It’s a tense evening aboard the USS Chicago, the heavy cruiser sways gently with the waves as she sails under a heavily overcast sky, 48 miles southwest of Guadalcanal. The radio operator scans the radar, eyes narrowing as blips appear, signaling an incoming attack. Suddenly, the stillness shatters—danger is closing in fast.
He relays the critical information to the bridge, adrenaline surging through him. Alarms blare, men scramble to their stations, and the battle for survival is about to commence… [Background] Following the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in mid-november 1942, Japan withdrew its naval and air forces to Truk and Jaluit for recovery.
The remaining Japanese forces on Guadalcanal relied on harassing air attacks and the “Tokyo Express” for supply runs from Bougainville Island. During one of these missions on November 30, U.S. cruisers engaged the Japanese in the Battle of Tassafaronga, resulting in the loss of the U.S. heavy cruiser Northampton and damage to other ships, while Japan lost one destroyer. Although technically a Japanese victory, the supply situation on Guadalcanal remained problematic, and the Japanese remained outnumbered in the sky, on the sea and on land… By late January, as U.S. land and air superiority increased, the situation for Japanese ground forces became critical.
Anticipating a renewed Japanese effort to reclaim the island, Admiral William F. Halsey mobilized the largest concentration of U.S. naval power assembled in the South Pacific. Six major task forces, including seven battleships, two carriers, and numerous cruisers and destroyers, were deployed to protect troop movements and counter any potential Japanese offensives. Nimitz believed the Japanese might reinforce Guadalcanal, but Yamamoto had different plans.
The Japanese forces on Guadalcanal were in a dire state. Starvation, disease, and constant American assaults had decimated their ranks. Diaries from Japanese soldiers revealed the grim reality: over a hundred soldiers were dying daily from malnutrition. Lieutenant accounts described a hierarchy of life expectancy, from those still able to stand (30 days) to those unable to blink (death within a day). The island had become a death trap, with soldiers too weak to fight or even move. As a result, Operation KE, devised in secret by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, became an ambitious evacuation mission aimed at pulling Japanese troops out of the Solomon Islands in early 1943.
Drawing inspiration from the British evacuation at Dunkirk, which had demonstrated how a well-organized retreat could save thousands of soldiers, Yamamoto recognized the dire situation his forces faced against the advancing Allies. Despite Emperor Hirohito’s public claims of a forthcoming victory, Yamamoto knew that continuing the Guadalcanal campaign was futile. The operation, beginning in late January, aimed to secretly withdraw Japanese troops from the island while maintaining the illusion of a final offensive, all under intense American air and naval pressure. While this was ongoing, an Allied convoy escorted by four destroyers, departed from Noumea on January 27.
It carried the 214th Coast Artillery and other Army units, aiming to arrive at Guadalcanal three days later. This movement was supported by Task Force 18, led by Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen. His force included three heavy cruisers (the Wichita, Chicago, Louisville), three light cruisers (the Montpelier, Cleveland, and Columbia), two auxiliary aircraft carriers (the Chenango and Suwannee), and eight destroyers. The USS Chicago in particular had participated in numerous engagements, including the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Guadalcanal campaign. After suffering damage at the Battle of Savo Island, the ship was repaired and returned to combat merely weeks earlier.
Throughout January 28, the Task Force and the transport group moved towards Guadalcanal without incidents, while other units prepared for potential Japanese activity in the southern Solomons. Giffen's orders were clear: rendezvous with four destroyers southwest of Guadalcanal, then patrol the treacherous waters of Savo Sound. To ensure they kept to schedule and outpaced the threat of lurking submarines, Giffen chose speed, leaving the slower carriers trailing behind.
Unknown to Giffen, the enemy submarines hadn’t attacked with torpedoes but had instead tracked him through periscopes and radio reports. Earlier that evening, at least 12 Japanese aircraft set off from bases near Bougainville Island. They employed several tactics to obscure their visibility, including self-disclosing fire, blinking float lights for rendezvous marking, and various flares to mislead U.S. defenses… Griffen’s oblivious task force was sailing straight towards the approaching squadron… [Battle sequence] On the evening of the attack, visibility was good despite a heavily overcast sky.
The Task Force, without its auxiliary carriers, was positioned approximately 48 miles southwest of Guadalcanal, maintaining a speed of 24 knots. The heavy cruiser Chicago was prepared for combat, with radar searches ongoing and antiaircraft guns manned. Concerned about submarine attacks, Giffen arranged his ships in columns for anti-submarine defense. Despite warnings of potential Japanese air attacks, the task force advanced toward its rendezvous. However, the formation provided limited protection against aerial threats After sunset, Chicago’s radar picked up unidentified aircraft.
These turned out to be Mitsubishi G4M bombers, commonly known as “Betty” bombers. By 8:09 PM, radar confirmed a large unidentified flight approaching from the west. Within minutes, the aircraft drew closer to the vessels. The U.S. task force’s formation revealed itself against the dark waters below. The planes dropped flares, lighting up the sky and making the ships easy targets. There was disorientation aboard. The flares were dropped in such a manner, that the ships were unable to properly locate the Japanese squadron.
However, the fleet immediately opened fire regardless. Their anti-aircraft fire, enhanced by radar-based proximity fuzes, remained deadly accurate. Within minutes, a flaming Japanese Betty bomber narrowly missed the Chicago before crashing into the sea… As more planes circled, they launched their torpedo attack against Chicago, as the ship maintained fire with proximity-fused antiaircraft shells. The intensity of the assault increased, and various ships returned fire, with several enemy aircraft shot down. Illuminated by the flames of the downed Betty, Chicago became an irresistible target for the Japanese bombers circling above. More planes launched torpedoes, with some narrowly missing the cruiser. At 7:40 pm, the first torpedo struck the Chicago on its starboard side, hitting the after engine room.
This impact immediately disabled propeller shafts, causing the ship to lose control and begin flooding multiple compartments, including the engine and fire rooms. Just two minutes later, a second torpedo hit Chicago’s starboard side near the fire room, further crippling the ship. With the rudder locked and the Chicago listing to starboard, the ship became dead in the water. Fires broke out across the vessel as the crew fought desperately to control the damage.
Admiral Giffen, informed of the situation, changed course and reduced speed to protect the remaining ships from further attack. The crew of the Chicago rapidly responded to save their ship after it was struck by two torpedoes. Having gained experience from the Battle of Savo Island, the damage control teams acted quickly, extinguishing fires in the galley and radio room. Flooding posed a major threat, with water entering several compartments. Amidst the chaos on board, a stark contrast unfolded above; the skies quieted down as the attack came to an end. The Allies had successfully shot down almost all of the Betty bombers, with sources conflicting on the outcome—some claiming that only two managed to escape.
The Chicago’s condition worsened, prompting the Louisville to prepare for a tow. Throughout the night, the damage control teams worked tirelessly to control the fires, using hoses to douse the flames and setting up barriers to contain the flooding. Dozens of sailors moved through the ship, assessing damage and sealing off affected compartments. As dawn broke, the Chicago was stabilized, and a towline was secured.
Knowing the threat was far from over, Captain Giffen radioed the Enterprise for support. He quickly described the situation, relaying the damage they’d sustained and the need for aerial cover. The Enterprise responded promptly, dispatching fighters to patrol the area and protect the vulnerable cruiser.
As repairs continued, engineers worked to straighten the jammed rudder, and a boiler was restarted to help stabilize the ship. Although large sections of the Chicago remained flooded, the crew made significant progress in reducing the flooding and correcting the ship’s starboard list. By dawn, hope remained that the ship would survive. At around 6 am, four Dauntless dive-bombers from the Enterprise located the damaged USS Chicago east of Rennell Island, while Wildcat fighters provided air cover. The Louisville was relieved of towing duties by the tug Navajo, and Admiral Giffen ordered Task Force 18’s undamaged cruisers to head for port, leaving the Chicago vulnerable.
Later that morning, a Japanese spotter plane detected the positions of both the Enterprise and the crippled Chicago. American coastwatchers soon reported a formation of at least a dozen Japanese bombers heading south from New Georgia. The Enterprise radar confirmed the approach at 3:54 p.m., picking up 12 incoming bombers. Although initially heading toward the Enterprise, the bombers suddenly veered off and made a sharp turn toward the Chicago. With its CXAM radar knocked out during an earlier torpedo attack, the ship’s lookout was left to spot the incoming danger with his own eyes.
Seven miles away, a formation of eleven Japanese bombers was racing toward the stricken cruiser, low and fast from the starboard side. Between the Chicago and the oncoming planes was the destroyer La Vallette, immediately swinging into action. Its guns blazed into the sky, a frantic attempt to intercept the attackers. Two minutes later, the Chicago's starboard 5-inch guns joined the fight, firing at an initial range of 8,000 yards. Over the course of the battle, they would unleash 49 rounds. As the bombers closed in, the smaller anti-aircraft guns added their own volleys. The only 2 Wildcats in position, dove in to intercept the bombers, shooting down two in their first pass. However, the remaining torpedo bombers pressed on.
Two Japanese bombers crashed into the water. A third plane, its engine aflame, dove toward the Chicago, seemingly intent on ramming the cruiser. The gunners fired, and the burning aircraft narrowly missed the ship, splashing into the water just off the port side. As the bombers disappeared, a new danger emerged. Five torpedo wakes were sighted heading straight for the Chicago from the starboard side. The cruiser, under tow and making a mere three knots, had no chance to evade. The first torpedo struck at 4:24 pm, sending a towering spray of water and debris over the forecastle and bridge. In the next few seconds, three more torpedoes smashed into the ship, striking near the already damaged engine rooms.
A fifth passed harmlessly by the stern, but the damage had already been done. Meanwhile, the La Vallette, still standing between the attackers and the Chicago, was struck by a single torpedo on its port side. The explosion tore through the destroyer, killing 22 crew members and flooding several compartments. After the torpedoes hit, it became clear the Chicago was beyond saving. The ship began listing heavily to starboard as water rushed in. Realizing the inevitability of the situation, Captain Davis gave the order to abandon ship.
The crew, working under immense pressure, threw life rafts overboard and began to evacuate. The increasing list of the ship made it difficult to launch rafts on the port side, but the men remained calm and orderly throughout the ordeal. At 4:43 pm, 19 minutes after the first torpedo struck, the Chicago began to sink stern-first. Her colors were still flying as she rolled onto her side, disappearing beneath the waves. In the aftermath, destroyers Waller, Edwards, and Sands, along with the tug Navajo, moved in to rescue the survivors. Planes and ships searched the area, ensuring that no one was left behind.
Out of the 1,130 officers and men aboard the Chicago, 1,069 were rescued. In his official report, Captain Davis commended the crew’s courage, both in fighting to keep the ship afloat after the initial attack and for their disciplined conduct during the evacuation. In total, the Japanese lost around 12 medium bombers. The La Vallette was also hit but managed to avoid further damage. Quick work by the crew saved the destroyer, and the ship was eventually towed to safety. The Chenango and Suwannee, aware of another possible attack, retired to safety and coordinated recovery efforts for the Chicago’s survivors.
By the next morning, the Allies claimed to have destroyed 31 enemy aircraft, with additional planes damaged or possibly downed. However, many reports were duplicates. In reality, the tally was much lower. Japanese propaganda exaggerated their victory as well, claiming to have sunk multiple battleships and cruisers, though the Chicago was the only ship lost. In the battle’s aftermath, they rapidly began evacuating their troops from Guadalcanal.
On February 1, the removal of Giffen’s cruiser group benefited Operation KE, allowing Rear Admiral Hashimoto to lead a force of twenty destroyers from Shortland Island to evacuate the Guadalcanal garrison. The operation had a different intent than its name suggested, as Hashimoto encountered fierce resistance from Cactus Air Force planes, which damaged several ships. Nonetheless, he successfully reached Cape Esperance and Kamimbo Bay, evacuating 4,935 men on the first run. A second run on February 4 extracted an additional 3,921 soldiers, including high-ranking generals. General Patch was misled into believing the Japanese were reinforcing their troops.
Hashimoto undertook a third evacuation run with eighteen destroyers, saving 1,796 more men. The total evacuation rescued 10,652 soldiers, lifting morale within the Japanese ranks. In contrast, on the other side of the world, Hitler's 6th Army at Stalingrad faced no such reprieve and was ordered to hold their ground until surrendering around the same time as Operation KE. The operation resulted in the loss of one destroyer and substantial aircraft for the Japanese, while the Americans lost several ships and planes. Ultimately, General Patch reported the complete defeat of Japanese forces on Guadalcanal on February 9, 1943. A new chapter of the Pacific War had begun….