Location
Tassafaronga Point is located on the north coast of Guadalcanal bordering Iron Bottom Sound. Also spelled "Tasivaronga". Areveu village is located at Tassafaronga Point. Located near Bunani Point and Ruaniu between Cape Esperence to the northwest and Point Cruz to the southeast.

Wartime History
On August 17, 1942 Japanese destroyers Oite, Uzuki, Mochizuki and Mutsuki landed 200 soldiers from the 5th Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) at Tassafaronga Point as a diversionary landing 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 Hyakutake's planned offensive four days later.

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.

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019