The Battle of Savo Island August 9th, 1942
Strategical and Tactical Analysis.
Part I

Prepared by Department of Analysis, Naval War College
Commodore Richard W. Bates, USN (Ret)
Commander Walter D. Innis, USN
1950


Table of Contents

Foreword i-ii
Table of Contents iii-xxii
Zone Time xxiii
Principal Commanders xxiv-xxv
Introduction xxvi
Brief Narrative of the Battle of Savo Island xxvii-xxx
Chapter I The Strategic Area 1-4
(a) General Discussion 1-3
(b) Tulagi-Guadalcanal Area 3
(c) Weather 4
Chapter II Japanese Arrangements 5-14
(a) Japanese Command Relations 5-6
(b) Information Available to Japanese Commanders 7-8
(c) Japanese Land and Tender Based Aircraft 8-10
(d) Japanese Search and Reconnaissance 10-11
(e) Japanese Disposition of Naval Forces 11-13
  (a) Disposition at 0652 August 7th 12
  (1) Support Force and Chokai 12
  (2) Escort Force 12
  (3) Auxiliaries 25th Air Flotilla 12
  (4) Submarines 12
(f) Japanese Tasks Assigned 13-14
(g) Japanese General Concept 14
Chapter III Allied Arrangements 15-42
(a) Allied Command Relations 15-19
Tasks CINCPOA 15
Tasks COMSOPAC 15
Tasks COMSOWESPAC 16
Adminnal Nimitz Becomes CINCPOA 16
Vice Admiral Ghormley Becomes COMSOPAC and COMSOPACFOR 16
General MacArthur Becomes COMSOWESPAC 16
Command Relations Beteween Australian and American Naval Officers 17
Joint Chiefs of Staff Assign New Missions--Task ONE to COMSOPAC 17
COMSOPACFOR is Designated as Task Force Commander for Task ONE 17
COMSOPACFOR Issues Operation Plan 18
Commander Expeditionary Force (CTF 61) Issues Operation Plan 19
(b) Information Available to Allied Commander 19-21
(c) Allied Land and Tender Based Aircraft 21-25
  (1) South Pacific (SOPAC) 21-23
  (2) Southwest Pacific (SOWESPAC) 23-25
(d) Allied Search and Reconnaissance 26-31
  (1) South Pacific (SOPAC) 25-27
  (2) South Pacific 27-31
(e) Communications Arrangements Between COMSOPAC and COMSOWESPAC 31-32
(f) Allied Deployment of Naval Forces 32-37
  (1) Approach to Guadalcanal-Tulagi Area 32-34
  (2) CTG 61.1 Operates his Carriers 34-35
  (3) Approach TG 61.2 (TF 62) (Amphibious Force) 35
  (4) Deployment of SOWESPAC Submarines 35-36
  (a) Deployment of S-44 35-36
  (b) Deployment of S-38 36
  (5) Deployment of Allied Forces at 0652 August 7th 36-37
  (a) TG 61.1 Air Support Force 36
  (b) TG 61.2 (TF 62) (Amphibious Force) 36-37
  (c) Submarines 37
(g) Composition of Forces and Tasks Assigned 37-40
  (1) Composition of Forces 37-38
  (a) TG 61.1 (Air Support Force) 37
  (b) TG 61.2 (TF 62) (Amphibious Force) 37-38
  (2) Tasks Assigned 38-40
  (a) TF 61 (Allied Expeditionary Force) 38
  (b) TG 61.1 (Air Support Force) 39
  (c) TG 61.2 (TF 62) (Amphibious Force) 39
(h) The Allied Plan 40-42
(i) General Summary 42
Chapter IV Japanese Reaction, 0652 August 7th
Chapter V Allied Operations (0652-2400 August 7th)
Chapter VI Japanese Reaction (0000 August 8th to 2400 August 8th)
Chapter VII Allied Operations (0000 August 8th to 2400 August 8th)
Chapter VIII Means Available and Opposed
Chapter IX Operations of Japanese Cruiser Force (0000 August 9th to 0132 August 9th)
Chapter X Operations of Allied Screening Groups (0000 August 9th to 0132 August 9th)
Chapter XI Operations of Japanese Cruiser Force (0132 August 9th to 0150 August 9th)
Chapter XII Operations of Allied Screening Group (0132 August 9th to 0150 August 9th)
Chapter XIII Operations of Japanese Cruiser Force
Chapter XIV Allied Operations (0150 August 9th to 0200 August 9th)
Chapter XV Operations of Japanese Cruiser Force (0200 August 9th to 0220 August 9th)
Chapter XVI Operations of Allied Screening Group
Chapter XVII Operations of Japanese Cruiser Force (0220 August 9th to 2400 August 9th)
Chapter XVIII Operations of Other Japanese Forces
Chapter XIX Operations of Allied Screening Group (0220 August 9th to 2400 August 9th)
Chapter XX Operations of Allied Forces (0000 August 9th to 2400 August 9th)
Chapter XXI Epilogue
Chapter XXII The Effects of the Battle
Chapter XXIII Battle Lessons


Tables, Plates and Diagrams

Tables   Page
1 Dispositions of Usable Japanese Shore and Tender-Based Aircraft as of 2400 August 6th, 1942 9
2 Disposition of Allied Shore and Tender-Based Aircraft as of 2400 August 6th, 1942 22
3 Disposition of Allied Shore and Tender-Based Aircraft as of 2400 August 7th, 1942 70
4 Disposition of Allied Shore and Tender-Based Aircraft as of 2400 August 8th, 1942 100
Plates   Page
I Japanese Command Relations, August 8th 6
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
Diagrams   Follows
"A" Strategic Area Chart 377
"B"
"C"
"D"
"E"
"F"
"G"
"H"
"I"
"J"
"K"


Compiled and formatted by Ellis Greenstein, for the HyperWar Foundation