Battle of Cape Esperance
Off Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
What happened
A US Navy force under Rear Admiral Norman Scott fought a Japanese cruiser force under Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō. During the Guadalcanal campaign, Japanese ships sailed at night to bombard the US airfield on the island. Scott's ships, using new surface radar, detected them at long range and took them by surprise. The Japanese lost a cruiser and a destroyer and turned back, while one US destroyer was sunk.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the US Navy's first major attempt to win control of the waters around Guadalcanal at night. It lifted US morale after the defeat at Savo Island, though neither side won lasting control.
What came next
Japanese battleships bombarded Henderson Field two nights later, and the fight for Guadalcanal went on for months.
Did you know?
The cruiser USS Boise was badly damaged and repaired in Philadelphia; after the war she was sold to Argentina and renamed ARA Nueve de Julio.
Timeline
- 3 December 1936USS Boise is launched.
- 11-12 October 1942The Battle of Cape Esperance.
- 13-14 October 1942Japanese battleships bombard Henderson Field.
- 11 January 1951Boise is sold to Argentina.