|
Date
|
Event
|
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1-2 May 1942
|
Australians evacuate Tulagi when Japanese occupies the island.
|
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28 May - July 8
|
Japanese occupy Guadalcanal and begin construction of air base.
|
|
4 July
|
American B-17 flies over Guadalcanal and confirms presence of Japanese building an airstrip.
|
|
6 July
|
Allied headquarters in Australia receive confirmation of Japanese construction of an airfield from coast watchers.
|
|
10 July
|
Nimitz orders Ghormley to invade and capture Guadalcanal and Tulagi.
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|
7 August
|
Americans land 10,000 Marines on Guadalcanal and Tulagi against a 2,200 Japanese defending force.
|
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8 August
|
Japanese airfield captured and Americans name it “Henderson Field” after a Marine pilot who died during the Battle of Midway.
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9 August
|
Battle of Savo Island. Heavy cruisers Canberra, Astoria, Quincy, & Vincennes sunk.
|
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10 August
|
US submarine S-44 sinks Japanese heavy cruiser Kako off New Ireland.
|
|
21 August
|
Battle of the Tenaru (Ilu) River
|
|
24 August
|
Battle of the Eastern Solomons. Japanese light carrier Ryujo sunk, American carrier Enterprise damaged.
|
|
31 August
|
American carrier Saratoga torpedoed near San Cristobal.
|
|
12-14 September
|
Battle of Edson’s (Bloody) Ridge
|
|
15 September
|
American carrier Wasp sunk by Japanese submarine I-19, battleship North Carolina torpedoed.
|
|
11-12 October
|
Battle of Cape Esperance. Japanese heavy cruisers Furutaka and Fubuki, one destroyer sunk. American lose one destroyer.
|
|
13 October
|
Japanese battleships Kongo and Haruna shell Marine positions.
|
|
14 October
|
Japanese heavy cruisers Chokai and Kinugasa bombard Marines.
|
|
18 October
|
Halsey takes command, relieving Ghormley.
|
|
24-25 October
|
Battle for Henderson Field
|
|
26 October
|
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, American carrier Hornet sunk.
|
|
12-15 November
|
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Japanese lose battleships Hiei, Kirishima, heavy cruiser Kinugasa, three destroyers and seven transports. Americans lose heavy cruisers Atlanta, San Francisco, light cruiser Juneau, and seven destroyers.
|
|
13 November
|
Japanese heavy cruisers Suzuya and Maya bombard Henderson Field.
|
|
30 November
|
Battle of Tassafaronga. Japanese lose one destroyer. Americans lose heavy cruiser Northampton.
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|
9 December
|
American PT boats sink Japanese destroyer Teruzuki at Cape Esperance.
|
|
15 December – February 7
|
American ground offensive to evict Japanese 17th Army from Guadalcanal.
|
|
29-30 January 1943
|
Battle of Rennell Island. American heavy cruiser Chicago sunk.
|
|
1-7 February
|
Japanese evacuate Guadalcanal.
|
|
9 February
|
Guadalcanal campaign ends. Americans take full control.
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