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| Location The Battle of Rennell Island occurred January 29, 1943–January 30, 1943 off Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands. The battle was between U.S. Navy (USN) warships against Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) bombers and was the last major Naval engagement of the Guadalcanal Campaign. Wartime History On January 29, 1943 a reconnaissance J1N1 Irving spotted a large U.S. Navy (USN) flotilla off Rennell Island. In response, Japanese Navy bombers at Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul were readied for an evening torpedo strike. The Japanese force that took off included sixteen G4M1 Betty bombers from 705 Kōkūtai (705 Air Group) led by Lt-Commander Nakamura. Followed by fifteen G3M2 Nells from 701 Kōkūtai (701 Air Group) led by Lt-Commander Joji Higai to strike the warships. At the start of the Battle of Rennel Island, the Japanese bombers flew southward at medium altitude flying in fair weather. Being slightly faster and ahead of the Nells, the Bettys were first to arrive on the scene. With sunset to their right, Nakamura led his Bettys around in a wide sweep to approach the U.S. ships from the south, thus silhouetting the warships as targets against the horizon, while the Bettys remained hidden against a dark and obscure horizon and attacked at 7:19pm. Their torpedoes narrowly missed heavy cruiser USS Louisville. G4M1 Betty piloted by Bunzaburo Imamura was shot down and crashed astern of USS Chicago (CA-29). The attack did however take Rear Admiral Robert Giffen's Task Force 18 (TF-18) by surprise, although no hits were achieved. In a textbook night attack, Nakamura gathered his spent Bettys and turned northwest back to Vunakanau. The lack of results was as much bad luck as other factors. When the Nells approached, a J1N1 Irving dropped a string of parachute flares before 7:40pm. The G3M2 Nells from 701 Kokutai (701 Air Group) made their torpedo attack and scored two torpedo hits on the starboard side of USS Chicago (CA-29), while others torpedoes failed to detonate after hitting USS Louisville and USS Wichita. During the attack, C. O. Lt-Commander Higai was shot down into the sea. Another Nell was damaged and returned on one engine but was unable to reach Rabaul and ditched. On January 30, 1943 in the morning USS Chicago (CA-29) was being towed at a speed of three and a half knots. Rabaul high command decided that the 751 Kokutai, temporarily based at Buka, possessed insufficient skill to launch night attacks, and so resigned to heavy casualties in a daylight raid, eleven G4M1 Bettys from 751 Kōkūtai (751 Air Group) led by Nishioka took off from Buka Airfield in the afternoon to locate Chicago. The Japanese found Chicago under tow north of Rennell Island. Lurking Grumman F4F Wildcats from VF-10 intercepted aggressively as the attack to began at 4:10pm. Two Bettys fell to the Wildcats before torpedo launch, whilst another caught fire, dropped back, then crashed. However it managed to loose a torpedo against destroyer USS La Vallette prior to hitting the water. Four torpedoes struck the damaged starboard side of USS Chicago at 1624 hours, and she sank stern-first about seventeen minutes later. The Bettys withdrew quickly, but two more were shot down by F4F Wildcats. Of the four surviving Bettys, three returned on one engine. Lost was F4F Wildcat 11758. One Betty force landed at Munda Airfield, while three others landed at Ballale Airfield. Ironically, the January 29, 1943 night attack constituted the last attack by G3M2 Nells from 701 Kokutai (701 Air Group). Due to heavy losses, the group was disbanded March 15, 1943. Outcome The Battle of Rennell Island, results in the loss of one U.S. cruiser and damage to a destroyer but succeedes in diverting Japanese intentions from the transports off Lunga Point and allowed vital American reinforcements to enter the final phase of the battle to drive the Japanese from Guadalcanal. Only four days after the Nells had lost their Commanding Officer in the Battle of Rennell Island, the Commanding Officer of 705 Kokutai, Lt. Commander Mihara was killed in a mid-air collision in poor weather with another Betty during a similar mission. At total of six Bettys were lost. One crewmen was rescued by a Japanese warship after having floated in the Solomons Sea for days. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) H-015-2: Guadalcanal Campaign—Battle of Rennell Island and Operation Ke Contribute
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