Pacific Wrecks

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Chronology

Savo Island Central Province Solomon Islands

David Paulley 1982

Peter Flahavin 2004

Location
Lat 9° 7' 60S Long 159° 49' 0E Savo Island is a circular shaped volcanic island in Iron Bottom Sound between Guadalcanal to the south and Florida Island (Nggela Sule, Big Gela) to the northeast and Tulagi Island to the east. From the north coast of Guadalcanal, Savo Island is visible from nearly every point and has the appearance of the profile of a person lying down.

Wartime History
Although no fighting occurred on Savo Island, the surrounding area was the focal point of many Naval battles of the Guadalcanal campaign including: Battle of Savo Island (August 9, 1942), Battle of Cape Esperance (October 11–12, 1942) Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (November 13, 1942), Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (November 14-15, 1942), Battle of Tassafaronga (November 30, 1942) and Operation Ke (February 1943). After the battles, oil and debris washed ashore. During 1943 after the Guadalcanal campaign, the Americans built anti-aircraft emplacements in bunkers on Savo Island.

HMAS Canberra (D33)
Scuttled on August 9, 1942 after the Battle of Savo Island

USS Quincy (CA-39)
Sunk during the Battle of Savo Island August 9, 1942

USS Astoria (CA-34)
Sunk during the Battle of Savo Island August 9, 1942

USS Vincennes (CA-44)
Sunk during the Battle of Savo Island August 9, 1942

SOC-1 Seagull Bureau Number 9911
Pilot Brackett crashed January 14, 1943

Makigumo
Damaged by mine February 1, 1942 and scuttled south-southwest of Savo Island

Takanami
Sunk December 1, 1942 during the Battle of Tassafaronga

USS De Haven (DD-469)
Sunk February 1, 1943 by Japanese D3A Val dive bombers during Operation KE

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Last Updated
October 17, 2018

Map
Iron Bottom Sound

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