Composition and
Disposition of Task Group 67.4 - Naval
Battle of Guadalcana
CTG Rear Admiral Daniel
J. Callaghan
USS Cushing (DD-376); Commander Thomas M.
Stokes, COMDESDIV 15 ; Lt Commander Edward
Parker, CO - Heavly damaged, sank 1400; 71
killed, 67 wounded; Presidential Unit
Citation.
USS Laffey (DD-459); Lt. Commander
William E. Hank, CO (KIA) - Blew up and sank
0330; had dueled with IJN BB Hiei at a range
of 75 feet, 56 killed, 109 wounded:
Presidential Unit Citation.
USS Sterett (DD 407); Commander Jessy
Coward, CO - damaged, 26 killed, 18 wounded,
Presidential Unit Citation.
USS O'Bannon (DD-450); Commander Edwin
Wilkinson, CO; underwater damage when Laffey
exploded; no casualties, survived the war
with 17 Battle Stars and Presitential Unit
Citation.
USS Atlanta (CL-51); Flagship Rear
Admiral Norman Scott (KIA), Captian Samuel
B. Jenkins, CO, Commander Campbell D. Emory,
XO - Severly damaged, torpedoed by IJN DD
Akatsuki after firing the initial rounds of
the battle at her which played a significant
part in her destruction, 172 killed , 79
wounded, towed to Lunga Point and
scuttled1800; Presidential Unit Citation.
USS San Francisco (CA-38); Flagship TF
67.4, Rear Admiral Dan Callaghan (KIA),
Captain Cassin Young (KIA), CO; Commander
Mark H. Crouter, XO - Heavily damaged by IJN
BB Kirishima, 115 killed, 150 wounded;
Presidential Unit Citation.
USS Portland (CA-33); Captain Lawarence T
BuBose, CO - torpedoed starbord side in the
stern - rudder and screws damaged, 16 killer
and 2 wounded, the following morning, while
steaming in a circle due to rudder damage
she fired 3 8" salvos and sank the Japanese
Destroyer Yudachi with the third one (my
father was an eye witness to this event as
were most survivors and was a cause for much
cheer); was towed to Tulagi by the USS
Bobloink (ATA 131); Presidential Unit
Citation.
USS Helena (CL- 50); Captain Gilbert C.
Hoover, CO; minor damage, 1 killed , 9
wounded; excellent SG surface search radar
but placed 8th in line and not chosen as
Flagship (San
Francisco had older less accurate
radar which was not relyed on), first ship
to make radar contact but was not given
permission to fire; First ship awarded Navy
Unit Commendation Ribbon. Note that the ship
was torpedoed at
Pearl Harbor and was the Flagship of
Admiral Scott in the US victory at the night
surface engagement off Cape Esperence the
previous month, was finally sunk in the
night surface engagement in Kula Gulf when
hit by 3 24'"Long Lance" torpedo's, one
severed the bow while 2 hit amidship
breaking the keel and splitting her in two!
Was also the first ship to down an enemy
aircraft with a proximity fused 5"/38 round
in January 1943.
USS Juneau (CL-52); Captain Layman K.
Swenson, CO - torpedoed in the port forward
fire room, breaking the keel.
Juneau was again torpedoed at 1100 by
IJN I-26 while retiring, igniting the
magazine, causing the ship to blow up, with
the loss of most of the crew. Approximately
100 to 140 survived the initial sinking,
only 10 ultimately survived to be rescued.
USS Aaron Ward (DD-483); Captain Robert
G.Tobin COMDESRON 12; Commander Orville F.
Bregor, CO, Lt Commander F. Julian Becton,
XO, author of " The Ship That Would Not
Die", 15 killed, 57 wounded; damaged, towed
to Tulagi by Bobolink. Note that she was
subsequently sunk in an air attack on
Guadalcanal April 7th, 1943.
USS Barton (DD-599); Lt. Commander
Douglas H. Fox, CO; took 2 torpedoes
admidship, broke in two and sank
immediately, lost 90 percent of her officers
and crew!
USS Monssen (DD-436); Lt. Commander
Charles E. McCombs, CO, turned on
recognition lights, was riddled by 37 shell
hits, 110 killed, 33 wounded, sank at 1400.
USS Fletcher (DD-445); Commander William
M. Cole, CO; had one of the best radar sets
, SG surface search, but was poorly placed
at the rear of the column, no damage or
casualties, claimed torpedo hits on Hiei!
