Battle of Empress Augusta Bay

2025-04-15T21:15:45Z

2601:541:E81:C040:3C25:A971:FB6C:C07C:

{{Short description|1943 battle of World War II}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
| image = View forward from USS Columbia (CL-56) during Battle of Empress Augusta Bay 1943.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = View forward from the US light cruiser {{USS|Columbia|CL-56|2}} towards the US light cruiser {{USS|Cleveland|CL-55|2}} as both ships fire at Japanese warships during the battle
| partof = the [[Bougainville campaign|Bougainville Campaign]] of the [[Pacific War|Pacific Theater]] ([[World War II]])
| date = 1–2 November 1943
| place = [[Empress Augusta Bay]], [[Bougainville Province|Bougainville]], [[Territory of New Guinea]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|6|24|S|155|9|E|display=inline,title}}
| result = United States victory
| combatant1 = {{flag|United States|1912}}
| combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Aaron S. Merrill]] {{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Arleigh Burke]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Empire of Japan|naval}} [[Sentaro Omori]] {{flagicon|Empire of Japan|naval}} [[Matsuji Ijuin]]
| units1 = {{flagicon|United States|1912}} Task Force 39
| units2 = {{flagicon|Empire of Japan|naval}} Cruiser Division 5
| strength1 = 4 light cruisers 8 destroyers Land-based [[combat air patrol]]
| strength2 = 2 heavy cruisers 2 light cruisers 6 destroyers 100 aircraft
| casualties1 = 1 cruiser damaged 2 destroyers damaged 19 killed<ref name=Morison322>Morison 1958 p. 322.</ref>
| casualties2 = 1 light cruiser sunk 1 destroyer sunk 1 heavy cruiser damaged 1 light cruiser damaged 2 destroyers heavily damaged 25 aircraft shot down 198–658 killed<ref name=casualties>Dull 1978, p. 302; Hara 1968, p. 242; Morison 1958, p. 322.</ref><ref name=combinedfleet>{{cite web |last=Parshall |first=Jon |author2=Bob Hackett |author3=Sander Kingsepp |author4=Allyn Nevitt |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/kaigun.htm |title=Imperial Japanese Navy Page (Combinedfleet.com) |access-date=14 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613172444/http://www.combinedfleet.com/kaigun.htm |archive-date=13 June 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Sources differ on Japanese personnel losses in naval battle. Breakdown of deaths by ship and source: ''Sendai'' – 412 (Dull), 185 (Hackett and Kingsepp), 320 (Morison), and 335 (Hara); ''Hatsukaze'' – 9 (Dull) and 240 (Nevitt, Morison, and Hara); ''Shiratsuyu'' – 4 (Nevitt) and 5 (Hara); ''Samidare'' – 1 (Hara).<ref name=casualties/><ref name=combinedfleet/>|group=Note}}
| campaignbox =
{{Campaignbox Bougainville}}
{{Campaignbox Solomons}}
}}

The '''Battle of Empress Augusta Bay''', on 1–2 November 1943 – also known as the '''Battle of Gazelle Bay''', '''Operation Cherry Blossom''', and in Japanese sources as the '''Sea Battle off Bougainville Island''' (ブーゲンビル島沖海戦) – was a [[Naval warfare|naval battle]] fought at night in [[Empress Augusta Bay]] near [[Bougainville Island]]. The naval battle was a result of [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] [[landings at Cape Torokina]] in the first action in the [[Bougainville campaign]] of [[World War II]]. It may also be considered as part of the [[Solomon Islands campaign|Solomons]] and [[New Guinea campaign|New Guinea]] campaigns. The battle was significant as part of a broader Allied strategy—known as [[Operation Cartwheel]]—aimed at isolating and surrounding the major Japanese base at [[Rabaul]]. The intention was to establish a [[beachhead]] on Bougainville, within which an airfield would be built.

The naval battle took place at the end of the first day of the landings around Cape Torokina, as the Japanese sortied a large force from Rabaul in an effort to replicate the success they had achieved [[Battle of Savo Island|at Savo Island]] in August 1942, in response to Allied amphibious [[Guadalcanal campaign|landings in the eastern Solomon Islands]]. Ultimately, the covering force of US warships was able to turn back the Japanese force, and the landings around Cape Torokina were successful.

==Background==
On 1 November 1943, the [[3rd Marine Division]] [[Landings at Cape Torokina|landed at Cape Torokina]] in [[Empress Augusta Bay]] on [[Bougainville Island]].{{#tag:ref|Known as Gazere Wan, or Gazelle Bay, to the Japanese<ref name=Marsh/>|group=Note}} Following in the wake of Allied successes in the [[Solomon Islands campaign]], the landings were undertaken as part of an Allied plan to establish airbases in the region to project airpower towards the Japanese stronghold around [[Rabaul]],<ref name=NavalHistory>''Naval History'' 1995, p. 41.</ref> the reduction and isolation of which was a key part of [[Operation Cartwheel]].<ref>Miller 1959, pp. 222–225.</ref> The bay had been chosen because it was at the outer limit of Allied fighter plane range and because the numerically superior [[Seventeenth Army (Japan)|Japanese 17th Army]] was concentrated at other, more strategic sites in the north and the south.<ref>Rentz 1946, pp. 18, 24–25.</ref> The Marines were backed by Task Force 39, composed of cruisers and destroyers, commanded by [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear Admiral]] [[Aaron S. Merrill]]. Merrill's force was tasked with covering the vulnerable transports and minelayers from air attack and from attack from the sea.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 291–292; Marsh 2003, pp. 42–47.</ref>
[[File:Location of Bougainville.jpg|left|thumb|Location of Bougainville]]

The Japanese responded with air attacks and a powerful naval force from Rabaul commanded by Rear Admiral [[Sentaro Omori]], attempting to replicate the success they had achieved [[Battle of Savo Island|at Savo Island]] in August 1942, in response to Allied amphibious [[Guadalcanal campaign|landings in the eastern Solomon Islands]].<ref name=Morison305>Morison 1958, p. 305.</ref> The Japanese formation was hastily assembled from whatever ships were on hand, many of which had never trained or fought together before.<ref>Spence 2009, pp. 84–85.</ref> Omori's force consisted of the heavy cruisers {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Myōkō||2}} and {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Haguro||2}}, the light cruisers {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Agano||2}} and {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Sendai||2}}, and the destroyers {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Naganami||2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Hatsukaze||2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Wakatsuki||2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Shigure|1935|2}}, {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Samidare|1935|2}}, and {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Shiratsuyu|1935|2}}. These were organised into a cruiser division (Cruiser Division 5), which contained the two heavy cruisers, and two screens (left and right) with a light cruiser and three destroyers. The left screen was commanded by Rear Admiral [[Ijuin Matsuji]], while the right was under Rear Admiral [[Morikazu Osugi]]'s command.<ref name=Morision306>Morison 1958, p. 306.</ref> Initially, this force had included five [[destroyer transport]]s laden with troops for a counter-landing, but following several delays, the decision was made for the transports to return to Rabaul.<ref>Bowser 1947, p. 29.</ref> This force would later land around [[Battle of Koromokina Lagoon|Koromokina Lagoon on 7/8 November]].<ref>Shaw & Kane 1963, pp. 230–231.</ref>

Ranged against the Japanese force was Merrill's Task Force 39 (TF39). The heart of TF39 was Cruiser Division (CruDiv) 12 – {{USS|Montpelier|CL-57|6}}, {{USS|Cleveland|CL-55|2}}, {{USS|Columbia|CL-56|2}}, and {{USS|Denver|CL-58|2}}.<ref name=Morison308>Morison 1958, p. 308.</ref> These four {{sclass|Cleveland|cruiser|2}}s were officially categorized as light cruisers; however, they were nearly the size of the Japanese heavy cruisers and were armed with twelve radar-aimed [[6"/47 caliber Mark 16 gun|{{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|0}} rapid fire guns]].<ref>Marriott 2005, p. 135; Stille 2006, p. 9</ref> TF39 also included Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 23, which consisted of two destroyer divisions (DesDiv): DesDiv 45 – {{USS|Charles Ausburne|DD-570|6}}, {{USS|Dyson|DD-572|2}}, {{USS|Stanly|DD-478|2}}, {{USS|Claxton|DD-571|2}} and DesDiv 46 – {{USS|Spence|DD-512|2}}, {{USS|Thatcher|DD-514|2}}, {{USS|Converse|DD-509|2}}, {{USS|Foote|DD-511|2}}. Merrill had overall command of the force, as well as directly commanding CruDiv 12, while Captain [[Arleigh Burke]] commanded DesDiv 45 and Commander [[Bernard L. Austin|Bernard Austin]] was in command of DesDiv 46.<ref name=Morison308/>

==Battle==
[[File:Bougainville campaign 1945.jpg|upright|right|thumb|Map showing Empress Augusta Bay on the western coast of Bougainville]]
As the Japanese ships cruised towards Cape Torokina, the Americans were already in the process of withdrawing most of their landing craft and troop transports from around Cape Torokina, and assembling them to the southwest of Empress Augusta Bay. The 12 transports were ordered to depart around 18:00, while four cargo vessels, still only partially unloaded, remained.<ref>Morison 1958, p. 304.</ref> The US minelayers operating off Cape Moltke were also withdrawn.<ref name=Marsh>Marsh 2003, pp. 42–47.</ref> Meanwhile, US reconnaissance aircraft had detected Omori's force, and in response Merrill's force, which had been shelling Japanese positions around [[Buka, Bougainville|Buka]] in northern Bougainville the day before,<ref>Spence 2009, pp. 66–67.</ref> began steaming north from around [[Vella Lavella]] to intercept, departing before midnight on 1/2 November.<ref>Morison 1958, p. 307.</ref> They subsequently established themselves to block the entrance to Empress Augusta Bay. The Japanese approached from the northwest, aiming to bombard the invasion force in their transports and on the shore. At 01:30 on 2 November, ''Haguro'' was struck amidships by an American aerial attack. The resulting damage necessitated a significant reduction in speed for the entire formation.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 308–309.</ref>

The Americans made radar contact at 02:27 on 2 November. Merrill subsequently shook his force out into three columns, sending Burke's destroyers to attack the Japanese northern flank, while the cruisers turned about to remain out of torpedo range,<ref name=Marriott135/> with the remaining destroyers from Austin's group being tasked with launching a torpedo attack on the southern flank.<ref>Morison 1958, p. 310.</ref> From the leading position in the American formation, Burke sent the four destroyers of DesDiv 45 forward for a torpedo attack and at 02:46 fired a salvo toward the Japanese. Around the same time, the ''Sendai''-led division fired eight torpedoes. Each attack was detected, and both groups maneuvered away from the torpedoes.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 310–312.</ref> The Japanese fleet became separated into three groups in the confusion.<ref name="o'hara">{{cite web |url=http://www.microworks.net/pacific/battles/empress_augusta_bay.htm |title=Battle of Empress Augusta Bay: November 2, 1943 |author=O'Hara, Vincent P. |access-date=19 November 2017 |archive-date=16 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116120836/http://www.microworks.net/pacific/battles/empress_augusta_bay.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Merrill then ordered DesDiv 46 to attack. Unprepared, ''Foote'' misinterpreted the command and was separated from the other ships.<ref name=Morison316>Morison 1958, p. 316.</ref> Despite her captain's best efforts, ''Foote'' was unable to effectively rejoin the fight and was in some danger of colliding with other friendly ships. At around 02:50, when it became apparent that DesDiv 45's torpedo attack had failed to achieve complete surprise, the American cruisers opened fire, quickly disabling ''Sendai'', whose rudder jammed.<ref>Morison 1958, p. 311.</ref> 

After firing her torpedoes, ''Samidare'' collided with ''Shiratsuyu''.<ref name="o'hara" /> ''Samidare'' and ''Shiratsuyu'' were subsequently forced to retire from the battle with ''Samidare'' receiving {{convert|5|in | adj = on}} hits at 03:00. ''Myōkō'' also collided with ''Hatsukaze'', slicing off her bows.<ref>Morison 1958, p. 312.</ref> ''Myōkō'' had significant damage from this collision. Meanwhile, ''Haguro'' was hit by several cruiser shells, only a few of which detonated.<ref>Stille 2012, p. 22.</ref> Relying on visual tracking of their targets,<ref name="o'hara" /> with difficulty, the Japanese cruisers pinpointed the American cruisers and opened fire at 03:13. At 03:20 the Cruiser Squadron fired several torpedoes at CruDiv 12.<ref name="Morison313"/> At 03:27 numerous hits on CruDiv 12 were erroneously reported to Omori, but all actually missed their targets.<ref>Morison 1958, p. 315; Marriott 2005, p. 135.</ref>

The Americans were also having problems as ''Spence'' and ''Thatcher'' also collided but were able to continue in the battle. ''Foote'' was struck by a torpedo which blew off the stern of the ship,<ref name=Morison316_317>Morison 1958, pp. 316–317.</ref> leaving 19 dead and 17 wounded.<ref name=Morison322/> Subsequently, the drifting ''Foote'' became a navigational hazard to the other ships adding to the confusion of the battle.<ref name=Morison316_317/> ''Foote'' was busy for the remainder of the engagement trying to stay afloat and fighting off an enemy aircraft attack. Without fire control radar, the Japanese depended heavily on flares to illuminate their targets. CruDiv 12 repeatedly maneuvered to avoid starshells fired by the opposing ships but was finally successfully illuminated by brilliant flares dropped by Japanese snooper aircraft.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 313–314; Marriott 2005, p. 135.</ref>

Between 03:20 and 03:25 ''Denver'' received three {{convert|8|in | adj = on}} hits which failed to detonate.<ref name=Morison313>Morison 1958, p. 313.</ref> Also, while closing with a group of Japanese destroyers in the center, ''Spence'' was hit at the waterline by a shell that failed to explode.<ref name="o'hara" /> At this point the Japanese fire was heavy and increasingly accurate. In response, the American cruisers began maneuvering behind a smoke screen which successfully interfered with the Japanese gunnery.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 312–313.</ref>

Throughout the battle the American destroyers experienced difficulty maintaining contact with each other and several times came close to firing on friendly ships, underscoring the difficulty in fighting night actions even when equipped with radar and [[Identification friend or foe|IFF]] systems. A later evaluation of the battle revealed that DesDiv 46 missed an opportunity to torpedo the center group of Japanese ships because of uncertain identification. DesDiv 46 then turned north and concentrated fire on ''Sendai''.<ref>Morison 1958, p. 317.</ref>

By 03:37, Omori, believing that he had sunk a heavy cruiser and worried about being caught in daylight by US carrier aircraft, ordered a retreat.<ref name=Morison315>Morison 1958, p. 315.</ref> Merrill's cruisers closed to bombard the Japanese forces withdrawing to the west, engaging ''Hatsukaze'' at over {{convert|17,500|yd}}, but they were unable to score any hits.<ref name=Morison318>Morison 1958, p. 318.</ref>

Around 04:00, DesDiv 45 and 46 engaged in a confused melee with retreating Japanese stragglers, sinking ''Sendai'' and driving off the remaining northern group ships. Just before 04:13 ''Spence'' lost speed because of water in the fuel line and fell out of formation. The American ships reported many hits on the enemy contacts. DesDiv 45 fired on the limping ''Spence'' in error, causing no damage. CruDiv 12 and ''Spence'' engaged a Japanese straggler at 05:10. Unable to distinguish between the straggler and ''Spence,'' the cruisers ceased fire. By 05:19, DesDiv 45 came to the aid of ''Spence'' which by this time had almost exhausted its ammunition. The Japanese straggler, the heavily damaged ''Hatsukaze'', exploded and sank.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 317–318; Marriott 2005, p. 135.</ref>

[[File:A Japanese plane crashes into the sea ahead of USS Columbia (CL-56), in November 1943 (80-G-44059).jpg|thumb|right|A Japanese aircraft crashes (upper center) into the ocean near the cruiser ''Columbia'' during air attacks on Allied ships off Bougainville, a few hours after the battle]]At daylight the pursuit was broken off, and all ships, many low on fuel and ammunition, were ordered to rendezvous with the hapless ''Foote'', as Merrill was concerned about the possibility of his ships being exposed to air attack. This proved prescient, as a heavy Japanese air attack, consisting of over 100 aircraft, was launched from Rabaul early in the morning, directed on the US ships that had converged around ''Foote''. This was fought off with assistance from US and New Zealand shore-based aircraft, with heavy losses being inflicted on the attacking aircraft. The Japanese ships scored two hits on ''Montpelier'', inflicting nine wounded.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 318–322; Marriott 2005, p. 135.</ref> ''Foote'' was subsequently towed to Tulagi for repairs.<ref>Spence 2009, p. 67.</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battle ended in a complete victory for the US naval force, in what author Leo Marriott describes as the "last major naval action...[of]...the Solomons campaign". They were able to deflect the Japanese away from the vulnerable transport ships and landing craft around Cape Torokina,<ref name=Marriott135>Marriott 2005, p. 135.</ref> and they had also inflicted significant damage on their opponents. For the loss of 19 killed and 26 wounded, and three ships damaged,<ref name=Morison322/> the US ships sank one light cruiser and one destroyer and damaged two cruisers and two destroyers. Japanese casualties have been reported as being between 198 and 658 killed. Up to 25 Japanese aircraft were shot down in the air attack following the naval action.<ref name="casualties" /><ref name=combinedfleet/> The Japanese subsequently sent a submarine to locate survivors; none were found from ''Hatsukaze'', but some were rescued from ''Sendai''.<ref name=Morison322/>
[[File:The landing at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville.jpg|thumb|right|Marines board landing craft in Empress Augusta Bay]]

In the aftermath, the Japanese ships returned to Rabaul. There, they were joined by four cruisers and more destroyers from [[Chuuk Lagoon|Truk]] for another attack on the Allied landing forces at Bougainville.<ref name=Marriott135/> On 5 November, however, two US aircraft carriers [[Bombing of Rabaul (November 1943)|raided Rabaul]], heavily damaging four heavy cruisers, which had to withdraw to Truk. This ended the Japanese warship threat to the Allied landing forces at Bougainville.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 323–336.</ref> Omori was relieved of his command as a result of the failed action.<ref name=Morison322/>

US ground forces secured their beachhead around Cape Torokina, and the perimeter was subsequently expanded. A PT boat base was established on Puruata Island, and several airbases were built around the Cape Torokina perimeter. These were subsequently employed in the reduction of Rabaul.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 360–364 & 424.</ref> On the ground, throughout the remainder of 1943, the US Marines and Japanese fought several minor land battles around the perimeter, culminating in a [[Bougainville counterattack|large scale Japanese counterattack]] in March 1944. This counterattack was fought off with heavy Japanese losses.<ref>Morison 1958, pp. 337–365; James 2012, p. 155.</ref> By the start of February 1944, the US had built up a force of over 400 aircraft on Bougainville; before the month ended the Japanese air defenses around Rabaul had been defeated.<ref name="NavalHistory" />

==Notes==

=== Footnotes ===
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

=== Citations ===
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite journal |last=Bowser |first=Alpha L. |title=End Run in the Solomons |journal=Marine Corps Gazette |date=November 1947 |volume=31 |issue=11 |issn=0025-3170}}
* {{cite book |last=Dull |first=Paul S. |year=1978 |title=A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941–1945 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-87021-097-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/battlehistoryofi0000dull}}
* {{cite journal |title=Empress August Bay |journal=Naval History |year=1995 |volume=9 |issue=3 |page=41 |issn=1042-1920}}
* {{cite book |last=Hara |first=Tameichi |author-link=Tameichi Hara |year=1961 |title=Japanese Destroyer Captain |publisher=[[Ballantine Books]] |location=New York & Toronto |isbn=0-345-27894-1}}
* {{cite book |last=James |first=Karl |title=The Hard Slog: Australians in the Bougainville Campaign, 1944–45 |year=2012 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Port Melbourne, Victoria |isbn=978-1-107-01732-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Marriott |first=Leo |title=Treaty Cruisers: The World's First International Warship Building Competition |year=2005 |publisher=Casemate |isbn=978-1-84415-188-2}}
* {{cite journal |last=Marsh |first=R.M. |year=2003 |title=Tactics Rule at Empress Augusta Bay |journal=Naval History |volume=17 |issue=6 |pages=42–47 |issn=1042-1920}}
* {{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-P-Rabaul/USA-P-Rabaul-12.html |chapter=Chapter XII: The Invasion of Bougainville |title=Cartwheel: The Reduction of Rabaul |series=U.S. Army in World War II |author=Miller, John |year=1959 |publisher=Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army |location=Washington, DC |oclc=63151382}}
* {{cite book |last=Morison |first=Samuel Eliot |author-link=Samuel Eliot Morison |year=1958 |title=Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier'', vol. 6 of ''[[History of United States Naval Operations in World War II]] |publisher=Castle Books |isbn=0-7858-1307-1}}
* {{cite book |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-NSols/index.html |title=Bougainville and the Northern Solomons |author=Rentz, John M. |publisher=Historical Branch, Headquarters, United States Marine Corps |year=1946 |oclc=21130914}}
* {{cite book |last=Shaw |first=Henry I. |author2=Douglas T. Kane |year=1963 |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/II/index.html |title=Volume II: Isolation of Rabaul |series=History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II |publisher=Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps |access-date=18 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061120062643/http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/II/index.html |archive-date=20 November 2006 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite thesis |last=Spence |first=Johnny H. |title=South Pacific Destroyers: The United States Navy and the Challenges of Night Surface Combat in the Solomon Islands During World War II |date=August 2009 |oclc=610595266}}
* {{cite book |last=Stille |first=Mark |title=Imperial Japanese Navy Heavy Cruisers 1941–45 |year=2012 |publisher=Bloomsbury |isbn=978-1-84908-171-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Stille |first=Mark |title=US Navy Light Cruisers 1941–45 |year=2016 |publisher=Bloomsbury |isbn=978-1-47281-141-7}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Brown |first=David |year=1990 |title=Warship Losses of World War Two |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=1-55750-914-X}}
* {{cite book |last=D'Albas |first=Andrieu |year=1965 |title=Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II |publisher=Devin-Adair Publishing |isbn=0-8159-5302-X}}
* {{cite book |last=Hall |first=Cary Hardison |year=1987 |title=The War Cruises of the USS Columbia, 1942 to 1945: Personal Recollections, with Some Augmentations by Shipmates |publisher=War Memories Pub. Co |id=ASIN B00071N658}}
* {{Cite journal |author1-link=Thomas C. Hone |last=Hone |first=Thomas C. |year=1981 |title=The Similarity of Past and Present Standoff Threats |periodical=Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute |publication-place=Annapolis, Maryland |volume=107 |issue=9, September 1981 |pages=113–116 |issn=0041-798X}}
* {{cite book |last=Jones |first=Ken |year=1997 |title=Destroyer Squadron 23: Combat Exploits of Arleigh Burke's Gallant Force |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=1-55750-412-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Kilpatrick |first=C. W. |year=1987 |title=Naval Night Battles of the Solomons |publisher=Exposition Press |isbn=0-682-40333-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Lacroix |first=Eric |author2=Linton Wells |year=1997 |title=Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-87021-311-3}}
* {{cite book |last=McGee |first=William L. |year=2002 |chapter=Bougainville Campaign |title=The Solomons Campaigns, 1942–1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville—Pacific War Turning Point, Volume 2 (Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in WWII) |publisher=BMC Publications |isbn=0-9701678-7-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Potter |first=E. B. |year=2005 |title=Admiral Arleigh Burke |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=1-59114-692-5}}
* {{cite book |last=Roscoe |first=Theodore |year=1953 |title=United States Destroyer Operations in World War Two |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-87021-726-7 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/unitedstatesdest0000rosc}}

==External links==
* [http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Augusta-Bay.htm Order of battle]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050208082835/http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/wwii/facts/bougbttl.txt JO1 Lorraine Ramsdell (US Navy Reserve), "The Battle of Bougainville" ]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060323031827/http://www.ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=8 WW2DB: Solomons Campaign]
* [https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.12971 Night Engagement of Empress Augusta Bay], 1943 US Navy "action report film" online at FedFlix.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Empress Augusta Bay}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1943]]
[[Category:1943 in Papua New Guinea]]
[[Category:Territory of New Guinea]]
[[Category:Pacific Ocean theater of World War II]]
[[Category:World War II naval operations and battles of the Pacific theatre]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving Japan]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving the United States]]
[[Category:Autonomous Region of Bougainville]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving Papua New Guinea]]
[[Category:November 1943 in Oceania]]
[[Category:Japan–United States military relations]]

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Battle of Empress Augusta Bay