View source for Battle of the Komandorski Islands

{{short description|1943 battle in the Pacific theatre of WWII }}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of the Komandorski Islands
| image             = [[Image:USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) in action during the Battle of the Komandorski Islands on 26 March 1943 (80-G-73827).jpg|300px|USS ''Salt Lake City'']]
| caption           = The [[heavy cruiser]] {{USS|Salt Lake City|CA-25|2}}, damaged by Japanese cruiser gunfire, starts losing speed prior to going dead in the water during the battle under a smoke screen laid by accompanying destroyers.
| partof            = [[World War II]], [[Pacific War]]
| date              = 27 March 1943<ref group=Note>The date is often given as 26 March because the U.S. ships used [[Honolulu]] time which refers to the other side of the International Date Line. However, the local date at Komandorski Islands was 27 March</ref>
| place             = off [[Komandorski Islands]]
| result            = American victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|United States|1912}}
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Charles McMorris]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Empire of Japan|naval}} [[Boshirō Hosogaya]]
| strength1         = 1 [[heavy cruiser]]<br>1 [[light cruiser]]<br>4 [[destroyer]]s
| strength2         = 2 heavy cruisers<br>2 light cruisers<br>4 destroyers
| casualties1       = 1 heavy cruiser severely damaged<br>2 destroyers slightly damaged<br>7 killed<br>20 wounded<ref group=Note>Morison, ''Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls'', p. 33. Five were killed on ''Bailey'' and two on ''Salt Lake City'', 7 hospital cases and 13 minor injuries, ''Coghlan'' was also hit once.</ref>
| casualties2       = 1 heavy cruiser moderately damaged,<br/>1 heavy cruiser slightly damaged,<br/>14 killed,<br/>26 wounded<ref group=Note>Morison, ''Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls'', p. 33 and Hackett, ''CombinedFleet.com'', [http://www.combinedfleet.com/nachi_t.htm]. Thirteen were killed on ''Nachi'' and one on ''Maya''.</ref>
}}
{{Campaignbox Aleutians}}

The '''Battle of the Komandorski Islands''' was a [[naval battle]] between [[United States|American]] and [[Empire of Japan|Imperial Japanese]] forces which took place on 27 March 1943 in the North Pacific, south of the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Komandorski Islands]].  The Japanese were escorting a three ship convoy, while the Americans were patrolling waters west of the [[Aleutian Islands]]. The battle was a daylight surface engagement in which air support played no role and in which the outnumbered American force escaped greater damage after the Japanese chose to withdraw.

==Background==
In June 1942, Japanese forces landed in the western Aleutian Islands of [[Kiska]] and [[Attu Island|Attu]], as a northern pincer of the main attack on [[Midway Atoll|Midway Island]]. After the stunning [[Battle of Midway|Japanese defeat at Midway]], the Japanese held the islands as a defensive shield against any American attempt against the [[Kuril Islands|Kuriles]]. As the U.S. was preparing its assault on the Japanese strongholds, Japanese shipping between Japan and the islands was harassed by submarines and aircraft. The Japanese Imperial Navy countered this threat by sailing at night or taking advantage of stormy weather. Aware of Japanese tactics, Admiral [[Thomas C. Kinkaid]] deployed a surface force around Attu. On the night of 19/20 February 1943, the patrol force, consisting of the heavy cruiser {{USS|Indianapolis|CA-35|2}} and the destroyers {{USS|Coghlan|DD-606|2}} and {{USS|Gillespie||2}}, shelled and sank the Japanese transport ship ''Akagane Maru'' (3100 GRT) west of Attu.<ref name="O'Hara" />

In a bid to defy the American blockade, [[Vice admiral|Vice-Admiral]] [[Boshirō Hosogaya]], in charge of the [[5th Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|5th Fleet]] and the northern theatre of operations, assembled a high-speed convoy with two fast merchant ships ''Asaka Maru'' (7399 GRT) and ''[[Sakito Maru]]'' (7158 GRT) and a slower transport, the ''Sanko Maru'' (5491 GRT). The latter and her escort, the destroyer {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Usugumo||2}}, were to make a rendezvous with the main force south of the Komandorski Islands. The ships carried materiel essential to complete the building of an all-weather airstrip at Attu.<ref name="O'Hara" />

When Admiral Kinkaid became aware of Japanese plans to send a supply convoy to their forces on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] ships commanded by [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear Admiral]] [[Charles McMorris]] were sent to prevent this. The fleet consisted of the [[heavy cruiser]] {{USS|Salt Lake City|CA-25|2}}, the [[light cruiser]] {{USS|Richmond|CL-9|2}} and the [[destroyer]]s {{USS|Coghlan|DD-606|2}}, {{USS|Bailey|DD-492|2}}, {{USS|Dale|DD-353|2}} and {{USS|Monaghan|DD-354|2}}.<ref name="Dull">{{cite book|last1=Dull|first1=Paul S.|title=A battle history of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1941–1945|date=2007|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis|isbn=978-1-59114-219-5|pages=261–265|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SLfti-Dc1AcC&q=Komandorski+Islands&pg=PA261|access-date=19 March 2015}}</ref> 

American intelligence estimated that the Japanese escort consisted of one heavy cruiser, one light cruiser, and four destroyers.<ref name="O'Hara">{{cite book|last1=O'Hara|first1=Vincent P.|title=The U.S. Navy against the Axis : surface combat, 1941–1945|date=2007|publisher=Naval Inst. Press|location=Annapolis, Md.|isbn=978-1591146506|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6h-3cEnjidUC&q=Komandorski+Islands&pg=PT156|access-date=19 March 2015|chapter=Chapter 7: Alaska: Komandorski, March 1943}}</ref>  However, the Japanese 5th Fleet had been reinforced by two more cruisers, so that the Japanese escort force actually consisted of the heavy cruisers {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Nachi||2}} and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Maya||2}}, the light cruisers {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Tama||2}} and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Abukuma||2}}, and the destroyers {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Wakaba|1934|2}}, {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Hatsushimo|1933|2}}, {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Ikazuchi|1931|2}}, and {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Inazuma|1932|2}}. Vice Admiral Boshirō Hosogaya hoisted his flag on ''Nachi''.<ref name=":0" /> Rear-Admiral McMorris didn't learn that he was facing a superior force until one hour after the first radar contact.<ref name="O'Hara" />

==Battle==
On the early morning of 27 March 1943, the Japanese convoy was intercepted by the American picket line some 100 [[Nautical mile|nautical miles]] south of the Komandorski islands and 180 nautical miles west of Attu, just to the west of the [[International Date Line]].<ref name=":1" /> Despite lacking radar, the Japanese cruiser squadron spotted the American force half an hour earlier than their enemies, in part because the southern horizon was lightening earlier than the northern, as well as the strict selection of lookouts of exceptional visual acuity by the Japanese navy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stern |first=Robert C. |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0WBEBgAAQBAJ&dq=that+Usugumo+joined+the+two+transports+near+the+Komandorski+Islands+and+was&pg=PT499 |title=Big Gun Battles: Warship Duels of the Second World War |date=2015 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |isbn=978-1-4738-4935-8 |pages=note 12 |language=en |chapter=Chapter 5}}</ref> Because of the remote location of the battle and its being a chance encounter on the open ocean, neither fleet had air or submarine assistance, making this one of the few engagements exclusively between [[surface ship]]s in the [[Asiatic-Pacific Theater|Pacific Theater]] and one of the last pure gunnery duels between fleets of major surface combatants in [[naval history]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2005-04-20 |title=Battle of Komandorski Island: 27 March 1943 by Vincent P. O'Hara |url=http://www.microworks.net/pacific/Battles/kommandorski_islands.htm |access-date=2023-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050420145050/http://www.microworks.net/pacific/Battles/kommandorski_islands.htm |archive-date=2005-04-20 }}</ref> At one point, McMorris made a request for air support to the [[United States Army Air Forces|USAAF]] air base at [[Adak, Alaska|Adak]]. However, the [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|B-24]] squadron sent to attack the Japanese force became lost in the fog and had to return home.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ritter |first=Jonathan Templin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=13e-DwAAQBAJ&dq=komandorski+battle+air+support&pg=PA63 |title=From Texas to Tinian and Tokyo Bay: The Memoirs of Captain J. R. Ritter, Seabee Commander during the Pacific War, 1942–1945 |date=2019 |publisher=University of North Texas Press |isbn=978-1-57441-781-4 |page=63 |language=en}}</ref> A spotter aircraft from ''Nachi'' directed fire on the American force for the whole battle. While the Japanese side criticized the observers' inability to deal with smoke screens, the US reports say that the accurate way in which the enemy gunners shifted their fire led the Americans to believe that one of the Japanese cruisers had [[Fire-control radar|fire control radar]].<ref name="O'Hara" />

Although the Japanese cruisers heavily outgunned the American force and inflicted more damage, the engagement was tactically inconclusive. The U.S. Navy warships escaped destruction after a Japanese misjudgment, when, with the Japanese fleet on the edge of victory, Admiral Hosogaya – not realizing the heavy damage his ships had inflicted and fearing American war planes would appear – chose to retreat, conceding a strategic victory to the US Navy.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Lorelli |first=John A. |title=The Battle of the Komandorski Islands, March 1943 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1984 |isbn=9780870210938 |page=58 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Olson |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b1d7GGuUnZ4C&dq=American+strategic+victory+Komandorski&pg=PA142 |title=Tales From a Tin Can: The USS Dale from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay |date=2010 |publisher=Zenith Press |isbn=978-1-61060-077-4 |page=142 |language=en}}</ref> Indeed, the battle ended Japanese attempts to resupply the Aleutian garrisons by surface ship, leaving only submarines to conduct supply runs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Toll |first=Ian W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4OlwBgAAQBAJ&dq=%22by+submarines%22+Komandorski&pg=PT219 |title=The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 1942–1944 (Vol. 2) (The Pacific War Trilogy) |date=2015 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0-393-24820-3 |language=en}}</ref>  The airstrip at Attu was never finished.<ref name="O'Hara" /> Hosogaya was accordingly retired from active service after the battle and assigned to [[Governor of the South Seas Mandate|govern a group of South Pacific islands]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: Hosogaya Boshiro |url=http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/H/o/Hosogaya_Boshiro.htm |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=pwencycl.kgbudge.com}}</ref>

=== Timeline of the battle ===
This is a timeline of the action, based upon authors O'Hara<ref name="O'Hara" /><ref name=":0" /> and Millsap.<ref name="proceedings">Millsap, Ralph H., CDR USN "Skill or Luck?" ''United States Naval Institute Proceedings Supplement'' March 1985 pp. 78–87</ref>
*0600: The United States ships were formed in a scouting line at six-mile intervals zig-zagging at 15 knots on base course 020°.
*0700: While the Japanese formation was turning 180º to a northern course, destroyer ''Inazuma'', still heading south, spotted unknown ships 27000 yards to port. A navigating officer on one of the transports visually observed the American force minutes later.
*0715: The ships were identified as American, as the day dawned.
*0730: Hosogaya ordered a turn to starboard, to the southeast, while the two fast transports were ordered to withdraw north-northwest, escorted by ''Inazuma''.
*0730: Lead ships ''Coghlan'' and ''Richmond'' made [[radar]] contact with the two trailing Japanese transports and a destroyer on course 080° at {{convert|13|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}. 
*0740: The Americans changed course to 080° and the rear ships increased speed to operate as a compact group. Five radar contacts were counted.
*0755: The Japanese turned northward to course 340° and the Americans came to course 000° to follow.
*0811: The Americans visually identified the radar contacts as two transports, two light cruisers, and a destroyer.
*0820: The Americans sighted the masts of four more Japanese ships on the horizon.
*0835: The Americans identified the masts as two heavy cruisers and two destroyers and turned to course 240°.
*0838: The Japanese transports swerved off to the northwest.
*0839: The Americans increased speed to {{convert|25|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}.
*0840: ''Nachi'' opened fire on ''Richmond'' at a range of {{convert|20000|yd|m|abbr=on}}. The second and third salvos were straddles.
*0840: ''Nachi'' launched her spotter aircraft to direct fire on the US force.
*0841: ''Richmond'' opened fire on ''Nachi''. The third salvo was a straddle.
*0842: ''Salt Lake City'' opened fire on ''Nachi'' at a range of {{convert|21000|yd|m|abbr=on}}. The second salvo was a straddle.
[[File:Battle of the Komandorski - Bailey's damage.jpg|thumb|198x198px|USS ''Bailey'' showing battle damage in the aftermath of the  action

]]
As the range closed, ''Bailey'' opened fire on ''Nachi'' at a range of {{convert|14000|yd|m|abbr=on}} and then switched to a light cruiser. ''Coghlan'' opened fire on ''Nachi'' at a range of {{convert|18000|yd|m|abbr=on}}. 

*0845: ''Nachi'' launched eight torpedoes. All missed.
*0850: One of ''Richmond''′s {{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on}} shells hit the starboard side of ''Nachi''′s signal bridge, killing 11 and wounding 21. Another shell hit ''Nachi''′s mainmast and severed the flagship radio communication.
*0852: One of ''Richmond''′s 6-inch shells hit ''Nachi''′s torpedo compartment. Another of ''Richmond''′s 6-inch shells hit ''Nachi''′s control room, killing two and wounding five. ''Nachi'' dropped back after losing electrical power to ammunition hoists and gun mounts.
*0903: ''Richmond'' ceased firing. ''Salt Lake City'' continued firing from stern turrets.
*0910: ''Salt Lake City'' was hit by an {{convert|8|in|mm|abbr=on}} projectile fired by ''Maya''. Two men were killed, while the starboard observation plane caught fire and was jettisoned overboard.
*1010: ''Salt Lake City'' was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by ''Maya''.
*1059: ''Salt Lake City'' was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by ''Maya''.
*1103: ''Salt Lake City'' was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by ''Maya''. ''Salt Lake City'' transferred water to correct a list caused by flooding.
*1152: ''Salt Lake City'' was hit by an 8-inch projectile fired by ''Maya''.
*1153: Salt water entered a fuel tank in use and extinguished ''Salt Lake City''′s boiler fires.
*1154: ''Salt Lake City'' slowed to a stop. ''Bailey'', ''Coghlan'' and ''Monaghan'' approached the Japanese cruisers for a torpedo attack while ''Richmond'' and ''Dale'' made smoke to shield ''Salt Lake City''.
*1203: ''Salt Lake City'' restarted boilers and increased speed to 15&nbsp;knots.
*1213: ''Salt Lake City'' increased speed to {{convert|22|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}.
*1225: ''Bailey'' launched five torpedoes at {{convert|9500|yd|m|abbr=on}}. All missed. ''Bailey'' was hit twice by 8-inch shells and came to a stop with five dead. ''Coghlan'' was hit once.
*1230: Japanese ships retired westward. Neither ''Coghlan'' nor ''Monaghan'' launched torpedoes.

''Salt Lake City'' fired 806 armor-piercing projectiles and then 26 high-capacity (explosive) shells after the supply of armor-piercing ammunition was exhausted. Powder and shells were manhandled aft from the forward magazines to keep the after guns firing. ''Salt Lake City''′s rudder stops were carried away, limiting her to 10° course changes.<ref name="proceedings"/>

{{Commons}}

==Order of battle==

===United States Navy===
'''Task Group 16.6''' - RADM [[Charles McMorris]], Commander, Task Group 16.6 (a subordinate Task Group of [[Task Force 16]])
* 1 {{sclass|Pensacola|cruiser|0}} heavy cruiser: {{USS|Salt Lake City|CA-25|2}} - CAPT [[Bertram J. Rodgers]] 
* 1 {{sclass|Omaha|cruiser|0}} light cruiser: {{USS|Richmond|CL-9|2}} - CAPT Theodore Waldschmidt ([[Flagship|F]])

'''Destroyer Squadron 14''' - CAPT Ralph Riggs
* 4 destroyers
** 2 {{sclass|Benson|destroyer|0}}
***{{USS|Coghlan|DD-606|2}} - CMDR Benjamin Tompkins
***{{USS|Bailey|DD-492|2}} - LCDR John Atkeson (F)
** 2 {{sclass|Farragut|destroyer|0||1934}}
***{{USS|Dale|DD-353|2}} - CMDR Anthony Rorschach
***{{USS|Monaghan|DD-354|2}} - LCDR Peter Horn

===Imperial Japanese Navy===
'''Northern Force''' - VADM [[Boshirō Hosogaya]], Commander, Fifth Fleet (Northern Force)
Cruiser Division One:
* 2 heavy cruisers
** 1 {{sclass|Myoko|cruiser|0}}: {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Nachi||2}} - CAPT Akira Sone (F)(Myoko class)
** 1 {{sclass|Takao|cruiser|0}}: {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Maya||2}} - CAPT Takeji Matsumoto
* 1 {{sclass|Kuma|cruiser|0}} light cruiser: {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Tama||2}} - CAPT Zensuke Kanome

'''Destroyer Division 21:''' - CAPT Amano Shigetaka
* 2 {{sclass|Hatsuharu|destroyer|0}} destroyers
** {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Wakaba|1934|2}} - LCDR Suetsugu Nobuyoshi (F)
** {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Hatsushimo|1933|2}} - LCDR Nittono Suzuo

'''D Convoy''' - RADM [[Tomoichi Mori]], Commander, Destroyer Squadron One

* 1 {{sclass|Nagara|cruiser|0}} light cruiser: {{Ship|Japanese cruiser|Abukuma||2}} -  CAPT Shiro Shibuya (F)

'''Destroyer Division Six:''' - CAPT Takahashi Kameshiro
* 2 {{sclass|Akatsuki|destroyer|0||1931}} destroyers
** {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Ikazuchi|1931|2}} - LCDR Maeda Saneho
** {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Inazuma|1932|2}} - LCDR Terauchi Masamichi
*Transport ''[[Asaka Maru]]'' - CAPT Sakuma Takeo
*Transport ''[[Sakito Maru]]''

'''2nd Escort Force'''
* 1 {{sclass|Fubuki|destroyer|0}} destroyer: {{Ship|Japanese destroyer|Usugumo|1927|2}} (not engaged in the battle) - LCDR Ikeda Shunsaku
*Transport ''[[Sanko Maru]]''

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
*{{cite book|last=D'Albas|first=Andrieu|year=1965|title=Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II|publisher=Devin-Adair Pub|isbn=0-8159-5302-X}}
*{{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 book|last=Garfield|first=Brian|author-link=Brian Garfield|year=1995| title = The Thousand Mile War|publisher=Aurum Press|isbn=1-84513-019-7}}
*{{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=Lorelli|first=John A.|year=1984|title=The Battle of the Komandorski Islands, March 1943|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=0-87021-093-9 }}
*{{cite book|last=Morison|first=Samuel Eliot|author-link=Samuel Eliot Morison|orig-year=1951 |year=2001|title=Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, June 1942–April 1944, ''vol. 7 of'' [[History of United States Naval Operations in World War II]]|publisher=University of Illinois Press|location=Champaign, Illinois|isbn=0-316-58305-7}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050420145050/http://www.microworks.net/pacific/Battles/kommandorski_islands.htm Battle of Komandorski Island: March 26, 1943] by Vincent O'Hara
*[http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Aleutians/USN-CN-Aleutians-9.html USN Combat Narrative: The Aleutians Campaign Chapter 9:The Battle of the Komandorskis]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of The Komandorski Islands}}
[[Category:Aleutian Islands campaign]]
[[Category:March 1943 in Oceania]]
[[Category:Pacific Ocean theater of World War II|Komandorski Islands]]