Radio-Intercept Unit, there is no way to intercept Mikawa's radio transmissions

USS Vincennes hears floatplanes and based on Ralph Talbot's message assume they are Japanese. They are more wary than most other allied ships tonight

[kham]

Tactical situation - Order of Battle