August 21, 1942 - Friday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

 Task Force 17 was still proceeding south to join Task Force 61.  It had not yet reached the equator.

Operation Watchtower  .

Japanese destroyer transports made good on landing Colonel Ishiki with about 1000 of his troops on Guadalcanal.  They bypassed the Marine position at Lunga Point and were able to land east of there on the north side of the island.  The Marines soon detected the force; they ambushed a Japanese patrol, gained valuable intelligence, and awaited Ishiki's attack.  The Japanese thought there was only a small US presence, but were overwhelmed when they attacked near the Tenaru River, because the Marines had over 10,000 troops on the island.  Ishiki's force was wiped out, and he took his own life at the end of the battle.  The Japanese were undeterred; they immediately made plans to send a new force, accompanied by a large naval force of carriers and battleships.

The Marines also were supplied with fighters and bombers on August 20th.  Planes arriving were welcomed, but generally had short lifetimes due to the constant warfare on and over the island.  Resupply of aircraft was needed often.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was in transit the South Pacific..
  
• Combined Task Force 61 was patrolling in the Coral Sea.  The damage to the carriers was being assessed in preparation for returning one or more of them to Hawaii or the west coast for repairs.  Hornet would join soon as a replacement for carriers returned for repair.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) -> TF 61
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) -> TF 61

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 241-242.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 89-97.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 1-69.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 44-113.
  

 

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