During September and October, both the Japanese and the American
forces on and around Guadalcanal had escalated the fighting in an
almost piece-meal fashion, with reinforcements pouring in on both
sides. The stakes became improbably high for this remote island and it
became a national test of willpower. US military planners were
determined to keep the supply lines open with Australia while the
Japanese were just as determined to cut them.
There had been many smaller naval clashes in the Solomon Islands
areabut in late October, the Japanese decided to launch a major
offensive. Their tactical goals wereto gain control of Henderson
airfield on Guadalcanal, eliminate the 10,000 American troops on the
island and destroy all allied warships in the Solomons area. On
October 11, a massive naval force left Truk to provide cover for the
invasion forces with four aircraft carriers, four battleships, ten
cruisers, and 30 destroyers.
Unfortunately for them, VADM "Bull" Halsey had just been given command
of the US South Pacific Force. On October 24, Enterprise (CV-6) and
South Dakota (BB- 57) arrived from Pearl Harbor along with their
escorts, in effect doubling the firepower of the US Navy in the area.
The US now had two aircraft carriers, one battleship, six cruisers,
and fourteen destroyers in their strike team – the odds were only 2 to
1 against them, which was not bad by 1942 standards. Halsey
immediately ordered this force to move north of the Santa Cruz Islands
to intercept the IJN fleet and keep them from supporting the invasion
force.
At dawn on October 26, Enterprise launched a search group of 16
SBDdive bombers with 500lb bombs. They made first contact and
scoredtwo bomb hits on the carrier Zuiho ,knocking her out of the
battle. However, she and two other IJN carriers had already launched a
sixty-five plane strike against the US ships. By 9:30am, Hornet had
launched two strike groups with a total of fifty-four aircraft. The
opposing air groups passed each other in the air.
Hornet's dive bombers fought their way through a determined
Japanesefighter defense and planted six 1,000lb bombs on the Shokaku ,
taking her out of further combat action. A second wave found the
cruiser Chikuma and inflicted sufficient damage from two hits to
remove her from the battle as well.
By this time, however, Hornet's luck had run out. The Enterprise task
group had steamed into a small rain squall and was not observed by the
incoming Japaneseair groups. All their fury was concentrated on Hornet
. At 10:12am, the "Val" dive bombers opened up the assault. Captain
Mason kept her moving at high speed, twisting and turning to dodge the
rain of bombs falling outof the sky. One scored a hit on theaft end of
Hornet's flight deck.
Then the flight leader from Shokaku , whose plane had been fatally hit
by anti-aircraft fire, intentionally crashed his aircraft into
Hornet's island superstructure. This destroyed the signal bridge and
rained live ordnance and flaming debris onto, and through, the
flightdeck below. As the last group of the bombers dove down, the
torpedo aircraft closed in from multiple directions. Two torpedoes
struck her hull on the starboard side, three more bombs exploded
atvarious levels within the ship, and a burning "Kate" torpedo
aircraft made a suicide crash into the forward hull on the port side.
Within ten minutes, Hornet had been substantially damaged from a
frenzied air attack that came from all quarters. Scores of sailors had
been killed or wounded, many fires were raging, there was no
electrical power and she was dead in the water.
Pilot of a Japanese dive bomber about to crash his "Val" into Hornet's
signal bridge.
Several of her escort destroyers, notable the USS Mustin , USS Russell
and USS Morris pulled alongside to render assistance. Many of Hornet's
injured (75) and non-essential (800) personnel were evacuated directly
onto theseships or into rafts in the sea. Braving horrific odds, the
damage control parties gained the upper hand, putting out many of the
fires, reducing the ship's list and getting back some of her
propulsion. Hornet was taken in tow by the USS Northampton but hadn't
gone far before coming under a new air attack. At 4:30pm,another
torpedo hit her starboard side and two more bombs blasted the flight
deck. She was again dead in the water and key engineering compartments
were now flooded. It was clear the Japanese had no plans to let Hornet
escape.
With Hornet dead in the water, the cruiser Northampton prepares to
take her under tow.
By 5:30pm, Hornet was completely abandoned. Not wanting her to fall
into the hands of the approaching IJN surface fleet, destroyers Mustin
and Anderson were tasked with sinking her. Allow CV-8 a WAR MONUMENT
--
President of The United States
Guy Ralph Perea Sr President of The United States
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