Pacific Wrecks
Pacific Wrecks    
  Missing In Action (MIA) Prisoners Of War (POW) Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)  
Chronology Locations Aircraft Ships Submit Info How You Can Help Donate
 
    Tassafaronga Point (Tasivaronga) Guadalcanal | Guadalcanal Province Solomon Islands


U.S. Army 1942

Click For Enlargement

USMC c1944


STAG-1
July 30, 1944
Location
Tassafaronga Point with Areveu village is located on the north coast of Guadalcanal. Borders Iron Bottom Sound. Spelled "Tasivaronga" in the Guadalcanal language. To the northwest is the mouth of the Umasani River and to the southeast is Bonegi. Borders Iron Bottom Sound to the north. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP). Today located in Guadalcanal Province in the Solomon Islands.

Wartime History
On August 17, 1942 Japanese destroyers Oite, Uzuki, Mochizuki and Mutsuki landed 200 soldiers from the 5th Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force (5th Sasebo SNLF) at Tassafaronga Point as a diversion to cover the landing of the "Ichiki Force" further to the east at Taivu Point.

Afterwards, Tassafaronga was developed into a base area to support the Japanese Army offensives on Guadalcanal. On October 17, 1942 two American destroyers bombard the area on although the damage was minor, it interrupted Lt. General Hyakutake plans for an offensive four days later against Bloody Ridge.

On November 30, 1942 the Battle of Tassafaronga occurred during the early morning hours, eight destroyers, six with troops and supplies were sent to reinforce Guadalcanal. The Japanese force was spotted on radar by U.S. Navy Task Force 67 (TF-67) but lost them due to proximity to the coast of Guadalcanal. Japanese destroyers launched their torpedoes an engaged them while the supplies were unloaded. The battle is considered a strategical victory for the Americans, as the resupply mission was prevented. But four heavy cruisers was their losses for the disruption of only one resupply mission, and thus, it must be judged that it was a defeat strategically as well. U.S. forces never again would manage to assemble surface opposition to Japanese runs to Guadalcanal. Sunk was the Takanami. Damaged was the USS Minneapolis (CA-36), USS New Orleans (CA-32).

Japanese Hospital
To the south is Hill 125 and Hill 126. To their south is a deep ravine, this was the location of a Japanese Army field hospital. In early January 1943 the U.S. Army 147th Infantry Regiment overran it, and killed everyone including roughly 75 survivors from the Kinugawa Maru.

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
November 7, 2023

 

Map
Map
Nov 30, 1942
  Discussion Forum Daily Updates Reviews Museums Interviews & Oral Histories  
 
Pacific Wrecks Inc. All rights reserved.
Donate Now Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram