Photo #: NH 100386
Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943
USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation
at time 0100 ½, just before opening fire.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope,
with other U.S. ships ahead, steaming SSW. The large white patch
at left is Kolombangara and that at right is New Georgia. The
large spot just off the Kolombangara shore is the Japanese destroyers
Minegumo and Murasame, both of which were sunk
in this action.
Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action
Report, 1985
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 71KB; 615 x 765 pixels |
![](../../images/i00000/i00386t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 100387
Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943
USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation
at time 0105 ¾, as the U.S. force was firing on Japanese
destroyers Minegumo and Murasame.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope,
with other U.S. ships steaming SSW ahead of her. The large white
patch at left is Kolombangara, with the two Japanese ships showing
as spots just offshore. Murasame, dead in the water, is
the smaller spot. Minegumo's movement makes her spot appear
larger. The large white patch at right is New Georgia.
Both Japanese destroyers were sunk in this engagement.
Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action
Report, 1985
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 50KB; 600 x 725 pixels |
![](../../images/i00000/i00387t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 100388
Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943
USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation
at time 0110, with the Japanese destroyer Murasame stopped
and sinking. Her companion, Minegumo, has been hit but
is still underway to the north of her.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope,
with other U.S. ships ahead of her, steaming SSW. Kolombangara
is the large white patch on the left, with the two Japanese ships
showing as small spots just offshore. New Georgia is the large
white patch on the right.
Both Japanese destroyers were sunk in this engagement.
Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action
Report, 1985
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 52KB; 595 x 725 pixels |
![](../../images/i00000/i00388t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 100389
Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943
USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation
at time 0117, as the U.S. force begins to turn north after firing
on the Japanese destroyers Murasame and Minegumo.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope,
with USS Cleveland (CL-55) and USS Montpelier (CL-57)
ahead of her, still heading SSW. USS Conway (DD-507) and
USS Waller (DD-466) are further ahead, starting to turn
north. Kolombangara is the large white patch at left, with one
of the Japanese ships showing as a faint spot offshore in the
upper left center. Arundel Island is in the lower left and New
Georgia is on the right.
Both Japanese destroyers were sunk in this engagement.
Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action
Report, 1985
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 53KB; 600 x 725 pixels |
![](../../images/i00000/i00389t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 100390
Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943
USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation
at time 0125, as the U.S. force completed its turn to the north
while bombarding Vila. The Japanese destroyer Murasame
has sunk and Minegumo is sinking. She is the small spot
at the top of the scope.
Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope,
with other the U.S. ships steaming in column ahead of her. Kolombangara
is the large white patch at left, with Vila at its south end.
Arundel Island is in the lower left, and New Georgia is at right.
Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action
Report, 1985
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 64KB; 600 x 725 pixels |
![](../../images/i00000/i00390t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 100391
Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943
USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation
at time 0138, shortly before the U.S. force ceased its bombardment
of Vila.
Denver is the bright spot in the scope center, with other
the U.S. ships steaming north, ahead of her. The large white
patch at left is Kolombangara, with Vila at its southern end.
Very faint patches offshore, to the west of the U.S. ships, are
the wreckage of Japanese destroyers Murasame and Minegumo,
sunk earlier in the action. At the lower left is Arundel Island.
New Georgia is in the lower right.
Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action
Report, 1985
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 60KB; 600 x 725 pixels |
![](../../images/i00000/i00391t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 100392
Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943
USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation
at time 0145, as the U.S. force retired from Kula Gulf after
shelling Vila and sinking the Japanese destroyers Murasame
and Minegumo.
Denver is the bright spot in the scope center, with other
the U.S. ships steaming to NNE ahead of her. Kolombangara Island
is the large white patch on the left left, with Vila at its southern
end. New Georgia is on the right. The spot above the main U.S.
column is probably USS Waller (DD-466), steaming to the
north.
Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action
Report, 1985
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 56KB; 600 x 725 pixels |
![](../../images/i00000/i00392t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 78967
Navy Unit Commendation letter
Signed by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, circa 1944.
It commends Cruiser Division Twelve and the crews of the division's
cruisers -- USS Cleveland (CL-55), USS Columbia
(CL-56), USS Montpelier (CL-57) and USS Denver
(CL-58) -- for their performance in the Battle of Empress Augusta
Bay, on 2 November 1943.
Courtesy of John R. Henry, 1973.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 111KB; 530 x 765 pixels |
![](../../images/h78000/h78967t.jpg) |