The Battle of the Eastern Solomons was fought August 23–25, 1942 in the waters east and northeast of the Solomon Islands by forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet and the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. The battle resulted from a major effort by the Japanese to reinforce their troop strength on the island of Guadalcanal. The Japanese high command had realized this reinforcement was necessary following the annihilation of the Ichiki Detachment by the 1st Marines a few days earlier.
The battle can be counted both a tactical and strategic American victory: greater ship losses were inflicted on the Japanese, and the transports were turned back from their mission of landing reinforcements.
Forces deployed
Japanese forces
Combat ships: 2 fleet carriers, 1 light carrier, 3 old battleships, 13 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 30 destroyers, 2 1st-class submarines, 1 2nd-class submarine Aircraft: 69 fighters, 41 dive bombers, 57 torpedo bombers
American forces
Combat ships: 3 fleet carriers, 1 fast battleship, 5 heavy cruisers, 2 anti-aircraft light cruisers, 18 destroyers Aircraft: 100 fighters, 54 dive bombers, 54 scout bombers, 45 torpedo bombers
Ship losses
IJN : 1 light carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 1st-class submarine
USN : none
Japanese order of battle
Guadalcanal Supporting Forces
Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo in heavy cruiser Atago
Advanced Force
Vice Admiral Kondo
Main Body
Cruiser Division 4
3 heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): , , Cruiser Division 5 (Vice Adm. Takeo Takagi) 2 heavy cruisers (10 × 8-in. main battery): , Destroyer Squadron 4 (Rear Adm. Tamotsu Takama): 1 light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): 2 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): , 3 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): , ,
Support Group
1 battleship (8 × 16-in. main battery): 3 destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): , ,
Striking Force
Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo in fleet carrier Shokaku
Carrier Group
Vice Admiral Nagumo
2 fleet carriers
(Capt. Masafumi Arima) 27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Hideki Shingo) 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Cdr. Mamoru Seki) 18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Cdr. Shigeharu Murata) (Capt. Tameteru Notomo) 27 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Ayao Shirane) 27 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers (Lt. Sadamu Takahashi) 18 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Shigeichirō Imajuku) Screen 1 (6 × 5-in. main battery): 3 (6 × 5-in. main battery): , , 2 (6 × 5-in. main battery): ,
Vanguard Group
Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe
Battleships
2 fast battleships (8 × 14-in. main battery): , Cruiser Division 7 (Rear Adm. Shoji Nishimura) 2 (10 × 8-in. main battery): , 1 (8 × 8-in. main battery): Destroyer Squadron 10 (Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura) 1 light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery): 1 destroyer (8 × 4-in. main battery): 5 destroyer (6 × 5-in. main battery): , , , ,
Diversionary Group
Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara in heavy cruiser Tone
1 light carrier: Ryujo (Capt. Tadao Katō) (sunk) 24 Mitsubishi A6M "Zeke" fighters (Lt. Kenjirō Nōtomi) 9 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers (Lt. Binichi Murakami) 1 heavy cruiser (8 × 8-in. main battery): Tone 2 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): ,
Southeast Area Forces
Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara
Outer South Seas Force
Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
Reinforcement Group
Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka
Transport Unit
1 auxiliary cruiser: Kinryu Maru
Embarking 800 men of the 5th Yokosuka SNLF
4 patrol boats: No. 1, No. 2, No. 34, No. 35
Embarking 700 men of the 2nd echelon of the IJA Ichiki Detachment
Escort Unit
1 light cruiser (7 × 5.5-in. main battery, 1 scout plane): 2 destroyers (6 × 5-in. main battery): , 3 destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): , , 3 destroyers (4 × 4.7-in. main battery): (sunk), ,
Covering Group
Vice Admiral Mikawa
1 heavy cruiser: Cruiser Division 6 (Rear Adm. Aritomo Gotō) 2 heavy cruisers (6 × 8-in. main battery): , 1 heavy cruiser (6 × 8-in. main battery):
Submarine Group
2 1st-class submarines: , (sunk) 1 2nd-class submarine: