Battle of Kolombangara

The cruisers USS St. Louis and HMNZS Leander firing

Date	12/13 July 1943
Location	Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands
Result	Japanese tactical victory

Belligerents

Commanders and leaders

Strength

3 light cruisers,
10 destroyers

1 light cruiser,
5 destroyers

Casualties and losses

1 destroyer sunk,
3 light cruisers heavily damaged,
89 killed

1 light cruiser sunk,
482 killed

The Battle of Kolombangara (Japanese: コロンバンガラ島沖海戦) (also known as the Second Battle of Kula Gulf) was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the night of 12/13 July 1943, off Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands.

A Japanese "Tokyo Express" reinforcement force—commanded by Sho-sho (Rear Admiral) Shunji Izaki and comprising the light cruiser Jintsu, the destroyers Mikazuki, Yukikaze, Hamakaze, Kiyonami and Yūgure and the destroyer transports Satsuki, Minazuki, Yūnagi, and Matsukaze—made a run down "The Slot" from the upper Solomons to land troops at Vila on Kolombangara by way of Kula Gulf on the night of 12 July 1943.

An Allied force—commanded by Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth and comprising the United States Navy light cruisers USS Honolulu and St. Louis and Royal New Zealand Navy light cruiser HMNZS Leander, and the destroyers USS Nicholas, O'Bannon, Taylor, Jenkins, Radford, Ralph Talbot, Buchanan, Maury, Woodworth, and Gwin—were deployed in a single column with five destroyers in the van followed by the light cruisers and then by five destroyers in the rear.