The Battle of the Eastern Solomons, oil, by John Hamilton. If the American naval forces and in particular the carriers could be destroyed, then Guadalcanal would fall. At the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, Japanese aircraft tr4ied to sink USS Enterprise, seen here with her escort of cruisers and destroyers.
NAVAL
HISTORICAL
CENTER
DEPARTMENT
OF THE
NAVY
WASHINGTON
1994
Contents
Introduction 1 Disposition of our forces 2 Task Force FOX 3 Task Force KING 3 Events of the 23rd 4 Events of the 24th 5 Air search and patrol 6 The Saratoga Attack Group 8 Guadalcanal attacked 10 The Second Attack Group 11 Air Combat Patrol 13 Air attack on the Enterprise force 16 The retirement 21 Guadalcanal bombarded 22 Events of the 25th 22 Summary of results 23 Conclusions 24 Appendix I: Victories credited to fighter pilots defending the fleet, 24 August 29 Appendix II: Designations of United States naval ships and aircraft 30
The Battle of the Eastern Solomons
23-25 August 1942
Enterprise and screen maneuvering during attack.
Japanese dive bomber crashes off starboard bow of Enterprise.
The Battle of the Eastern Solomons
August 23-25, 1942A period of relative inactivity followed our successful occupation of the lower Solomons on 7-8 August and our severe losses in the night action off Savo Island on the 9th. Introduction
Enterprise after second bomb hit (taken from Portland.)
The battle above the Enterprise; enemy dive bomber exploding in mid-air.
Second hit on Enterprise.
Third hit on Enterprise.
Fighting fire resulting from second hDamage from hit visible in foreground.
APPENDIX I
Victories Credited to Fighter Pilots Defending the Fleet, 24 August
Pilot Plane Type Number Fighting Squadron SIX Lieut. Louis H. Bauer Aichi type 9 VBM 1 Fighting Squadron FIVE Lieut. Hayden M. Kensen Aichi type 99 VB 3
APPENDIX II
Symbols of U.S. Navy Ships
APPENDIX III
Designations of U.S. Naval Aircraft
[1] Footnotes
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