<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Attu">Battle of Attu Island</a href>, famous for the first organised (and named) banzai charge performed by the IJA. The decision is made after supply towards the Japanese garrison on Attu was cut as the 5th Fleet, led by Nachi, failed to defeat the US fleet there.
A naval battle which took place off Komandorski Islands within Northern Pacific Area on March 27, 1943, American timeline. A very unusual battle in the Pacific War since it was fought with purely gunfire (torpedoes were used but never hit their targets). The IJN objective was to escort transport ships to resupply troops on Attu Island to repel further Allied invasions. While the USN objective is to intercept the supply convoy to prevent IJN for resupplying troops in Attu Island.
This was carried out by the IJN's 5th Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Hosogaya Boshiro, the fleet was divided into two groups, the Northern Force which composed of heavy cruisers, Nachi and Maya, and light cruiser Tama with destroyers Wakaba and Hatsushimo from DesDiv 21, Nachi was designated as the flagship. The Northern Force was to provide cover for the supply convoy till they reach Attu Island, the convoy was leaded by light cruiser Abukuma with destroyer Ikazuchi and Inazuma escorting 2 transport ships, and destroyer Usugumo escorting 1 transport ship. The convoy departed from Paramushiro on March 23, 1943, Japanese timeline.
The interception duty was carried out by the USN's Task Force 16.6 under the command of Rear Admiral Charles McMorris, the force consisted of heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City CA-25 and light cruiser Richmond CL-9 with destroyers USS Coghlan DD-606, USS Bailey DD-492, USS Dale DD-353, and USS Monaghan DD-354 from DesRon 14, Salt Lake was designated as flagship.
07:30 of March 27, 1943, American timeline, the IJN convoy appears on radar, TF-16.6 proceed their pursuit. At 07:55, the convoy proceed northward, Abukuma, Ikazuchi, Inazuma and Usugumo immediately formed a protective screen to cover the convoy. At 08:11, TF-16.6 had a visual contact with the convoy. At 08:20, the Northern Force came contact with TF-16.6. At 08:35, TF-16.6 came visual contact with the Northern Force. At 08:38, the convoy proceed northwest. At 8:40, Nachi opened fire at Richmond from 20,000 yards, the second and third salvos were straddles. Richmond fires back at 08:41, the third salvo was a straddle. At 8:43, Salt Lake opened fires at Nachi from 21,000 yards, The second salvo was a straddle. Bailey opened fires at Nachi then at Tama from 14,000 yards, Coghlan opened fire at Nachi from 18,000 yards.
At 08:45, Nachi fired 8 torpedoes but all misses, Salt Lake continued firing her guns at Nachi. At 08:50, Nachi took moderate damage from the gunfire from Richmond, an 8 inch shell hit Nachi's signal bridge, 11 were killed and 21 were wounded, the blast damaged her gunnery control electrical circuit, then a second salvo hit her mainmast that severed her radio communication. Then 2 minutes later, a third hit her torpedo compartment, 2 were killed and 5 were wounded, a spotter-plane was damaged from the blast. Her damaged-control crew attempted to shift the affected generator to a boiler with low steam pressure. This somehow cuts her power that freezes her guns, Nachi was temporary disabled for half an hour while they restore power.
At 09:03, Richmond ceased fire while Salt Lake continued firing. Hosogaya commanded her cruisers to take southwest direction, his cruisers fired at full broadside. At 09:10, Maya scored an 8 inch projectile hit Salt Lake, Salt Lake's starboard observation plane caught fire from the blast. Maya continued pounding Salt Lake with 8 inch projectiles afterwards. From 09:21 to 9:30, Nachi came back to power and opened fires. 09:45, Tama blasted Salt Lake's starboard quarter from 18,000 yards. At 09:53, Abukuma approached Richmond to draw Richmond's attention. At 10:02, Salt Lake's steering gear failed, Salt Lake was hit again from 22,000 yard at 10:10, though the shell was a dud. At 10:18, McMorris ordered his destroyers to provide smokescreen from their funnels to hide Salt Lake from the IJN ships. 10:28, Salt Lake changed course, while the USN destroyers continued engaging their enemies, Richmond follows. The IJN cruisers proceed their pursuit for Salt Lake. The IJN ships failed to score any hits for 45 minutes, the pursuit lasted for 30 minutes.
At 11:03, Salt Lake takes a hit from Abukuma, this caused several flooding afterwards. Maya fires four torpedoes, 2 minutes later, Nachi fires 8 torpedoes, and another 8 minutes later, Abukuma fires 4 more torpedoes, all torpedoes just passed the USN ships. At 11:25, Salt Lake slowed down because of the damage she took, this problem was resolved at 11:38. At 11:48, Nachi was hit by a 5 inch shell in front of her No. 1 turret which killed 1 crew and wounding another. At 11:49, Wakaba and Hatsushimo enters the engagement, Wakaba fired 5 torpedoes while Hatsushimo fired 6 torpedoes at the USN destroyers, all torpedoes misses. At 11:53, salt water started entering on Salt Lake's fuel tank which extinguished her boiler fire, Salt Lake stops at 11:54. At 11:59, Bailey, Coghlan and Monaghan changed course and engaged the cruisers from 17,000 yards, Dale remained providing smokescreens while Richmond was beside the crippled cruiser.
Coghlan fired her guns at Maya while Bailey and Monaghan fired their guns at Nachi, the IJN cruisers shifter their guns at the destroyers. At 12:00, Bailey suffered an 8 inch shell that struck her galley door, killing 5, 2 minutes later, Bailey was hit again on her forward fireroom and her forward engineroom loosing boilers 1 and 2 while Coghlan took one hit that knocked down her radars. Another 5 inch shell hit Nachi. At 12:03, Bailey still able to fire 5 torpedoes from 10,000 yards despite of the damaged she already received, at the same time Salt Lake restarted her boilers and increase her speed at 15 knots, Salt Lake reopened fires with HE ammunition.
During the exchange of fire, Hosogaya ordered his ships to proceed westward while McMorris ordered his to proceed eastward. The Japanese ceased fire at 12:04 while the American ceased fire at 12:12. Both forces are now heading opposite direction toward their bases.
The battle lasted for three and a half hours, making it the longest surface ship actions in the War of the Pacific. Salt Lake was heavily damaged and Bailey and Coghlan took moderate damage, the USN suffered 7 killed and 20 wounded. Nachi was heavily damaged and Maya was slightly damaged, the IJN suffered 14 killed and 26 wounded. During the engagement, Salt Lake fired 806 8 inch and 95 5", Richmond fired 271 6" and 14 3", Bailey fired 481 5", Coghlan fired 750 5", Dale fired 728 5", and Monaghan fired 235 5". Nachi fired 707 8" and 276 5", Maya fired 904 8" and 9 5", Tama fired 136 5.5", Abukuma fired 95 5.5", Wakaba and Hatsushimo only fired only few 5" shells combined. The USN only launched 5 torpedoes, all from Bailey, while the IJN launched a total of 43 torpedoes, 16 from Nachi, 8 from Maya, 4 from Tama, 4 from Abukuma, 6 from Wakaba, and 5 from Hatsushimo.
Despite the superior numbers the IJN ships and the damaged they already inflicted at the USN, the IJN decided to withdraw from the battle and aborted the resupply mission due to lack of fuel and ammunition and the possibilities of an aerial attack. This battle resulted to a strategical victory for the US. As the resupply mission failed, the troops in Attu Island were force take desperate action. Vice Admiral Hosogaya was relieved from command and was sent on reserve afterwards. The almost same scenario will be repeated in the Battle off Samar.
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The fifth fleet led by Nachi seizes the opportunity to destroy the American fleet in the naval battle off Attu island, but fails.
Supply to the Japanese garrison on Attu is cut off, and it loses it's strategic value.The commander of the Japanese Northern Army sent the following telegram:Showa 18 (1943), May 29-30
The IJA garrison on Attu island meets an honourable death."[excerpt] The Army will cooperate with the Navy to take all possible measures to facilitate the rescuing of personnel...To the very last, in the hope of meeting an honourable death, prepare yourselves accordingly and demonstrate the fighting spirit of an Imperial soldier" This is about how even wounded and non-combatants should attack and not be taken prisoner